Marnus Labuschagne’s combo of the double century and century and spinner Nathan Lyon’s magic with the ball helped Australia clinch a 164-run win over West Indies in the first Test of two-match series in Perth on Sunday.
With this win, Australia has taken a 1-0 lead in the series. Chasing a target of 498, the West Indies resumed the final day of the match at 192/3, with Kraigg Brathwaite 101* and Kyle Mayers 0* at the crease.
Spinner Nathan Lyon got the first wicket of the day, five overs into the day, dismissing Kyle Mayers for 10 runs. West Indies was 207/4. Centurion Brathwaite was the next one to go soon, with Lyon getting his wicket for 110. Half of the West Indies side was gone for 212 runs.
Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood took two more scalps, dismissing Jason Holder (3) and Joshua de Silva (12). WI was 233/7.
Roston Chase and Alzarri Joseph stitched an 82-run stand, which helped the Windies cross the 300-run mark. Head dismissed Joseph for 43 off 72 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes.
Chase brought up his half-century, his 10th in the format. However, Lyon dismissed both Chase (55) and Kemar Roach (0) to bundle out West Indies for 333 runs, winning the match by 164 runs.
Lyon (6/128) was the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies. Head took two wickets, Hazlewood and Starc took a wicket each.
Earlier, Australia declared their second innings at 182/2 in 37 overs. This gave Australia a 498-run lead in the match. Labuschagne (104*) scored a masterful century after a double ton in the previous innings. David Warner scored 48, Steve Smith was unbeaten at 20*.
Roach and Chase took a wicket each. In their first innings, West Indies was bundled out for 283 in response to 598/4 declared by Australia in the first innings. WI was trailing by 315 runs at the end of their first innings. Openers Brathwaite (64) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (51) scored half-centuries.
Pacers Pat Cummins (3/34) and Mitchell Starc (3/51) impressed for Australia. Lyon got two scalps and Hazlewood and Cameron Green took a wicket each.
Australia declared their first innings at 598/4. Labuschagne (204) and Smith (200) scored incredible double tons. Labuschagne and Smith also had a 251-run partnership for the third wicket. Usman Khawaja scored a half-century, ending with 65 runs in his kitty.
Braithwaite (2/65) was the pick of the bowlers for the Windies. Jayden Seales and Kyle Mayers took a wicket each.
Labuschagne was given the ‘Man of the Match’ award for his knocks of 204 and 104*.
Brief Scores: Australia: 598/4 declared and 182/2 (Marnus Labuschagne 104*, David Warner 48, Kemar Roach 1/30) defeated West Indies: 283 and 333 (Kraigg Brathwaite 110, Roston Chase 55, Nathan Lyon 6/128) by 164 runs