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Australia 431 & 167 West Indies 312 & 144-6: West Indies struggle as Clark and Lee rip into flimsy top order

Craig Cozier
Tuesday 27 May 2008 00:00 BST
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Fast bowler Stuart Clark grabbed a career-best 5 for 32 to lead Australia to a 95-run victory over the West Indies on the final day of the opening Test here in Kingston, Jamaica, yesterday. West Indies, who were 46 for 1 overnight in pursuit of 287, were bowled out for 191 midway through the second session.

Clark and fellow pacer Brett Lee (2 for 81) ripped through the top order. "The wicket was good for bowling. It was a little bit up and down. It's nice conditions here," said Clark, who was named man of the match. "I think it was my day." Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill added a brilliant run out and sealed the win with two wickets in successive balls.

Denesh Ramdin topscored in the second innings with 36 while Darren Sammy (35) and Daren Powell (27) provided some lower order resistance.

Clark struck in the day's third over, claiming the key wicket of captain Ramnaresh Sarwan for 12 when he got a leading edge to an on-drive at 55 for 2. Andrew Symonds leapt high at extra cover to reel in the catch.

Opener Devon Smith fell five runs later to Clark, playing no stroke to an in-cutter to be plumb leg before. Lee, in a hostile spell, was rewarded with the wicket of Runako Morton, who went leg before at 74 for 4. The West Indies wobble continued when Dwayne Bravo fell for a duck and Lee provided the key scalp of Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 11 three balls later as Australia closed in.

Ramdin and Sammy shared a defiant seventh-wicket stand of 67 as Clark and Lee were rested.But Ramdin misjudged a single to mid-on and MacGill's brilliant pick up and direct hit brought his run out. Clark returned to trap Sammy and MacGill sealed the win by removing Powell and the debutant spinner Amit Jaggernauth.

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