Demolished In Three Days

Inept batting took the gloss off defiant half-centuries from Marlon Samuels and Shane Dowrich, and sent West Indies crashing to a chastening nine-wicket defeat inside three days in the opening Test against Australia yesterday.

Mounting an admirable fightback at 181 for three before tea after resuming the day on 25 for two, West Indies lost their last seven wickets for 35 runs to be all out for 216, half-hour before the scheduled close at Windsor Park.

Samuels top-scored with 74 and the debutant Dowrich got 70, in an excellent 144-run fourth-wicket stand which dug their side out of a hole after Darren Bravo perished for five in the sixth over of the morning to leave the hosts tottering on 37 for three