The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Clark stars in Australia’s win scoreboard

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Clark stars in Australia’s win scoreboard

KINGSTON: Fast bowler Stuart Clark grabbed a career-best five for 32 to lead Australia to a 95-run victory over West Indies on the final day of the opening cricket Test at Sabina Park on Monday.

The 32-year-old Clark and fellow pacer Brett Lee (two for 81) ripped through the top order to set the tone on the final day.

“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 today.”

Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill added a brilliant run out and sealed the win with two wickets off successive deliveries.

Resuming on 46 for one on the fifth day, West Indies was all out for 191.

It lost skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan and opener Devon Smith early and slumped to 117 for six at lunch with Clark and Lee doing the damage.

Decent stand

Denesh Ramdin and Darren Sammy brought some respectability to the West Indies score with a 67-run partnership before Ramdin was run out for 36 but by then Australia had the game in the bag.

A day filled with hope for an improving West Indies team, which had competed well for the first four days, turned into a familiar story of failure and batting collapse under pressure.

Brilliant catch

It began miserably for a sparse home crowd when Sarwan tried to push Clark through the on-side, found a leading edge and Andrew Symonds took a brilliant catch at extra-cover, tipping the ball up one-handed before grabbing it on the second attempt.

That was a huge breakthrough for the tourist and it was not long before Clark picked up his third victim when opener Smith was trapped leg before for 28 offering no shot to leave West Indies struggling at 60 for three. — Agencies

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