Australia has secured a comprehensive 2-0 series whitewash over the West Indies, who were utterly outclassed by the world’s No. 1 Test team over the past fortnight.
The two-match contest was headlined by buckets of runs for Australia’s top order and some exceptional bowling from Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc.
But not everyone in the Australian camp impressed against the West Indies.
DAVID WARNER — 3
102 runs at 25.50
For the first time in almost a decade, cricket fans are questioning whether David Warner should be in Australia’s starting XI.
While his teammates plundered hundreds of runs, Warner failed to muster a half-century against the West Indies’ weary and wounded bowling attack on batting-friendly wickets.
Importantly, the left-hander was never outdone by classy bowling in Perth or Adelaide, rather throwing his wicket away with reckless batting.
He repeatedly threw his arms at wide deliveries without balance or timing, edging back onto the stumps twice in four knocks.
They were ugly dismissals for a cricketer of Warner’s quality.
USMAN KHAWAJA — 7
178 runs at 44.50
Usman Khawaja’s incredible 2022 rolls on.
The Queenslander set the tone impeccably in the first innings at Perth Stadium and Adelaide Oval, scoring half-centuries in both Tests to help take the shine off the Kookaburra.
Unfortunately, an unplayable delivery from Kyle Mayers in Perth and a contentious LBW decision in Adelaide prevented him from adding to his growing tally of Test centuries.
Meanwhile, Khawaja failed to convert starts into big scores in the second innings, when Australia was already in an unbeatable position.
The battle between former England captain Joe Root and Khawaja for most Test runs in the calendar year is proving a thrilling contest.
MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE — 10
502 runs at 167.33
What else can we say about Marnus Labuschagne?
The Queenslander toppled records on a daily basis throughout this series — after becoming the third Australian to score a double century and a century in the same Test, he bettered Matthew Hayden’s record for most runs in a two-Test series by an Australian.
The West Indies must be sick of the sight of him. Labuschagne spent 788 deliveries at the crease over the past fortnight, crossing triple figures on three occasions, two more times than the entire West Indies squad combined.
Labuschagne is slowly cementing his status as a modern great of the game, and it’s intriguing to consider what else he can achieve over the coming decade.
STEVE SMITH — 9
155 runs at 127.50
Steve Smith’s back, baby.
After a couple of underwhelming home summers with the bat, the 33-year-old silenced any lingering critics with an unbeaten double-century against the West Indies in Perth.
It was a flawless knock from Smith, who also claimed a trio of smart catches at first slip off Nathan Lyon’s bowling.
But Smith couldn’t replicate the performance in Adelaide, falling victim to Jason Holder’s medium pace for a duck in the first innings.
Regardless, the New South Welshman is on track for another prolific home summer.
TRAVIS HEAD — 10
312 runs at 156.00
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Travis Head’s Test series against the West Indies was the speed at which he compiled his 312 runs.
Over three knocks, the South Australian scored at a strike rate of 91.49, numbers more suited for 50-over cricket.
Head was bitterly unlucky not to reach triple figures at Perth Stadium, chopping on for 99 after combining with Steve Smith for a mammoth partnership.
But the 28-year-old redeemed himself at Adelaide Oval, scoring a career-best 175 before a mix-up with Cameron Green ended his entertaining onslaught.
Head’s ability to counter-attack in the middle order is invaluable for Australia ahead of Test tours of India and England.
CAMERON GREEN — 3
14 runs at 7.00, 2 wickets at 62.00
It was a forgettable campaign for the young West Australian, who spent most of the series sitting on the sidelines waiting for h turn to bat.
“You had a bit of pad rash, didn’t you?” teammate Nathan Lyon jeered during the Adelaide Test.
“A long time switched on.”
When Green finally got his opportunity, he looked completely out of his depth.
After a mix-up with Travis Head left his teammate fuming in the sheds, the tall all-rounder chopped on for 9 (42).
Green did, however, snare a couple of crucial wickets with the ball, and his catch to remove Jermaine Blackwood on Saturday evening was an absolute ripper.
Hopefully the 23-year-old can redeem himself at the Gabba.
