Starc finished with figures of 4-28 off 18 overs
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Australia left-arm pace bowler Mitchell Starc ripped through the West Indies’ batting line-up with four wickets to help his side win the first Test in Dominica by nine wickets.
Starting out the day on 25/2, the West Indies lost Darren Bravo early on when he was caught by David Warner at mid-off off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood for five runs.
Debutant Shane Dowrich and Marlon Samuels stabilised the innings with a 144-run partnership, during which both batsmen brought up their half-centuries, before Dowrich was caught by Shane Watson at short mid-on off the bowling of Hazlewood.
Dowrich’s career-best knock of 70 came off 185 balls and included five boundaries and a six.
Dowrich made a gutsy 70
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Jermaine Blackwood scored 12 runs before he was stumped by Brad Haddin off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.
Samuels went on to score 74 off 184 deliveries, which included seven boundaries and a six, before he was caught by Starc at deep backward square leg off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson.
Samuels scored a valiant 74
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Following Samuels’ dismissal, Starc sliced right through the West Indies’ lower order and they were ultimately bowled out for 216, which set Australia a target of 47 runs to win.
Starc was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Johnson, Hazelwood and Lyon chipped in with two wickets apiece.
Chasing 47 runs to win, Australia were five runs away from victory when Warner was caught by Bravo at first slip off the bowling of Jerome Taylor for 28.
Australia mopped up the remaining runs with no problems whatsoever and took a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
Taylor was the only bowler to take a wicket.
West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin was disappointed to have lost, and said: “It was tough. Young Dowrich showed character and Marlon Samuels batted well but we kept losing wickets. Adam Voges set it up for them [Australia]. Bishoo was fantastic, he bowled good deliveries and some magical ones. I think the manner in which we bowled in the first innings was positive. Hopefully, we will do well in Jamaica.”
Australia skipper Michael Clarke was pleased to have taken a 1-0 lead, and said: “I thought West Indies fought exceptionally hard. Credit to our bowlers, they found a way to take wickets on this slow pitch. Our bowlers stuck at it and our fielding was really good. The way Warner and Marsh batted, you will see more aggression in Jamaica. Voges is a class act and he rightly deserves the opportunity and I think with that maturity and experience, he has grabbed it with both hands.”
Voges, who became the oldest player to score a Test century on debut, was named Man of the Match, and said: “It has been the perfect three days. To debut for Australia and score a hundred it feels special. The tail supported me well.”