WI blown away again

Another woeful batting display condemned the West Indies to a 277-run defeat on the fourth day of the second and final Test against Australia at Sabina Park yesterday.

Asked to make a challenging 392 to win late on the third day, the West Indies were blown away for 114 in their second innings, shortly after lunch.

Fast-rising left-arm Australia fast bowler, Mitchell Starc, who resumed the day with two wickets, went on to not only make the first breakthrough of the day, but also finish with an innings high three for 34.

He got good support from Josh Hazlewood, fellow lefty Mitchell Johnson, and spinner Nathan Lyon, who each picked up two wickets.

Steve Smith, who made a top score of 199 in the Australians' first innings, was named Man-of-the-Match, while Hazlewood, who claimed 12 wickets over the two-match series, was named Man-of-the-Series.

"We knew it (the series) was going to be tough, but I thought we showed some fight throughout. It was just not as long as we wanted to," said West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin, who saw his charges go down 2-0 in the series.

"Having said that, however, there were positives we could take from the series. Young Devendra Bishoo, for example, bowled well in Dominica, Jerome Taylor here. We also had guys who got starts, and should have capitalised, and that is something we need to correct."

worst of starts

Resuming the day on 16 for two, and needing one of their young batsmen to step up, the West Indies had the worst of starts. Overnight batsman Shane Dowich lost his stumps off the bowling of Starc inside the first three overs of the day.

This triggered the now all-too-familiar collapse. The other overnight batsman, Darren Bravo, on eight at the start of the day, added just three more runs. He casually attempted a flick shot off Hazlewood and only succeeded to pick out short mid-wicket.

The wickets of Jermaine Blackwood, bowled by Hazlewood off the inside edge for zero; Shai Hope, bowled Starc for 16; and Jason Holder, caught off the bowling of part-time pacer Shane Watson, then followed soon after.

Ramdin, who ended up making a top score of 29, and spinner Veerasammy Permaul, 23 not out, shared a brief resistance of 49 runs for the eighth wicket. However, in the end, it was simply a matter of delaying the inevitable.

"I thought the boys played really well," noted Australia captain Michael Clarke. "Credit to the West Indies, however, as I thought they fought really hard throughout the series.

"What I thought we did well was to execute well throughout the series.We're also really happy to win two Tests away from home," he declared.

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA 1st Innings 399

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 220

AUSTRALIA 2nd Innings 212-2 decl.

WEST INDIES 2nd Innings (target: 392)

(overnight 16 for two)

D. Bravo c Marsh b Hazlewood 11

S. Dowrich b Starc 4

S. Hope b Johnson 16

J. Blackwood b Hazlewood 0

*+D. Ramdin c Clarke b Johnson 29

J. Holder c Starc b Watson 1

V. Permaul not out 23

K. Roach c Smith b Lyon 3

J. Taylor b Lyon 0

Extras: (b13, lb11, w2, nb1) 27

Total: (all out, 42 overs) 114

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Brathwaite), 2-1 (Chandrika), 3-20 (Dowrich), 4-27 (Bravo), 5-33 (Blackwood), 6-55 (Hope), 7-62 (Holder), 8-111 (Ramdin), 9-114 (Roach), 10-114 (Taylor)

Bowling: Starc 13-5-34-3 (w1, nb1), Hazlewood 10-5-18-2, Lyon 7-3-12-2, Johnson 8-1-23-2 (w1), Watson 4-2-3-1.

Result: Australia won by 277 runs.

Series: Australia won two-Test series 2-0.

Man-of-the-Match: Steve Smith.

Man-of-the-Series: Josh Hazlewood.

Toss: West Indies.

Umpires: I Gould, R Kettleborough; TV - Aleem Dar.