Sammy's hitting in vain as Australia complete 2-0 series win .

 Australia 328 & 259 beat West Indies 218 & 294 (96.3 ov, Chanderpaul 69, Sammy 61, Clarke 5/86, Lyon 3/87) by 75 runs: T3/3 D5/5 at Dominica. Australia win series 2-0 and retain Frank Worrell Trophy.


Michael Clarke and Nathan Lyon worked their way through the remaining West Indies batters to give Australia a comfortable, though not emphatic, win in this Test and the series.

Once the third umpire decided, after much deliberation, that Clarke had caught and bowled Narsingh Deonarine for 13 the West Indies were 6/180, still less than halfway to their target on a pitch which was offering considerable bounce and turn to the spinners without ever being unplayable.  Darren Sammy  had other ideas and he played a go-down-with -all-guns-blazing innings of 61/51b (3x6, 4x4) which took his team close enough to Australia to make them lament the missed opportunities, especially of the top order batting.

I never expected the West Indies to be as competitive as they turned out to be (Australia 3-0 was my private prediction) so there was enough to keep me interested, though the time difference between the Caribbean and here persuaded me to follow much of the play via the daily 2-3 hours of Fox Sports highlights.

Australia, have since last September played 14 Tests, including series (or two match encounters) against Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand, India and West Indies, and have moved up the world Test rankings to no 3, supplanting India.The team, or squad, despite some injuries and unanswered questions about the batting is looking in better shape than it did a year ago.

West Indies have to regroup and play England in three early season Tests. Most of the players will be match hardened, though how they'll adjust to the quick bowler friendly conditions in England after the spinning pitches of home is a moot point. They've chosen their   squad , omitting Kraigg Brathwaite and Carlton Baugh from the eleven which played this Test. The selectors have also not considered  Brendan Nash, who is playing county cricket with Kent and doing very well with the bat. He may not be in the same class (or quite as old) as the Player of the Series Shivnarine Chanderpaul , but he's been a solid performer in Tests until he lost form a year ago.

Less than three weeks to go (and slightly more congenial viewing hours).

Scorecard

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Late WI wickets keep Australia on track for T3 win

West Indies 218 & 5/173 (67.1 ov Chanderpaul 69, Bravo 45, Clarke 3/34) need 197 more runs with 5 wickets in hand to beat Australia 328 & 259 (85 ov, Ponting 57, Cowan 55, Shillingford 4/100, Roach 3/40, Deonarine 3/45) T3/3 D4/5 at Dominica.

The scorecard pretty well says it all: West Indies, with one top order batsman left (and Narsingh Deonarine, with all due respect, is not the person who immediately comes to mind if you try to think of a potential, against the considerable odds, matchwinner) aren't even halfway to their target.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo retrieved a grim looking 3/45, adding 110 before, in the closing overs of the day, first Bravo 45/148b (5x4) well caught by keeper Wade of Shane Watson then Chanderpaul 69/122b (6x4) was Michael Clarke's third victim (while Nathan Lyon remained wicketless).  West Indies desperately needed Chanderpaul at least and preferably both to fight another day, but wasn't to be and, barring rain, the last rites of the match and series will be played out, quite likely early, on D5.

West Indies have fought hard (most of the time) and haven't had the best of luck (or the onfield and DRS decisions) and a 0-2 loss will not be a fair reflection of the difference between the two teams.

Scorecard

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Australia turn tables on West Indies T3 D2

 West Indies 8/165 (65 ov, Powell 40, Lyon 3/49) trail Australia 328 (114.5 ov, Wade 106, Warner 50, Watson 41, Shillingord 6/119) by 163 runs with 2 first innings wickets in hand: T3/3 D2/5 at Dominica.

Matt Wade stepped on the accelerator adding 82 runs in 74 balls to his overnight 22/72b, propelling Australia from a rickety overnight 7/212 to a much more comfortable 328. Then Australia's seven bowlers (thoughful captaincy again from Michael Clarke) chipped away at the West Indies) reducing them to a dismal 8/120 before ...yes, you guessed it, Shivnarine Chanderpaul 34*/110b (2x4) dug in while Ravi Rampaul 24*/33b (4x4) did his bit to see that their team's score at the close of play was a little less dismal.

  Wade and Michell Starc were Australia's great hopes when play resumed . Starc struck a few blows before being narrowly but foolishly run out for 35. Wade was dropped from a return catch to Kemar Roach early on but he, with Ben Hilfenhaus playing a low key supporting role, regrouped and struck out at the bowlers.

His 106/146b (3x6, 10x4) swung the match in Australia's favour. The Australian bowlers, aided by some poor batting, eg Kraigg Brathwaite caught at slip for his third consecutive duck and, perhaps, by a touch of good fortune (eg Kieran Powell dragging an ordinary looking delivery  from Nathan Lyon onto his wicket) worked their work through the order.

It's hard to see West Indies winning or, in the absence of rain, even drawing from here. Sure Chanderpaul is still there, but well as Rampaul might continue to support him, it's hard to see West Indies, even if things go well for them on D3, getting close enough to Australia's first innings score to make a game of it. 


Scorecard

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