Aussie victory secures series win

Australia secured a 2-0 series victory after an 87-run success against West Indies in the third Test in Barbados.

The Windies began the final day with seven wickets left, needing another 240 to reach a 475 target, which would have beaten their own record of 418 in 2003.

For a while the dream was on as Dwayne Bravo hit four sixes in his 69 to take them within 173 for no further loss.

But he and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (50) fell in consecutive overs and 22 overs later the innings ended on 387.

Left-arm wrist spinner Beau Casson claimed 3-86 on his debut, while fast bowlers Stuart Clark (3-58) and Brett Lee (2-109) were equally impressive.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting reserved special praise for Simon Katich and Phil Jaques, but praised the hosts for their gritty performance.

"This game has gone pretty much to plan for us but the West Indies have got a lot of positives out of the game as well," he said. "The way they attacked the run chase in the second innings I thought showed a lot of heart and a lot of character.

"Simon Katich has been terrific for us at the top of the order and Phil Jaques bounced back to form in this game.

"All the guys that have come into the side can hold their heads up high and say that they've done a really good job for the team over the last few weeks."

Chanderpaul and Bravo made a tentative start to the day's play, adding a cautious 33 runs in the first hour.

Bravo eventually claimed his 50 off 113 balls before his fine innings, which included five fours and four sixes, came to an end when he was caught at short-leg by Jaques.

Chanderpaul, who notched a landmark 8,000 runs for the Windies when he reached 49, was next to go when the 33-year-old was out lbw off Clark.

It was a vital breakthrough for the Aussies, and the first time the tourists had dismissed the left-hander since the first Test.
Denesh Ramdin (8) and Jerome Taylor (31) added 42 to the total but when Clark claimed Ramdin's wicket the hosts soon subsided.

Taylor was caught by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson, Sewnarine Chattergoon (13) was dismissed by Lee before Suliemann Benn (13) was caught at cover off Casson's bowling.

Lee then finished off the match with his 18th wicket of the series as Daren Powell edged to Haddin.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle admitted that his side would have needed to remain at the crease all day to have stood a chance of winning.

"We knew it wasn't going to be easy. Someone would have had to get a big hundred which we didn't get," said Gayle.

"If we batted out the day we knew we would have got the runs but that didn't happen."