Josh Hazlewood destroys West Indies as Australia win first Test in Bridgetown

West Australian

4 hours ago

Australian quick Josh Hazlewood
has ripped through the West Indies' batting line-up to set up a 1-0 lead in the
Frank Worrell Trophy series
.
It was a day of pure dominance from the Aussies with Hazlewood leading the way in Bridgetown and unlucky not to have more wickets.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Hazlewood fires Aussies to West Indies wipeout.
Hazlewood finished the day with five wickets but a dropped catch by Sam Konstas late in the day robbed him of a sixth.
At one stage he took 4-4 in a blistering three-over period.
Even dumped veteran Marnus Labuschagne got in on the action, with a superb direct hit — while he was on the ground as a substitute fielder — to inflict the run-out of Alzarri Joseph for a duck.
Nathan Lyon chipped in late with two wickets from two balls to close out the innings with Australia winning by 159 runs.
Hazlewood finished the day with the figures of 5-43, while Lyon mopped up the tail with 2-20.
After the match, Hazlewood — who completed his 13th Test 'five-fer' when Jomel Warrican (3) edged to Carey the ball after surviving an lbw review — was able to have a laugh.
'I didn't think it was going to happen that fast,' he said.
Australia dominated on Friday (Saturday morning AEDT), turning the match on its head after a hotly contested first two days.
The Windies were thwarted by a collapse of 6-26 in pursuit of the unlikely 301 they needed for victory.
Shamar Joseph offered some resistance, cracking 44 runs off 22 balls — including four sixes — in a furious cameo at No.10, but otherwise it was a dim day for the hosts..
Former Aussie star Greg Blewett had nothing but praise for Australia's famed bowling line-up.
'They are playing good as always. It's like a broken record these days watching the Australian bowling attack,' he said in commentary.
'They're so experienced and so clinical.
'They also share it around really well. This time it's Josh Hazlewood. Good figures.'
Earlier, Australia set the West Indies a target of 301 after Travis Head led the morning fightback with his second half-century of the Test.
Beau Webster and Alex Carey then built on his good work to push Australia into the ascendancy.
Having resumed on Day 3 on a perilous-looking 4-92, and a lead of just 82, the tourists dug deep to put themselves in a strong position.
Head made 61 before falling to a straight one from Shamar Joseph that kept low and thundered into his pads. There was no doubting that and Head departed with a rueful smile without considering a review.
Despite a reputation built on aggressive batting, here he went about his work with great patience, testament to his quality and character.
Head had earlier had a moment of good fortune when dropped at second slip by Justin Greaves when on 21. He took full advantage of that reprieve to put on a crucial 102-run partnership with Webster
That was Australia's only loss before lunch and with Webster going on to make 63 and Carey adding 65, the visitors piled on the frustration for the home attack.
Webster fell to an unfortunate tickle down the leg side as Shamar Joseph picked up his third wicket.
Carey, displaying some exciting stroke-making, fell when trying a shot over cover from Roston Chase, the West Indies captain, and was caught in the deep by Greaves.
When Hazlewood, at No.11, swung at one outside the off-stump and got a massive edge, the ball fizzed back on to the stumps and Australia were finally all out for 310.
The tourists are now likely to regain the injured Steve Smith for the second Test that begins in Grenada next week after his absence was glaring on a tough batting deck earlier in the match.
- With AAP