Josh Hazlewood delivered a masterclass in fast bowling, claiming a five-wicket haul to propel Australia to a dominant 159-run victory over the West Indies in the first Test at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Hazlewood's devastating spell of 5-43 dismantled the West Indies batting lineup, who were chasing a target of 301, routing them for just 141 in 33.4 overs on the third day of the Test.
The West Indies chase never gained momentum after Mitchell Starc removed former captain Kraigg Brathwaite in the first over. Hazlewood then took center stage, displaying metronomic accuracy to dismiss John Campbell and debutant Brandon King off successive balls. He followed up by removing captain Roston Chase and Keacy Carty, leaving the hosts reeling. Pat Cummins contributed by dismissing first-innings top-scorer Shai Hope, while substitute fielder Marnus Labuschagne executed a direct hit to run out Alzarri Joseph. Nathan Lyon then swept up the tail with two wickets in two balls.
Earlier in the day, Australia had resumed their second innings at 92 for 4. Travis Head, who was later named player of the match, led Australia's recovery with a gritty 61, building a crucial 102-run partnership with Beau Webster. Webster contributed a fluent 63, while Alex Carey further took the game away from the West Indies with a brisk 65. Their combined efforts propelled Australia to a second innings total of 310, setting the West Indies a daunting target. Shamar Joseph led the West Indies bowling attack with five wickets for 87 runs, ending with match figures of 9-133.
Hazlewood attributed his success to consistently hitting the right areas and maintaining patience on a challenging surface. The West Indies struggled throughout the match, with poor slip catching evident, dropping four catches on day one alone. Roston Chase, the West Indies captain, lamented the loss of their most experienced batsman in the first over and their inability to put together a solid batting innings.
The victory marked a dominant performance by Australia, with contributions from both their batting and bowling units. Australia now leads the two-match series 1-0.
