Agence France-Presse
Melbourne, Dec 28: Australia amassed a formidable 459-run lead over the West Indies and were heading for a series victory with two days left in the second Test here Monday at the MCG.
After dismissing the outgunned tourists for 271 and obtaining a 280-run first innings lead, skipper Steve Smith did not enforce the follow-on, preferring to recharge his bowlers and bat a second time.
By close on the third day, Smith (70 batting, 70b, 5×4) had led the Australians to 179 for three. Giving him company was Mitch Marsh (18 batting).
The Australians have been far superior and seemed intent on constructing a huge overall lead and bowling out the Windies for a fourth time in the one-sided series.
Australia crushed the Windies by an innings and 212 runs in the first Test in Hobart and have lost only 10 wickets for 1,313 runs in three incomplete innings.
The Australians went about chasing quick runs and lost wickets along the way. Both openers were gone by the 11th over, the first time that it had happened in the series.
But then first-innings centurion Usman Khawaja (56, 61b, 5×4) steadied the ship with a 77-run partnership for the third wicket with his skipper.
Earlier in the day, the tourists’ tail resisted for the first two sessions led by Darren Bravo top-scoring with 81 (204b, 8×4) and all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite (59, 126b, 2×4, 1×6) putting on 90 runs for the seventh wicket. Brathwaite, who got two reprieves because of Pattinson no balls, saw his luck finally running out when he finally hit back a return catch to Nathan Lyon.
This was followed by another 42-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Bravo and Kemar Roach (22) for the seventh wicket and a 35-run 10th wicket stand between the top-scorer and JA Warrican (13 n o). Their efforts took the West Indies past the 250-run mark.
But James Pattinson (4/72) finally ended the West Indian resistance in the last over before tea, getting Bravo caught in gully by Smith as the batsman attempted to slice the ball down to third man. Off-spinner Lyon (4/66) also bowled well in tandem with Pattinson.
It was the Windies’ highest innings score in a Test at the MCG since 1988 as they kept the dominant Australians in the field for 100.3 overs.
Brief scores: Australia 551 for 3 decl and 179 for 3 (Steve Smith 70 batting); West Indies 271 (Darren Bravo 81, Carlos Brathwaite 59, Nathan Lyon 4/66, James Pattinson 4/72). Match to continue.
