Australia set new fourth-wicket record stand

Australia will face the West Indies in the first test for the Sir Frank Worrall Trophy tomorrow in Hobart.

Record-breakers Shaun Marsh, left, and Adam Voges, right, congratulate Nathan Lyon on the wicket of Rajendra Chandrika.

Warrican made his first-class debut for Barbados in 2012 but it wasn’t until past year, where he led the Barbados Cricket Association Elite Cricket league wicket-takers and broke the record for a slow bowler to lift Empire to win the 3-day game championship, where he became a regular in the regional four day competition.

The West Indies head into this Test after being pummelled by a Cricket Australia XI with limited first-class experience.

The tourists had two other successes in the early morning session with muscular paceman Shannon Gabriel bowling Burns on the top of middle stump for 33 in the 11th over.

Warrican, picked as the West Indies’ spin option ahead of wrist-spinner Devendra Bishoo, then had Smith caught by Jermaine Blackwood at first slip for 10.

Warner and Joe Burns hit a combined 12 boundaries in an opening partnership of 75 runs from the first eight overs, but Australia went on to lose three wickets for 51.

Voges and Marsh also own the record for highest fourth-wicket stand by Australia in Tests. “We’re going to do well, we’re going to do much better than you think”, he said.

Darren Bravo, on 32, and Denesh Ramdin (1) were batting at the tea break heading into the final session.

Overnight scans would try to uncover the extent of the problem but Warrican said Gabriel’s loss would be great. The fast bowling department, in particular, has been chopped and changed far too often for their liking.

Voges and Marsh came together against a hapless West Indies at 3-121 at lunch on the first day.

There seemed to be a lack of communication among fielders and an overall languid approach. “The areas that they bowl have been more consistent”.

He also set a new Hobart Test highest score, overtaking Ricky Ponting’s 209 against Pakistan in 2010.

The West Australian pair posted the all-time highest partnership for the fourth-wicket of 449, eclipsing the 437 held by Sri Lankan pair Thilan Samaraweera and Mahela Jayawardene against Pakistan in 2009.

“I’ve 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.

“He was going really well and scoring runs freely and sort of got me going as well. I thought he batted beautifully today, and to be out there with one of my really good mates (and) to both get hundreds for our country was very special”.