(Reuters) – Australia moved towards another massive victory over West Indies on the second day of the second test in Jamaica today after the hosts collapsed for the third time in as many innings.
After Australia scored 399 in a first innings highlighted by a knock of 199 by Steve Smith, West Indies were left reeling at 143 for eight wickets in reply, facing the prospect of having to follow-on on Saturday.
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood both took three wickets in a balanced Australian attack, while Jermaine Blackwood scored 51 for the home team, a bright spot on another bleak day for Caribbean cricket.
But the day belonged to Australian number three batsman Smith, who fell one run short of his double century when he was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Jerome Taylor after lunch.
The batsman indicated that he got an edge with his bat but, with no hot-spot technology available, the video evidence was inconclusive and the umpire’s decision stood.
Smith was only the eighth batsman in test history to be out for 199, and the first since 2008.
Though he narrowly failed to become the third Australian to score a double-century at Sabina Park, it was his highest test score and vaulted his team into a commanding position to sweep the two-test series.
Smith made almost half of his team’s total, with no other batsman reaching a half century.
Fast bowler Taylor was easily the pick of the West Indies attack, finishing with career-best figures of 6-47 off 25 impressive overs.
Fellow paceman Jason Holder chipped in with 2-64, but the rest of the attack was toothless at best.
Fast bowler Kemar Roach (1-113) was particularly wasteful, bowling erratically and committing the cardinal sin of twice bowling no-balls that would have resulted in wickets.
The West Indies fielding was also average. They dropped a couple of catches and a missed stumping added to the misery.
Australia resumed on the second day at 258 for four.
West Indies took the new ball immediately at the start of play and Taylor, with his ninth delivery of the day, got the much-needed breakthrough when he clean bowled Shane Watson (25), who let the ball go and watched it clatter into his off stump.
Taylor also bowled Haddin (22) with a delivery that found its way between bat and pad.
Mitchell Johnson (5) and Starc (6) went cheaply, before Smith was the ninth man out. Josh Hazlewood was the last to go, caught at long-on for 24 off the bowling of spinner Veerasammy Permaul (1-124)
