Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh make history against West Indies
Friday 11 December 2015 12:14, UK
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh posted the highest fourth-wicket stand in Test history as Australia continued to dominate the first Test with the West Indies in Hobart.
Voges, who finished on 269 not out, and Marsh (182) put on a new record of 449 runs as the hosts declared their first innings on 583-4, and then reduced the tourists to 207-6 by stumps on day two.
Darren Bravo scored a spirited 94no in the Windies reply, but they are facing a tough battle to save the game.
Voges and Marsh were scarcely troubled in the first session when, after resuming on 438-3, they plundered runs and sent records tumbling at will in their epic stand, the sixth highest of all time for any wicket.
They were separated when Marsh was caught at midwicket just before the break, leaving the duo just two runs shy of the record for the highest stand by any Australians in Tests set by Bill Ponsford and Donald Bradman in 1934.
Voges' 269 gave him his maiden Test double century and overhauled the Bellerive Oval individual Test record of 209 that Ricky Ponting set against Pakistan in 2010.
The 36-year-old faced only 285 balls in his epic innings and hit 33 fours, including the one that took the partnership past the 437 that Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera combined to score for Sri Lanka against Pakistan in Karachi in 2009.
Marsh looked to be heading for a double century of his own as lunch approached but an attempted slog sweep off left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican (3-158) went straight to Bravo and brought to an end their partnership.
Australia skipper Steve Smith declared at lunch, and the Windies were quickly in trouble, with spinner Nathan Lyon to the fore.
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood trapped opener Kraigg Brathwaite lbw for two, and Lyon (3-43) came on and dismissed Rajendra Chandrika (25), Marlon Samuels (nine) and Jermaine Blackwood for a duck.
Chandrika edged a delivery and Smith took a juggling catch, and Lyon then took an absolutely stunning return catch, diving to his left, to dismiss Samuels. Lyon then found Blackwood's inside edge and Joe Burns took the catch at short leg.
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Hazlewood then bowled Denesh Ramdin for eight after tea, and Peter Siddle trapped skipper Jason Holder for 15 to make it 116-6.
Opener Bravo remained unmoved throughout and he finally found an ally in fast bowler Kemar Roach (31no) and the pair battled through until stumps, adding 91 to save their team from total embarrassment.
Watch day three of the first Test between Australia and West Indies from 11:30pm on Friday 11 December, live on Sky Sports 2 HD. Highlights of today's action are on SS2 at 10am, 1.30pm and 5pm.
