When history is made in Test cricket, it’s often through epic batting marathons or edge-of-the-seat finishes. But sometimes, it’s sheer destruction, and that’s exactly what unfolded in Jamaica, where Australia bulldozed the West Indies for just 27 runs to complete a 176-run win and seal a 3-0 series sweep.
A Collapse for the Ages
Let that number sink in: 27 all out. It’s the second-lowest total ever recorded in Test cricket and the worst since 1955. Only New Zealand’s 26 against England that year sits below it in the annals of the game’s most infamous collapses. For the West Indies, it was their lowest-ever total, crashing well past their previous worst of 47.
The third day of the day-night Test at Sabina Park turned into a horror show for the hosts. Chasing 204 for victory, a challenging but not impossible target, the West Indies were skittled in under 13 overs. The fall was fast, brutal and, in truth, hard to watch.
Starc the Destroyer
There’s something poetic about a bowler delivering his career-best spell in his 100th Test. Mitchell Starc did just that, tearing through the Windies top order with 6 for 9, a spell that included five wickets in just 15 balls.
That’s not just deadly bowling; that’s history. In fact, it’s now the fastest five-wicket haul in the history of Test cricket. His spell also carried another milestone, Starc’s 400th Test wicket.
Only three Australians have managed that before him: Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Nathan Lyon. And now Starc, already one of the best with the pink ball, joins the elite club in sensational style.
Boland Joins the Party with a Hat-Trick
As if Starc’s heroics weren’t enough, Scott Boland produced a hat-trick of his own, snatching three wickets in an over to dismantle what little was left of the West Indies innings. His victims included the only West Indian batter to reach double digits, Justin Greaves, who made 11. After that, it was just a matter of formality.
Captain Roston Chase didn’t hold back after the defeat. “It’s heartbreaking to be in a position where we think we can win the game and then come out and have that poor batting display,” he admitted.
What’s even more frustrating is that the Windies had earlier bowled out Australia for 121 in their second innings. Alzarri Joseph had done the damage with 5 for 27, giving his side a real sniff of a historic chase. Instead, they crumbled in spectacular fashion.
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