Bridgetown: Australia defeated West Indies by three wickets in a thrilling finish to the first Test of the three match series.
A half-century from Shane Watson and a rapid 32 from Mike Hussey were key to give the tourists victory after the hosts had fought back to keep the game in the balance..
During the morning the West Indies had added 77 more runs to their overnight total of 71-5 to set a relatively tough target of 192.
The hosts hadn’t looked like getting anywhere near that when they started the day on 71-5 and promptly lost Narsingh Deonarine lbw to Ryan Harris.
When Aussies came out, the West Indies set defensive fields from the first ball as though a draw was their only hope. Ed Cowan and David Warner found it hard to score.
Sixty-five runs came in the next 14 overs. When Watson found the man on the boundary when he top-edged a sweep off Deonarine. He’d scored 52 and Australia only needed 86 more runs.
It was the first wicket in what proved to be Deonarine’s best spell of Test bowling as he used the rough made by the bowlers’ footmarks.
A straight-forward pull shot from Cowan went into the hands of mid-wicket and gave Deonarine his second dismissal and it wasn’t long before he bowled one to Ricky Ponting that stayed low and got under his bat.
In his next over, two deliveries later, Deonarine had his fourth. Michael Clarke got a leading edge and Deonarine stooped to pick up an easy catch. Australia still required 52 runs to reach their target and were now five down.
He thought he had a five wicket innings when Matthew Wade was given out lbw by umpire Ian Gould but the batsman used the DRS which supported his belief that he’d hit the ball.
With the light fading Hussey and Wade moved the score along as quickly as possible but both fell to Roach. Wade was caught in the deep and Hussey fell with three runs still needed, bowled in the poor light.
He’d hit 32 off 26 balls and took Australia to the verge of victory. A couple of scampered singles from man of the match Harris and Hilfenhaus saw Australia home.
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