Starc takes 6 wickets for 9 runs as West Indies routed for 27 in Kingston

Winnipeg Free Press

18 hours ago

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Mitchell Starc took six wickets for nine runs, surpassing 400 test wickets in his 100th test, and Scott Boland claimed a hat trick as Australia bowled out the West Indies for 27 to win the third test by 176 runs on Monday,
The West Indies missed the lowest score in test cricket by one run.
Starc's first 15 balls delivered the fastest five-wicket haul in test history, and his 15th five-wicket bag in tests. The tall left-armer took a wicket with the first ball and three wickets in the first over of the West Indies innings at Sabina Park.
Australia took only 14.3 overs to rout the home side in the first day-night test in Kingston and complete a 3-0 series sweep.
'It's been a fantastic series. I think we've seen some difficult batting conditions throughout,' Starc said. 'It's been a good few days, very enjoyable and I'll go home with a smile on my face.
'We saw last night the conditions with the hard pink ball under lights. It's pretty difficult. We didn't think it would happen as quickly today, until the sun went down a bit.'
The match was the first day-night test in the Caribbean. Australia's bowlers dominated the series after winning the first two tests — by 159 runs in Barbados then by 133 runs in Grenada — to secure the Frank Worrell Trophy.
While Starc missed a hat trick after dismissing Kevlon Anderson and Brandon King with consecutive deliveries, Boland completed his with the wickets of Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph and Jomel Warrican. It was the 10th test hat trick by an Australian.
Boland finished with three wickets for two runs.
The West Indies was out for its lowest test score, eclipsing the 47 against England on the same ground in 2004. At 11-6 in the sixth over it was in danger of inheriting the lowest score in test history.
A misfield by Sam Konstas in the 14th over allowed the West Indies to take a single and reach 27, just avoiding New Zealand's 70-year-old record of 26 set against England.
Earlier, Alzarri Joseph took 5-27 as the West Indies bowled out Australia for 121 in its second innings, leaving a chase of 204 runs for victory. Australia began the third day at 99-6 but lasted only eight more overs.
Cameron Green, who battled hard on Day 2 to reach 42, was out to the first ball of the day and the rest of the Australia tail followed quickly.
When the West Indies replied, Starc produced an outstanding display of fast bowling on a responsive pitch.
His first ball of the second innings, he compelled opener John Campbell to play defensive at a ball which moved away and he was caught by substitute wicketkeeper Josh Inglis. Inglis kept in place of Alex Carey, who was struck on the helmet by Alzarri Joseph on the second day.
Starc then removed Anderson lbw, bowled King without scoring and Mikyle Lewis for 4, leaving the West Indies four wickets down for five runs. His fifth wicket was Shai Hope, trapped lbw by a ball that swung in at pace to hit the back pad.
When Josh Hazlewood dismissed captain Roston Chase, caught by Inglis without scoring, the West Indies was 11-6. Taking out extras, the top six West Indies batters collectively scored only six runs.
The West Indies was 22-6 at the dinner break. Shortly after it passed 26, helped by two dropped catches in the slips by Sam Konstas off Starc.
Boland's hat trick brought the end closer and Starc's sixth wicket finished the match inside three days.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby