Roseau: Michael Clarke took five wickets as Australia won the third and final Test against West Indies by 75 runs at Windsor Park on Friday. West Indies fought to the end with captain Darren Sammy, with 61, and last man Shane Shillingford, on 31 not out, hitting their highest Test scores.
After resuming on 173 for five, West Indies were bowled out for 294 just before lunch to give Australia a 2-0 series win. They had won the won the first Test in Barbados by three wickets while the second match in Trinidad was a rain-hit draw.
Clarke, who has yet to lose a Test as captain, took five wickets in an innings for only the second time in his career, the last being a sensational six for nine in Mumbai in 2004. Australia started the final day with spin from both ends.
On Thursday, Clarke dismissed West Indies stalwart Shivnarine Chanderpaul with the last ball of the day to put his team in sight of victory in the third and final Test.
Clarke trapped Chanderpaul lbw after the 37-year-old, who had earlier become just the 10th player to make 10,000 Test runs, looked like surviving until the final day.
But his dismissal left the home side teetering on 173 for five at stumps, chasing 370 to win and level the series.
It was Clarke’s third wicket of the innings but, initially, umpire Tony Hill had turned down the appeal.
Clarke only had one review left and risked it in the hope of seeing the back of the West Indies anchorman who had faced 122 balls for his 69 – his 58th Test half-century.
Chanderpaul, playing in his 140th Test, had reached the 10,000-run landmark when he went to 14, taking his career Test average above 50 in the process.
“It felt really good to reach this milestone. I have been batting well and spending a lot of time at the crease and to reach 10,000 Test runs is something special for me,” said Chanderpaul.
“It was one of the goals I set myself, I believe I have reaped the reward for the hard work I put in over the years.” (Agencies)