Australia wrapped up series victory over West Indies – with a match to spare – after completing a 133-run victory in the second Test in Grenada.
The visitors resumed day four on 221-7 and leading by 254 runs, only for a promising morning from the West Indies seeing Shamar Joseph complete a four-wicket haul and help dismiss Australia for 243.
West Indies were set a winning target of 277 but quickly slumped to 33-4 on a deteriorating wicket, with Michell Starc (3-24), Nathan Lyon (3-42) and Josh Hazlewood (2-33) all taking wickets for Australia.
Travis Head congratulates Starc for the dismissal of West Indies’ Keacy Carty
Captain Roston Chase top-scored for West Indies in the second innings with 34, but Australia dismissed the hosts for 143 in 34.3 overs to take an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.
“We never really got those partnerships going,” skipper Chase said. “The new ball was the biggest challenge – we lost too many wickets. If we could avoid a few wickets in the first 10-15 overs, we would have a better chance.
“Two hundred and seventy was always a challenging task.”
How Australia wrapped up series win over West Indies
Hazlewood struck with his fifth delivery, trapping John Campbell lbw for a duck, while Starc removed Keacy Carty for 10 to get the visitors off to an ideal start.
Beau Webster dismissed Kraigg Brathwaite for seven in his 100th Test, before Cummins bowled Brandon King (14) with a delivery that straightened just enough to clip off stump.
Shai Hope’s dismissal for 17 – caught and bowled by Hazlewood attempting a pull – put West Indies in deeper trouble, although Chase made a spirited 34 that included a magnificent six off Starc.
Roston Chase was trapped lbw by Starc after top scoring for the West Indies
Chase’s dismissal on the stroke of lunch effectively ended any realistic hopes of a West Indies recovery, although Alzarri Joseph struck back-to-back sixes off Nathan Lyon and Shamar Joseph hit three maximums in his 24 before the pair were both dismissed.
“We had to graft our way in both matches,” Cummins said. “I’m pretty proud. The new ball has been pretty tricky for both teams. The pitch deteriorated a bit, so it got a bit simpler for our plans. We hit good areas ball after ball, and waited for the game to come to us.”
The third and final Test match of the series begins in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday, before a five-match T20I series starts at the same venue on July 20.
Watch England’s five-match series at home to India live on Sky Sports Cricket or stream with no contract. The third Test, at Lord’s, is live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am Thursday (11am first ball). Not got Sky? Stream cricket and more without a contract.
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