Voges blunts Windies hopes after Warner, Smith wickets

Lyon claimed two wickets in one over to trigger a middle-order collapse to have the West Indies in familiar trouble in their chase after a mammoth declaration of 583 for four on the second day.

SHAUN MARSH: “I definitely feel comfortable at this level”.

“I have been talking for the last few weeks with the World Cricket committee about Test match attendances around the world and how they are starting to fall away, which is why we saw a day-night Test match in Adelaide”, he said.

The West Indies received some positive news Friday – scans cleared Shannon Gabriel of a left ankle fracture, but the fast bowler will take no further part in the Hobart test and possibly the tour.

The veteran praised openers Burns and David Warner for their ability to score 70 runs in the first 10 overs, arguing it had “really set the tone for the day”.

It seemed as though nothing could stop Marsh and Voges, with the score moving at almost a run a ball through the session, but eventually the stand came to an end when Marsh slog swept a catch to deep midwicket off the bowling of Jomel Warrican.

Voges reached the break unbeaten on 269, having scored his maiden test double century and overhauled the Bellerive Oval individual test record of 209 that Ricky Ponting set against Pakistan in 2010. “I just got to keep working on my consistency”.

That only handed Voges and Marsh the platform to do the damage, the pair playing with fluency and freedom to expose a Windies attack lacking confidence and ideas amid a poor run of form. I think they batted very well.

“We just have to absorb that pressure early on in our innings as batsmen and when we bowl just be a bit more patient than we have been in the past”.

It is the most runs conceded by a West Indies Test side in a day, and the performance will have given former greats Phil Simmons, Curtly Ambrose and Richie Richardson – now part of the coaching set-up – plenty of headaches.

It was Voges’ third Test century and second against the West Indies, after scoring an unbeaten 130 on his Test debut in Dominica last June.

They had come together at 3-121 at lunch on day one.

Darren Bravo has fought hard to be 43 not out and played a series of spectacular drives that were reminiscent of the calypso cricket that was a trademark of the West Indies’ hey-days.

Left-arm spinner Warrican also took the other wicket to fall in the session, dismissing Smith when the Australia captain poked at a turning delivery and was caught at slips for 10.

West Indies picked Warrican as their spin option ahead of Devendra Bishoo, the wrist spinner.