Starc takes fastest five wickets as Australia dominate West Indies

KINGSTON: Mitchell Starc produced a stunning spell of fast bowling on Monday, grabbing five wickets in just 15 balls — the quickest five-for in Test cricket history. 

His fiery burst left the West Indies reeling and helped Australia cruise to a 176-run victory in the third Test, completing a 3-0 series whitewash in Kingston.

Starc took 15 balls to wreck the West Indies top order in a brilliant display that left the home side's run chase in tatters, before returning to take his sixth wicket after Scott Boland’s hat-trick.

West Indies were bowled out for 27, the second-lowest total in Test history after New Zealand’s 26 against England in 1955.

Starc shattered the previous record for a five-for by four balls, surpassing Ernie Toshack (1947), Stuart Broad (2015), and Boland (2021), who needed 19 deliveries to achieve the feat.

The drama began on the first delivery of West Indies’ second innings, when Starc enticed John Campbell to nick an outswinger to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.

Debutant Kevlon Anderson shouldered arms to a ball that jagged back and struck his pad four balls later, before Brandon King edged on to his stumps as the hosts found themselves three wickets down with no runs on the board.

Starc then trapped Mikyle Louis lbw to become the fourth Australian to reach 400 Test wickets alongside Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Nathan Lyon.

Two balls later, he trapped Shai Hope lbw and he finished with figures of 6-9.

At tea, the West Indies stood at a precarious 22-6, needing 182 runs for victory and staring down the barrel of cricket’s ultimate embarrassment, with five runs needed to avoid the lowest-ever total.

And the drama was far from over.

Boland dismissed Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph, and Jomel Warrican to claim a hat-trick that left West Indies at 26-9, level with New Zealand’s record.

In the end, it was a narrow escape for the hosts as they added another run before Starc returned to bowl Jayden Seales.

Earlier, Australia were dismissed for 121, their lowest score against West Indies in 30 years, with Alzarri Joseph completing career-best figures of 5-27 and Shamar Joseph 4-34.