Australia Record Run Chase at Gabba

A 50-50 call went India’s way but little else did as George Bailey again helped Australia pull off a record Gabba run chase, sealing a seven-wicket win in Friday night’s second one-day international.

Last game centurion Bailey (76 not out) helped Australia eclipse India’s 308-8 with six balls to spare in front of 28,851 fans.

Australia reached 309-3 after 49 overs to establish a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series. India looked to have reversed their fortunes when man-of-the-match Rohit Sharma (124) was adjudged not out on 89 despite a big knick to Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Made. It flew in the face of captain MS Dhoni’s view after the opening ODI loss that India were getting the raw end of 50-50 calls from umpires as payback for the team’s ongoing refusal to use the Decision Review System.

But India did not have much more luck, dropping Shaun Marsh four times as he set up the chase with a 145-run opening stand with Aaron Finch (both 71). India still gave themselves a sniff when Umesh Yadav bowled last game centurion Steve Smith (46) to reduce Australia to 3-244 in the 41st over. But Bailey picked up where he left off from his 112 in the first ODI to help Australia pull off the highest limited-overs run chase at the Gabba. The previous best was Australia’s 9-301 in January 2014 against England.

It marked the second straight game Australia had comfortably reeled in a 300-plus target set by India. Finch and Marsh put on Australia’s equal fifth-highest ODI opening partnership against India. Finch was magnificently caught by a diving Ajinkya Rahane at long on in the 25th over.

India had to try even harder to dismiss Marsh. Replacing David Warner (paternity leave), he was dropped on 19 and 69 and offered difficult chances on 22 and 57. His good fortune ran out in the 30th over when another simple chance was finally taken, this time off the recalled Ishant Sharma.

Earlier, Sharma backed up from his unbeaten 171 in Perth to notch the highest ODI score by an Indian opener at the Gabba and equal-fourth biggest overall at the Brisbane venue. He also shared a 121-run third-wicket stand with Rahane (89) and a 125-run second-wicket partnership with Virat Kohli (59).

James Faulkner (2-64) and Joel Paris (1-40) reeled in India, who lost 6-75 in the final 10 overs including four in the last two. The third ODI will be played on Sunday in Melbourne.

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Australia Close to Windies Whitewash

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Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja scored half-centuries to crush a defiant West Indies fightback, pushing Australia’s lead to an imposing 459 runs at the close of day three of the second Test on Monday.

The pair’s composed 79-run stand tempered the West Indies’ cheer after their bowlers took early wickets in the wake of some doughty tail-end batting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

After Khawaja’s dismissal for 56, Smith and Mitchell Marsh guided Australia to 179 for three at stumps in glorious sunshine. Skipper Smith was unbeaten on 70 with all-rounder Marsh on 18.

Replying to Australia’s mammoth first innings declaration at 551-3, West Indies were bowled out for 271 on the stroke of tea, but not without frustrating the Australian bowlers for the first two sessions.

After resuming the day on 91-6, debutant fast bowler Carlos Brathwaite rode his luck to make a rousing 59 on debut, with Darren Bravo anchoring the tail with a patient 81.

Although trailing by 280 runs, the West Indies bowlers took heart from the defiant rearguard action and captain Jason Holder had opener Joe Burns caught in the slips for four.

After engaging in some heated exchanges with opener David Warner, Holder caught the pint-sized vice captain for 17 in the gully to give Brathwaite his first Test wicket and reduce the Australians to 46-2.

Brathwaite’s celebrations bowled his captain over but Khawaja, one of four first innings centurions for Australia, teamed up with Smith to put down the minor insurrection before he was caught behind attempting an audacious ramp shot.

It was a memorable day for Brathwaite, who was dismissed twice by paceman James Pattinson but reprieved by the television umpire.

He was bowled attempting an ugly heave on 13, then caught at long leg for 50, but was called back when replays showed Pattinson had over-stepped the crease on both occasions.

