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Brisbane
03 - 06 November 2005
West Indies won the toss and elected to field first.� The decision paid an early dividend after Hussey (1) was caught behind in the sixth over with the score 1 for 9.� Australia then recovered and batted through to lunch to hold the early advantage with the score 1 for 95.� Collymore then bowled the West Indies back into the advantage, dismissing Hayden (37), Clarke (5) and Katich (0) in successive overs to have Australia 4 for 111.� Gilchrist then combined with Ponting, who posted his 23rd Test century, to bring the match back into parity with Australia going to tea at 4 for 215.� Collymore again struck straight after the tea break, trapping Gilchrist (44) in front.� West Indies went on to dismiss Watson (16) and Ponting (149) before Australia ended the day, still holding the upper hand, with the score 7 for 340.
Rain delayed play for half an hour on the second morning.� West Indies needed to quickly clean up the Australian tail to stay in the match.� However, when play resumed, the West Indies attack struggled.� Despite dismissing Warne (47) and Lee (47), Australia added a further 90 crucial runs in the session before going to lunch at 9 for 430.� The final wicket of Bracken (37) fell in the second over after lunch and Australia was all out for 435 runs.� Collymore was the best of the bowlers with 4 for 72 off 26 overs.� West Indies began their reply and lost Gayle (10) at 1 for 20 before recovering and taking the total to 74 before Sarwan (21) was caught behind.� By tea, West Indies was 2 for 96, with 140 more runs required to reach the initial safety of the follow on target. �Australia trapped Lara (30) at 3 for 134 and his wicket triggered a gradual collapse, with Chanderpaul (2), Samuels (5) and Smith (88).� By the time bad light stopped play, West Indies was 6 for 182, still 54 runs short of the follow on target.
Rain again delayed play on the thirds morning, with play beginning 45 minutes late.� Australia struck in the third over of the morning when Powell (4) was caught behind at 7 for 187.� West Indies then continued the struggle toward the follow target, but ended up 26 runs short after Edwards (2), Collymore (0) and Lawson (0) were all dismissed by Warne.�� The West Indies were all out for 210 while Warne claimed his 33rd five-wicket haul with 5 for 48 off 28 overs.� Australia declined to enforce the follow on and faced one over before going to lunch at no wicket for eight runs.� West Indies caught Hussey (29) at 1 for 71 after lunch, however, the Australians flayed the tourist's attack and added 143 runs in the session to go to tea at 1 for 151 and an overall lead of 376 runs.� During the afternoon session, Hayden posted his 23rd Test century before being caught for 118 runs.� Ponting then posted his 25th Test century before bad light stopped play early with Australia 2 for 283 and an overall lead of 508 runs.� Ponting (104*) and Clarke (14*) were the not out batsmen.�
Australia declared overnight and West Indies began the improbably task of amassing 509 runs for victory on the fourth morning with two full days remaining.� Despite losing Smith (3) early on, West Indies made a reasonable start.� Australia dismissed Gayle (33) late in the session and at lunch, West Indies was 2 for 78.� Unfortunately, the innings unravelled completely once Lara (14) was caught at 3 for 85.� In the space of only 30 runs, Chanderpaul (7), Sarwan (31), Ramdin (6), Powell (0), Edwards (0), Collymore (4) and Lawson (1) were dismissed and West Indies was all out for a miserable 129 runs.� Lee was the best of the bowlers with 5 for 30, his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests.� Australia's victory margin was 379 runs.
Second Test
Hobart
17 - 21 November 2005
West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first.� Australia took the early advantage after Smith (4) was bowled at 1 for 15.� Soon afterwards, Gayle (18*) retired hurt with an irregular heartbeat and Sarwan (2) also returned to the pavilion after being caught behind.� West Indies then batted very slowly through to lunch without further loss to be 2 for 49 off 26 overs at the break.� Australia trapped Lara (13) in the second over after lunch then Gayle returned to the crease.� West Indies doubled their score before Chanderpaul (39) was caught at 4 for 119.� However, Gayle (56) then fell in the next over and Bravo (3) fell before West Indies went to tea at 5 for 124.� Australia quickly dismissed Ramdin (2), Samuels (5), Edwards (0) and Powell (15) for West Indies to be all out for 149 runs, having lost 7 for 30.� McGrath was the best of the bowlers with 4 for 31 off 23 overs.� Australia began their reply and after 18 overs was no wicket for 60 at stumps.
Rain prevented any play before lunch on the second morning.� When play did get underway, the Australian openers began to punish the tourist's attack and took the total to 113 without loss at tea.� During the evening session, Hussey posted his maiden Test century in his second Test and Hayden posted his 24th Test century before Hayden (110) was caught at 1 for 231.� When bad light stopped play, Australia was in complete control at 1 for 256, with a lead of 107 runs.
West Indies needed to take a series of quick wickets on the third morning to have any hope of limiting the first innings deficit to a size where they could remain competitive in the match.� As luck would have it, Ponting (17) played on in the first over and Australia's frail middle order failed to capitalise on their good position.� After Clarke (5), Hussey (137), Symonds (1), Gilchrist (2) and Warne (1) were out, Australia had lost 6 for 67.� At lunch, Australia was 7 for 360.� West Indies struck quickly after lunch, catching Lee (18) and trapping Hodge (60) in the space of 15 runs.� However, McGrath (14) and MacGill (20) added a further 29 runs before McGrath was run out and Australia was all out for 406 runs.� Edwards was the most successful bowler with 3 for 116 off 27.4 overs.� West Indies then began the task of seeking 257 runs to force Australia to bat again.� Unfortunately, after the bowlers having bowled them back from oblivion, West Indies lost Gayle (4) and Smith (8) in the eight overs before they went to tea at 2 for 27.� During a rain shortened final session, Australia had both Sarwan (32) and Chanderpaul (10) caught behind and at stumps, West Indies was 4 for 82, still 175 runs short of forcing Australia to bat again.
