This was published 3 years ago
That’s the blog done for the second Test in Adelaide. On the fourth day it was unsurprisingly a time of dominance for Australia as the hosts wrapped up the final six wickets to dismiss West Indies for 77 and win the match by 419 runs, completing a 2-0 series win.
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Good night
Australia routed West Indies for 77 in the second innings to romp to a 419-run victory in the day-night second Test and complete a 2-0 series sweep at the Adelaide Oval.
Chasing a hopeless victory target of 497, the West Indies’ defeat was merely a matter of time after they began the penultimate day on a precarious 4-38.
Australia took 90 minutes to complete formalities, with Michael Neser and Mitchell Starc sharing five of the last six West Indies wickets.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s 17 was the highest score by a West Indies batter in their sorry-looking scorecard.
“Big partnerships set us up, and the bowlers were splendid as we continue to be undefeated in pink-ball tests,” said stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith, referring to their 11-0 record in day-night Tests.
Former NSW premier Mike Baird will be the new chair of Cricket Australia after the incumbent Lachlan Henderson flagged his intention to resign from the role following an impending move home to Perth.
Senior cricket sources confirmed Henderson’s decision to The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald before Cricket Australia’s formal announcement on Sunday afternoon.
Cricket Australia’s directors have agreed that Baird, who joined the board in late 2020, is the best choice to take the governing body forward as its chair, and following their Adelaide meeting the chairs of state associations were sounded out to confirm they also supported his appointment.
Henderson’s acceptance of the job as chief executive of the not-for-profit health fund HBF in October means he will no longer be based in Melbourne as chief executive of Epworth Health, although he is likely to remain as a director.
Australia celebrate after retaining the Frank Worrall trophy.
The award goes to .... Travis Head. Probably the right result really for his 175 first innings runs before being run out. His efficiency while out in the middle would have helped.
And the player of the series is .... Marnus Labuschagne.
This 419-run win is Australia’s fourth biggest (when measuring by runs only).
There have been numerous dominant wins by runs and innings. But thanks to the modern trend of not enforcing the follow on, Australia had a second innings.
Australia’s largest win (by runs) was achieved against England at The Oval in 1934 (562 runs).
Neser grabs the last one and guess what?
Alex Carey takes the catch ... this time NOT standing up to the stumps.
The fourth innings wickets are shared around: Boland (3), Starc (3), Neser (3) and Lyon (1). That single wicket to Lyon, however, got him to the 450 Test wicket mark.
West Indies 77 (second innings)
Australia win by 419 runs
Global US giant Paramount has offered Australian cricket about $1.5 billion to secure the rights to Test matches and the Big Bash League for the next seven years, but the sporting body remains in talks with its incumbent partners Foxtel and Seven about an alternative arrangement.
Three separate industry sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Paramount has offered about $210 million per annum to Cricket Australia, in a deal that could be worth $1.5 billion over a seven-year period (the desired term of the agreement).
The two companies are in the process of finalising a long-form contract, but that hasn’t stopped discussions from continuing with broadcasters Seven and Foxtel. Cricket Australia is hoping to have a deal signed before Christmas.
Seven and Foxtel declined to comment. CA also declined to comment. Nine was also in advanced talks about a rights deal but is not as close to the dollar figure that CA desires.