Australia are bidding to wrap up the series 2-0 with victory in Melbourne after winning the opener in Hobart.

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Windies Collapse Downunder - Second Test

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The West Indies batsmen crumbled late on Sunday to leave their team teetering at 91-6 and staring at another humiliating defeat at the close of day two of the second Test against Australia.

The dramatic collapse in the final session left the tourists 261 runs short of making the hosts bat again and came after centuries to Australia captain Steven Smith and Adam Voges drove the hosts to a mammoth first innings declaration at 551-3.

Darren Bravo was 13 not out, with debutant paceman Carlos Brathwaite on three, and their team in absolute disarray. Pacemen James Pattinson and Peter Siddle grabbed two wickets apiece along with spinner Nathan Lyon as the Caribbeans’ hopes of staving off a 2-0 series defeat appeared shot.

Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Rajendra Chandrika had negotiated a nervous hour to tea but their hard work was undone straight after the break by Lyon. In his first ball of the session, the offspinner dismissed Brathwaite for 17, the Barbadian prodding a straightforward catch to Joe Burns at short leg.

Chandrika held on for another half-hour but was out lbw for 25 off Pattinson after failing to play a shot. Pattinson needed only three more deliveries before grabbing his second wicket when Marlon Samuels was trapped lbw for a duck.

Jermaine Blackwood survived a contentious review decision after spooning a shot to Burns who claimed a low catch at short leg when on 18. Umpire Marais Erasmus called on the TV replay for guidance and third umpire Ian Gould issued a not out decision to the howling derision of fans.

Jamaican Blackwood then skipped down the wicket at Lyon to hoist him over the fence for six but was caught and bowled by the spinner four balls later after attempting the same gambit.

Denied by Gould, Burns hit back to secure the fifth wicket for Peter Siddle, leaping to his right to catch wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin for a duck. Siddle bowled Jason Holder for a third duck next ball but was denied a second career hat-trick by a straight bat from Brathwaite.

West Indies had managed to prise only three wickets from nearly five sessions of cricket, but Australia’s bowlers managed six in the final two hours.

Smith, the ICC cricketer of the year, earlier raised his 13th Test century and walked off unbeaten on 134 after declaring before tea.

His untroubled 177-ball innings was his sixth Test ton for the year and put him on top of the leading run-scorers for 2015 ahead of England skipper Alastair Cook.

Voges was also unbeaten, his 106 off 166 balls the Western Australian’s fourth Test century since his debut at the age of 35 against the same opponents on tour in Roseau.

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Pattinson Five Thumps Windies

Paceman James Pattinson took five for 27 to fire Australia to a thumping first Test victory 

over West Indies by an innings and 121 runs with more than two days to spare at Hobart on Saturday.

Australia enforced the follow-on after dismissing the tourists for 223 inside the first five overs of the third day at Bellerive Oval, and completed the rout by skittling West Indies for 148 in their second innings.

It was Australia’s second largest victory in 114 Tests against the Caribbean islanders and gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in a three-match series, which concludes with Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

Australia, who could return to the top of the Test rankings with a 3-0 series sweep, made 583 for four declared in their first innings on the back of a world record fourth wicket stand of 449 between Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh.

Darren Bravo scored a fine 108 in the first innings and Kraigg Brathwaite notched 94 in the second but questions will continue to be asked about the long-term future of West Indies Test cricket after an otherwise hapless display.

Despite the poverty of the opposition, Australia will take positives from the match-turning performance from their inexperienced middle order, as well as from Pattinson’s fiery and productive spell in eight overs on Saturday.

Josh Hazlewood (4-45) took the lead as the hosts wrapped up West Indies’ innings with only 16 runs added to their overnight tally of 207-6 on a chilly morning in Tasmania.

It was Pattinson, playing his first Test in 18 months in place of the injured Mitchell Starc, who provided the spearhead after Steve Smith had become the first Australia skipper in six years to enforce the follow-on on home soil.

