Mitchell Starc produced an incredible spell of fast bowling on the third and ultimately final day of the third Test match of the 2025 Frank Worrell Trophy series between West Indies and Australia in Kingston.
The 35-year-old claimed the fastest five-wicket haul in Test-match history, and in the process elevated himself on to the 400 wicket list for his country, helping to dismiss the hosts for just 27 runs in their fourth innings, which lasted only 14.3 overs.
The West Indies may have gone into the opening over with some genuine belief that they could knock-off the 204 runs set them for what would have been a famous victory, after dismissing the Aussies for just 121.
However, the left-armer tore into the top order and after the first six deliveries the West Indies were an astonishing 0-3. When he claimed his fifth wicket off only his 15th ball, he had the quickest five wicket haul in Test match cricket, four fewer than the previous best for the landmark.
When Mikyle Louis fell in his second over, it took Starc past 400 wickets and joined fellow greats: Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Nathan Lyon. It was made all the sweeter as it occurred in his 100th Test appearance.
He ended with amazing figures of 6-9 and that could have been even better with Alzarri Joseph dropped off his bowling twice. That though opened the door for Scott Boland to jump into the limelight when he took a hat-trick with the first three balls of over number fourteen.
The West Indies managed to squeeze past New Zealand’s score of 26 made against England way back in 1955, to escape the unwanted record of the lowest ever Test score, but only by a solitary run and it was fitting that Starc wrapped things up when he bowled Jayden Seales, to end the shell-shocked home side’s tortuous innings.
There had been 7 players dismissed without scoring, which was also a record, and another startling statistic was that the 6 leg byes was the team’s second highest scorer. Previously the West Indies lowest score was 47 posted against England in 2004.
The win completed a comfortable 3-0 series win for Australia, having eased to victory in Bridgetown and St George’s in the previous two tests.
The Caribbeans biggest 😃
Oh, how far we’ve fallen. It’s painful to think of the legends who once wore the maroon cap and compare it to performances like this. This isn’t the West Indies cricket I grew up loving. We need a complete overhaul, a return to basics, and a renewed passion for the longer format of the game. This defeat hurts on a completely different level.
West Indies just loves to lose. Time to shuffle up the team cause it’s ridiculous
Congrats to Australia but this is a sad day for West Indies cricket. We’ve got talent, but no backbone or structure.
Comment *s there anything else to do but laugh?
Loos-indies. That cricket team can just embarrass people. And yet we support them. But how can we not. Brian Lara. Vivian Richards. They did well. But these people we have now eat too much macaroni and cheese.