Australia decimate West Indies in record-breaking Day-Night Test: Key stats
What's the story
Australia's Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland wreaked havoc against West Indies in the third and final Test in Kingston, Jamaica. Starc claimed 6/9 while Boland took a hat-trick as Australia dismissed the West Indies for a mere 27 runs in the fourth innings. This is now the second-lowest total ever recorded in Test cricket history. The match ended in Australia's favor by a massive margin of 176 runs, completing a 3-0 clean sweep of the series.
Summary
How did the game pan out?
Australia scored 225 runs in their first innings, which was followed by a dismal performance from West Indies, who were bowled out for just 143. Alzarri Joseph took 5-27 as the West Indies bowled out Australia for 121 in the third innings, leaving a chase of 204 runs for victory. However, stellar spells from Starc and Boland meant WI were folded for 27. Steve Smith's 48 in Australia's first innings was the highest individual score in this match.
Milestone
Starc takes fastest-ever 5-wicket haul; WI avoid lowest score
Starc's incredible fourth-innings performance included the fastest five-wicket haul in Test history, within his first 15 balls. He also went past 400 Test wickets in what was his 100th match. Notably, the West Indies narrowly escaped breaking the record for the lowest score in Test cricket history, which is New Zealand's 26/10 against England in Auckland in 1955.
Hat-trick
Boland's hat-trick seals the deal for Australia
While Starc missed a hat-trick opportunity after dismissing Kevlon Anderson and Brandon King in consecutive deliveries, Boland completed his with the wickets of Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph, and Jomel Warrican. This was the 10th Test hat-trick by an Australian. Notably, Australia won the first two Tests by 159 runs in Barbados and then by 133 runs in Grenada.
Green
Green attains these milestones
While most of the batters struggled in this match, Cameron Green breached the 40-run mark in both innings, scoring 46 and 42. With these knocks, Green raced past 4,500 First-Class runs (now 4,527) runs with his average being 47.15. He also completed 1,500 Test runs (now 1,565) at an average of 34.02. The tally includes seven fifties besides two hundreds.
Starc
Fourth Australian to take 400 Test wickets
Starc returned with 6/9 from 7.3 overs, surpassing his previous-best figures of 6/48. This was his 16th Test fifer. Starc, who becomes the 16th Aussie to complete 100 Test appearances, has now raced to 402 wickets at 27.02, as per ESPNcricinfo. He also raced past 150 wickets (now 152) in away Tests, averaging 26.77 (5W: 8). Notably, Starc became just the fourth bowler with 400-plus Test wickets for the Aussies.
Day-Night Tests
Fifth fifer in Day-Night Tests
This was Starc's fifth fifer in Day-Night Tests as no other bowler has claimed the milestone more than twice. He has now raced to 81 wickets from 14 Day-Night Tests at an average of 17.08. He is the only bowler with 50-plus wickets in these games. Meanwhile, Starc now has 44 wickets across 10 Tests against WI at 19.09. This was his maiden fifer against them. 27 of his scalps have come across six Tests in WI at 16.18.
Boland
Boland becomes 10th Australian with a Test hat-trick
Boland became the 10th Australian to achieve a Test hat-trick. Overall, he claimed three-fers across both innings, recording figures worth 3/34 & 3/2. He has now raced to 63 wickets across 14 Tests (27 innings) at an average of 16.53 (5W: 2). Among bowlers with at least 50 Test wickets since 1900, England's Sydney Barnes (16.43) is the only one with a better average than Boland, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Alzarri
Fifer for Alzarri
Alzarri, who went wicket-less in his first outing, claimed 5/27 in the third innings. Having played 40 Tests, Joseph now owns 124 scalps at 33.46. This was his second Test fifer and a maiden one versus Australia. He overall boasts 25 Test wickets against the Aussies at 29.72. 74 of his wickets have come at home at 29.44 (5W: 1).
Shamar
Shamar accomplishes 50 Test wickets
Shamar Joseph claimed twin four-fers in the game - 4/33 and 4/34. With his seventh wicket in the game, Shamar became the joint fourth-fastest West Indian bowler to complete 50 Test wickets. He has now raced to 51 wickets across 11 Tests at 21.66 (5W: 4, 4W: 4). With 22 scalps at 14.95, he finished the recent series as the highest wicket-taker.
DYK
Joseph joins Curtly Ambrose
Joseph returned with four or more wickets in five of the six innings in the series. No other WI bowler, who has featured in a maximum of three Tests in a series, has taken more four-plus wicket hauls. Joseph now shares the pole position with Curtly Ambrose, who bowled five such spells in the 1993-94 home series vs England.