Australia v West Indies: New Zealand’s record test low score of 26 under threat before Windies crawl to 27 all out
West Indies have only just avoided matching New Zealand’s record low test score of 26 after being bowled out for 27 in the third test defeat against Australia today.
New Zealand’s test low, set in 1955, was under threat for most of the innings before the West Indies passed it with one wicket remaining.
West Indies were 11-6 at one stage before reaching 26-6. They then lost three wickets in succession as Scott Boland (3-3) took a hat-trick, the 10th Australian man to do so, leaving the home side 26-9.
But a Sam Konstas mis-field at gully, led to West Indies reaching 27 and avoiding sharing the record. One ball later, Mitchell Starc bowled Jayden Seales to end the match.
Starc finished with career best figures of 6-9, including taking three wickets in the first over of the innings. He recorded the fastest five-wicket haul in test history, needing just 15 deliveries, when he had figures of 5-2.
West Indies’ top six batters managed just six runs between them, a record low. Justin Greaves finished with a top score of 11, equal with Bert Sutcliffe’s top score when New Zealand made 26 at Eden Park against England.
Seven West Indies players finished with ducks with only four players troubling the scorers. They recorded just three boundaries. It could have been worse for West Indies with Konstas spilling two catches at slip.
“Heartbreaking to be in a position like this,” West Indies captain Roston Chase said after losing the test by 176 runs and the series 3-0.
“It has been recurring for the whole series, makes it all the more disappointing. It is quite easy to assess - the bowlers kept us in all along, batters never really clicked.”
Australia started day three at 99-6 and lasted just eight overs before they were bowled out for 121 - a lead of 203.
But it never looked under threat, especially after West Indies lost three wickets in the opening over, including John Campbell being removed first ball of the innings.
The West Indies innings lasted just 14.3 overs, the third shortest for a team losing all 10 wickets.
West Indies fall of wickets
Cameron McMillan
Fall of wickets:
1-0 (John Campbell, 0.1 ov)
2-0 (Kevlon Anderson, 0.5 ov)
3-0 (Brandon King, 0.6 ov)
4-5 (Mikyle Louis, 4.1 ov)
5-7 (Shai Hope, 4.3 ov)
6-11 (Roston Chase, 5.2 ov)
7-26 (Justin Greaves, 13.1 ov)
8-26 (Shamar Joseph, 13.2 ov)
9-26 (Jomel Warrican, 13.3 ov)
10-27 (Jayden Seales, 14.3 ov)
Australia win the test by 176 runs
Cameron McMillan
Australia began the day at 99 for six. So 14 wickets fell for 49 runs on the day.
Starc finishes with 6-9, career best figures including his 400th test wicket in his 100th test.
Boland with the hat-trick as well, the first Aussie man since Peter Siddle in 2010. The 49th to do it all-time.
Bowled him. West Indies all out 27
Cameron McMillan
And West Indies are done. 27 all out. They lost their final four wickets for one run. That crucial one run though got them past the New Zealand record low of 26 set in 1955.
The record is sadly still New Zealand's. But the West Indies do make some history today. Six runs is the lowest total score by the first six batters in test history.
West Indies 27/9
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West Indies make it. They've passed 26, courtesy of a Sam Konstas Green misfield - to go with his two dropped catches.
Starc to continue
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Alzarri Joseph on strike.
One left in the over
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Big swing and a miss from Seales. What an over from Boland. 12th Aussie man to get a test hat-trick.
Beaten
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Just outside the edge of Jayden Seales.
Jayden Seales the last man
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He defends his first ball. No run there.
Hat-trick for Boland
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Wow. Boland bowls him and he takes the hat-trick. Amazing from Boland. I said he has a history of taking quick wickets. West Indies lose three in a row and they could still share the record low with New Zealand. Amazing
Jomel Warrican out in the middle
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Got a duck first innings. Now facing a hat-trick ball.
WICKET West Indies 26/8
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Boland strikes again. Shamar Joseph out first ball. Boland on a hat-trick.
Shamar Joseph enters
Cameron McMillan
Boland got him in the first inning. Struck on the pad and Australia review!
He's out!
WICKET West Indies 26/7
Cameron McMillan
Shared record is still on. Bolland gets Justin Greaves to edge one to Beau Webster at second slip. Greaves may finish with top score...of 11.
West Indies 26/6 (13 overs)
Cameron McMillan
New Zealand can now only share the record. Seems like a record you don't want to share.
Dropped catch
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Sam Kostas drops one at slip. His second of the innings. Should have taken. Regulation high to his right.
West Indies 26/6
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And they tie the record on a misfield from Steve Smith.
West Indies 25-6 (12 overs)
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Some fans just arriving at the ground for the second session. Might be all over soon.
Two more runs
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Alzarri Joseph goes aerial down the ground and gets two. Record looking safe.
Scott Boland into the attack
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He has a history of taking quick wickets.
West Indies 23-6 (11 overs)
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Greaves survives the over and West Indies edge closer to avoiding the record test low.
23/6 - West Indies scramble a single
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Ball flies just short of the hand of Travis Head in at short leg and they get another run.
Mitchell Starc to continue
Cameron McMillan
Starc bowled five overs and then had a 20 minute break. He has 5-6. Alzarri Joseph on strike.
Play set to resume
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Black Caps fans hoping the Aussie quicks can do us all a favour and clean up this West Indies tail.
Apologies, they're heading out now. It's a day-night test so shorter first break.
West Indies were 11-6
Cameron McMillan
Fall of wickets:
1-0 (John Campbell, 0.1 ov)
2-0 (Kevlon Anderson, 0.5 ov)
3-0 (Brandon King, 0.6 ov)
4-5 (Mikyle Louis, 4.1 ov)
5-7 (Shai Hope, 4.3 ov)
6-11 (Roston Chase, 5.2 ov)
Cameron McMillan
West Indies 22-6 (10 overs)
Cameron McMillan
At that's tea.
West Indies move to 22-6 and something extraordindary would need to happen for New Zealand to finally give up the unwanted record. Greaves was beaten three times in the over but a short wide one beats everyone and gets to the boundary for four valuable runs.
A crazy session where 10 wickets fell for 44 runs. West Indies need 182 to win.
22
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Four byes and West Indies move to 22.
Lowest test scores
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26 - New Zealand v England (1955)
27 - West Indies v Australia (2025)
30 - South Africa v England (1896)
30 - South Africa v England (1924)
35 - South Africa v England (1899)
36 - South Africa v Australia (1932)
36 - Australia v England (1902)
36 - India v Australia (2020)
Starc goes wicketless - West Indies 18-6 (nine overs)
Cameron McMillan
But Starc can't find a sixth wicket in that over. Hazlewood to continue.
Starc's record five wicket haul
Cameron McMillan
Starc took five wickets in 15 balls. The fastest five-fer in test history breaking the record by four balls. Previous record was held by Ernie Toshack against India in 1947. Needed just 19 balls at the Gabba.
Starc to continue
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Mitchell Starc bowling his fifth over with the impressive figures of 5-6. His career best is 6-48.
To recap
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West Indies lost three wickets in the first over as Mitchell Starc took the first five wickets.
They were 0-1, 0-2, 0-3, 4-5, 5-7 and 6-11.
Boundary four
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Greaves with the third boundary of the innings and he moves to double figures. West Indies might just get by 26 now.
New Zealand's 26
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New Zealand were bowled out for 26 in the second innings of the second test against England at Eden Park in 1955. A record that hasn't been broken since.
West Indies 14/6
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Two more runs. Greaves moves to six. High scorer.