Australia made a good initial start to the fourth morning, dismissing Lara (45) and Samuels (29) to have West Indies in deep trouble at 6 for 140.� However, Bravo and Ramdin then combined to bath through to lunch to be 6 for 181.� The West Indians continued to resist the Australians throughout the afternoon session.� By tea, West Indies had finally erased the deficit and lead by eleven runs, with the score 6 for 268.� Bravo posted his second Test century before Ramdin (71) fell at 7 for 322.� The West Indies tail needed to add enough crucial runs to allow the bowlers to put pressure on the Australians in their final innings run chase.� Unfortunately, Powell (0), Bravo (113) and Collymore (0) would only add 12 runs to the lead before West Indies was all out for 334 runs in the last over of the day.� Warne was the most successful bowler with 4 for 112 off 39 overs.� Therefore, Australia would need only 78 runs for victory on the final day.
Australia cruised though the final morning as they worked their way to the victory target at a run rate of three runs per over. Upon drawing level with West Indies, Hayden (46) skied a ball and was caught. Ponting came out and faced three balls before Hussey (31*) hit the winning runs to complete a nine-wicket victory.
Third Test
Adelaide
25 - 29 November 2005
West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first. Australia had the better start, dismissing Hinds (10) and Devon Smith (7) to have West Indies 2 for 19. Later in the session, Australia caught Sarwan (16) before West Indies went to lunch on the back foot at 3 for 71. West Indies battled through the afternoon session and began to reclaim lost ground, but managed to maintain slow the loss of wickets as Lara posted his 31st Test century. Again, late in the session, Australia struck when Chanderpaul (25) was caught behind. By tea, West Indies had gained a small overall advantage with the score 4 for 194. West Indies improved their position throughout the evening session, however, Bravo (34), Darren Smith (14) and Ramdin (27) could not stick around with Lara. By stumps, Lara had become only the second player to pass 11,000 Test runs, posted his 200 and West Indies was 7 for 352
Australia took most of the second morning to dismiss Lara (226) at 8 for 381, but not before he passed Allan Border's record for the most Test runs scored. Powell (14) and Edwards (10) fell soon afterwards and West Indies were all out for 405 runs. McGrath (3 for 106 off 30 overs) and Lee (3 for 111 off 28 overs) shared the bowling honours. Australia faced only three overs before going to lunch at 0 for 27. Australia prospered during the afternoon session, losing only Hayden (47) while adding 92 more runs to be 1 for 119 at tea. During the afternoon session, West Indies dismissed Ponting (56) and Langer (99) before Australia ended the day well placed at 3 for 229.
West Indies fought back strongly on the third morning to dismiss Hodge (18) at 4 for 238 and then Symonds (9), Gilchrist (6) and Warne (0) in the space of six runs just before lunch to have Australia tottering at 7 for 277 at lunch. West Indies had the opportunity to claim a first innings lead of significance if they could just remove the final three batsmen cheaply. Lee (9) was caught behind at 8 for 295, however, the tourists could not end MacGill's innings. By tea, Australia was 8 for 380, only 25 runs in arrears and the psychological momentum had swung back to the home side. West Indies finally bowled MacGill (22) soon after tea to finish a 93 runs eighth-wicket partnership, only to have trouble dismissing McGrath. The Australians took the lead before McGrath (5) was bowled and Australia was all out for 428 runs and a first innings lead of 23 runs. Hussey (133*) was the not out batsman with his second Test century while Bravo was the best of the bowlers with 6 for 84 off 27 overs, his second five-wicket haul in Tests. West Indies began their reply badly, losing Devon Smith (0) in the sixth over and then late in the day Hinds (15) was stumped. At stumps, West Indies had retaken the lead with the score 2 for 68.
The fourth morning all went horribly wrong for West Indies. Australia dismissed nightwatchman Powell (2) then Lara (17), Sarwan (62), Chanderpaul (4) and Dwayne Smith (0) in the space of only 34 runs to have West Indies 7 for 107 at lunch, with a lead of only 82 runs. West Indies fought back in the afternoon session and lost only Ramdin (28) while almost doubling their score before going to tea at 8 for 200. However, straight after tea, Bravo (64) was bowled and then Edwards (9) was caught behind for West Indies to be all out for 204 runs. Warne was the best of the bowlers with 6 for 80 off 33 overs, his 34th five-wicket haul in Tests. Australia began their chase for 182 runs and victory, but lost Langer 920) and Ponting (3) in the space of four runs to be 2 for 55. West Indies desperately needed more wickets to pressure the home side, but instead, Australia was 2 for 76 at stumps.
West Indies began the final morning needing to pressure Australia with quick wickets. They managed to dismiss Hodge (23), but Australia continued to cruise toward the victory target. By lunch, an unhurried Australia was 3 for 159, needing only 23 more runs. Hayden (87*) and Hussey (30*) provided those runs and Australia secured victory by seven wickets for a series whitewash.
