Unfortunately, Cricket Australia’s fears for the current Test series became a reality this week – the West Indies are a far from competitive test nation.
The once proud and even feared Test nation of the 1980s is now a farce and a shambles, humiliated by Australia with both bat and ball.
It is for this reason that I will spare the Windies the plethora of Fs they deserve. Rather, I will focus on who among the Aussies performed best in the three innings.
JOE BURNS: D+
Joe Burns needed to have a good Test against the West Indies in Hobart to assure his spot in the Boxing Day Test.
Just 33 runs later, and he didn’t, meaning that Shaun Marsh has now vaulted into hot favoritism to be the last man standing when Usman Khawaja comes back into the side.
DAVID WARNER: C
Not uncharacteristically, David Warner was on fire through the first part of his innings, going at better than a run a ball while he was out in the middle.
Sadly for Australian fans, he was beaten by Jomel Warrican and caught behind by Denesh Ramdin, leaving us to wonder what could’ve been.
STEVE SMITH: D-
Steve Smith has been nowhere near his best lately, meaning he would’ve been very happy to see the West Indies in front of him.
However, he wasted his chance in the middle yet again, gone for 10 via Warrican after just half an hour in the middle.
ADAM VOGES: A+
Once again proving that Test cricket is an old man’s game, Adam Voges’ unbeaten 269 was the best part of the 405-run stand between himself and Shaun Marsh, now the highest fourth wicket partnership of all-time.
The total eclipses the 68 year-old record owned by Don Bradman and Sid Barnes.
SHAUN MARSH: A+
While Joe Burns has not been doing much to help his stocks of late, Shaun Marsh’s new Test high of 182 runs all but books his spot for the next Test.
He has his fair share of critics, but Marsh seems to get the job done under the pump, even if it is just against the Windies.
MITCHELL MARSH: D
While he did not get much of a chance at all to imprint himself on the match with the bat, he conceded the least amount of runs with the ball, but his economy was highest in each innings.
Time may have all but run out for Mitchell Marsh to cement himself as Australia’s next permanent all-rounder. Many would be surprised to see him named next time up.
PETER NEVILL: C
While not required with the bat this Test, Peter Nevill featured in only three of the 19 wickets the Aussies took during the match.
Nevill’s steady performances are enough to keep him in the team. The New South Welshman has had a pretty cruisey summer so far, and one wonders if he’ll even be required to pad up next Test.
PETER SIDDLE: C-
Peter Siddle’s return to Test cricket has hardly been bad, but he would be the first to tell you he wouldd like a few more wickets.
In the best and most competitive bowling lineup in the world right now, Siddle can take no shame that James Pattinson’s performance this past Test has reshuffled the Australian bowler power rankings.
JAMES PATTINSON: B
In a fiercely competitive bowling scene, James Pattinson did just about all he could to assure himself another baggy green.
While he failed to get a wicket in the first innings, his impressive five-for in the second means he is the only bowler in history with two five wicket hauls in Hobart.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD: A+
Without Starc or Johnson in the lineup for the Hobart Test, Josh Hazlewood was Australia’s number one quick – something that seamed to bring out the best in him.
While it was not quite the nine wickets that he got last Test, Hazlewood’s seven this time around means he’s just about the hottest bowler on the Test scene at the moment, and is quickly living up to the Glenn McGrath comparisons.
NATHAN LYON: B
He wasn’t his usual hugely impressive self, but Nathan Lyon did manage a good performance in the limited look at the ball he got.
He managed three wickets from 19 overs in the first innings, and no wickets from four over in the second innings, which is about on par for Lyon, and took one very impressive catch.
