Gutsy Windies lose Australia series

MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC):

West Indies delivered a better all-round batting display but were overpowered by Australia inside four days to suffer a 177-run defeat in the second Test at the MCG here yesterday.

Captain Jason Holder and Denesh Ramdin scored powerful half-centuries to lead a gutsy fightback, but the Aussies prevailed to secure the series two-nil and retain the Frank Worrell Trophy.

All seven front-line batsmen got starts as Windies showed determination before they were bowled out for 282 in their second innings, after Steven Smith's overnight declaration on 179 for three.

Ramdin and Holder spearheaded the resistance by adding 100 runs for the sixth wicket, but tackling a 460-run deficit was always going to be a tall order.

Jason Holder's men were off to a shaky start when they lost Kraigg Brathwaite early in the innings to Nathan Lyon for a well-played 37.

After hitting Lyon for a boundary, Brathwaite perished in the next ball when he attempted to cut and was caught at slip.

West Indies slumped to 83 for two after Darren Bravo, who had an early reprieve when Josh Hazlewood dismissed him with a no-ball, was caught a few overs later for 21.

Mitchell Marsh took four for 61; Lyon, three for 85; and James Pattinson two for 49 as the Aussies dismantled the Windies middle order, reducing them to five for 150 shortly after tea.

Marlon Samuels struck two fours before he edged a delivery from Marsh to Neville when he was on 19, while Jermaine Blackwood picked up three boundaries en route to 20 when he was trapped lbw to Lyon.

Then came the century stand initiated by Ramdin, who found a willing partner in his captain as the two threatened to take the match into a fifth day.

Ramdin cracked eight fours on his way to 59 while Holder, who topscored with 68, picked up seven boundaries and two sixes.