Opener Rajendra Chandrika lasted just three balls before departing with his third duck in four Test innings before Bravo (4) earned the questionable distinction of being dismissed twice in the same session.

Two overs later and Pattinson sent back Marlon Samuels (3) and Jermaine Blackwood (0) in successive balls, giving Australia a hat-trick chance for the second time in one day.

Pattinson was unable to convert and it was all-rounder Mitchell Marsh who next took advantage of the feeble batting, having Denesh Ramdin caught for four off his first delivery.

Jason Holder put on 30 with Brathwaite before Pattinson returned to claim his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests, the West Indies skipper flicking his 32nd delivery down the leg side and into the gloves of Peter Nevill for 17.

Nevill was again in action to dismiss Kemar Roach (3) off Hazlewood and the right-arm paceman got his sixth wicket of the match when Jerome Taylor holed out in the deep for 12.

Brathwaite was the final wicket to fall, bowled by Hazlewood (3-33), as West Indies pace bowler Shannon Gabriel did not bat in either innings after injuring his ankle on day one.

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Anderson Breaks Botham Record

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James Anderson has surpassed Sir Ian Botham’s record to become England’s leading Test wicket-taker of all time.

The Lancashire seamer achieved the milestone in his 100th Test when Alastair Cook caught Denesh Ramdin for 57 with just under 19 overs left on day five of the opening Test against the West Indies in Antigua.

The historic moment wasn’t the catalyst for an England victory though as Jason Holder dug in to score his maiden Test century as the tourists – who began the day on 98-2 after being set 438 to win – survived on a flat pitch to salvage a draw, reaching 350-7 at stumps.

Anderson, 32, began the final day at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on 382 Test wickets, one behind Botham, whose career spanned 102 matches.

He moved level with the former all-rounder and Sky Sports pundit by dismissing Marlon Samuels for 23, James Tredwell taking a fine catch at gully, with the second ball of the 16th over of the day to leave the home side on 127-4.

But England claimed only two more wickets in the next 55 overs – those of Shivnarine Chanderpaul (13) and Jermaine Blackwood (31) – before Anderson struck again, skipper Cook taking a sharp chance at first slip to spark jubilant celebrations and words of congratulation from former all-rounder Botham.

"I can't think of anyone better to go past me because people don't realise the amount of hard work that goes in to bowl as he does,” he told Sky Sports.

"It's great to watch, it's great entertainment and it's an art - it really is. He's worked hard to be that good."

Fellow Sky Sports pundit Bob Willis, who sits third in England’s all-time list with 325 wickets from 90 Tests, said Anderson should now aim to improve his tally to 500 scalps.

“I can’t overestimate the scale of James Anderson’s achievement – it is truly fantastic,” he said. “It’s quite something for a fast bowler to play 100 Test matches, but an incredible feat for Jimmy to get past Ian Botham’s record.

“There’s nothing to stop Jimmy going on to take 500 Test wickets. I’m sure he’ll want to do that.”

For all England’s efforts, they could not force victory though as Holder shared a 105-run stand with Ramdin in 32.1 overs before posting his hundred off 146 in an innings containing 15 fours.

The Windies were wobbling at lunch after losing three wickets in the morning session – Devon Smith (65) holing out off Tredwell, before Joe Root trapped Chanderpaul lbw after Samuels fell to Anderson.

But Ramdin and Holder mounted a superb rearguard action in the afternoon session after Jermaine Blackwood (31) swiped across the line at Chris Jordan and got a thin edge behind.

Cook rotated his bowlers consistently in search of earning the four wickets necessary for victory in the final session but Ramdin and Holder each posted half-centuries as their hundred stand came up off 177 balls.

Anderson finally prised out Ramdin, thanks to a superb outswinger that found the edge of his bat and the seamer thought he had another when Kemar Roach was given out caught down the leg-side only for the decision to be overturned on review.

The final say belonged to Holder, who beat his chest as he reached three figures to close the door on England's victory hopes.

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