ALEX CAREY — 7
49 runs at 49.00, 10 catches
Much like Green, Alex Carey rarely got an opportunity to prove his worth with the bat against the West Indies.
The South Australian’s only genuine knock ended on 41 when Australia declared in the first innings at Adelaide.
With the gloves, mistakes were few and far between, with the exception of one dropped chance on Saturday afternoon, potentially the 31-year-old’s only misdemeanour during the series.
Carey, however, held onto a couple of absolute screamers on day four of the Adelaide Test while keeping up to the stumps, with Michael Neser bowling above 130km/h.
What can’t be denied is Carey has improved with the bat and with the gloves since his Test debut against England 12 months ago.
PAT CUMMINS — 8
3 wickets at 11.33
Pat Cummins’ campaign was cut short by a quad complaint during the Perth Test, but what we saw from the Australian captain was, as always, superb.
The paceman knocked over West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite with an absolute peach before helping roll through the tail, finishing the first innings with Australia’s best bowling figures.
Cummins was consistent with line and length, offering very few freebies to the West Indies’ top order.
Thankfully, the 29-year-old is expected to return for the series opener against South Africa at the Gabba.
MITCHELL STARC — 8
9 wickets at 21.44
Undeniably the best pace bowler of the Test series, Mitchell Starc continues to terrorise tourists on Australian pitches with express pace and hooping swing.
His spell with the second new ball in Perth was exceptional, and the fragile West Indies batting attack stood no chance against him with the pink Kookaburra in Adelaide.
But one concern remains for Starc — he still struggles with the ball in the fourth innings of red-ball Test matches.
The 32-year-old claimed 1/65 in the second innings of the Perth Test — to put it bluntly, he was hardly a threat to the West Indies on day five.
Since the start of 2021, Starc has averaged 192.50 in the fourth innings of red-ball Tests, managing just two wickets in six innings.
NATHAN LYON — 9
12 wickets at 21.16
He’s the GOAT for a reason.
Nathan Lyon can hardly be faulted following a stellar Test series against the West Indies, finishing as comfortably the highest wicket-taker.
The off-spinner claimed six wickets in the second innings of the Perth Test despite a valiant counter-attack from the West Indies, before snaring a trio of breakthroughs with the pink ball in Adelaide.
Lyon’s series ended in jubilant scenes with his 450th Test wicket, becoming just the fourth spinner to reach the milestone.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD — 7
2 wickets at 52.50
Has there ever been a better wicketless bowling spell in Test cricket?
Josh Hazlewood had the Kookaburra on a string in Perth, utterly bamboozling the West Indies top order with vicious seam movement and pinpoint accuracy.
The Bendemeer Bullet didn’t claim a bag of wickets in the series opener, but he was bitterly unlucky not to — at one stage, he managed to clip the stumps without the bails toppling off.
Unfortunately for Hazlewood, his classy bowling performance was soured by an agonising injury setback that could sideline him for most of the Test summer.
SCOTT BOLAND — 8
3 wickets at 15.00
How many statues are we allowed to build of Scott Boland?
The Victorian’s first over of the second innings in Adelaide was one for the ages — a triple-wicket maiden that demolished the West Indies’ top order and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
It evoked memories of last summer’s Boxing Day masterclass at the MCG, adding to Boland’s cult hero status.
He was wicketless in the first innings, but not due to poor bowling. He was accurate and relentlessly threatened the outside edge.
Thankfully, Boland didn’t have to wait long to reap the rewards of his impeccable line and length.
MICHAEL NESER — 8
5 wickets at 11.20
After countless Test matches carrying the drinks, Michael Neser was finally given another opportunity in Australian whites following an untimely injury for Josh Hazlewood.
And the Queenslander made the most of it, claiming Australia’s first two wickets of the Adelaide Test in almost identical fashion, nipping away from the right-hander who feathered a catch through to Carey with the gloves.
“Neser bowling in a corridor narrower than Melbourne’s celebrated laneways,” The Age’s Daniel Brettig tweeted.
Hopefully Neser isn’t pigeonholed as a pink-ball specialist, because he would be a handful with the Duke ball in England next year if selected.
