Australia thrash West Indies to claim first Test

Australia maintained their dominant form over the West Indies to win the first Test within three days. Two more victories will send them to the top of the rankings.

Adam Voges was named man of the match for his 269 runs in the first innings as Australia beat the West Indies to take a 1-0 lead in the three Test series. Reuters/David Gray

Australia took a step closer on Saturday towards becoming the world’s leading Test team with a crushing victory over the West Indies in Hobart.

They won the first Test by an innings and 212 runs. The tourists failed to respond to the hosts’ massive first innings score of 583 for 4 declared.

James Pattinson took 5-27 as the West Indies were all out for 148 in their second innings Australia skipper Steve Smith had forced them to bat again after they made 223 in their first innings.

The five wicket haul was a statement of intent for 25-year-old Pattinson who was playing in his first Test for 18 months following back and leg injuries.

Kraigg Brathwaite with 94 was the only visiting batsman to show any resistance at the second time of asking at the Bellerive Oval.

Unsurprisingly, Adam Voges was anointed man of the match for his 269 not out during Australia's first innings. On Thursday and Friday, he and Shaun Marsh put on 449 runs in their fourth wicket stand. When Marsh was out for 182, the pair were two runs shy of the record Australian partnership of 451 registered by Donald Bradman and Bill Ponsford in 1934.

“It was a pretty special partnership with Shaun," said Voges. "It’s probably quite fitting that Bradman and Ponsford still hold the record.”

The second Test begins in Melbourne on 26 December and that will be followed by the final Test in Sydney on 3 January.

Australia will return to the top of the ICC Test rankings if they complete a 3-0 series win.

“It was an outstanding effort from Pattinson,” said Smith. “It was a good win.”

Smith’s West Indies counterpart, Jason Holder, conceded that his team started too slowly.

“We were pretty indisciplined and that carried on throughout the first day,” he said. “After that we were always trying to catch up. We have to exercise patience a lot more when we bowl and we’ll be a lot more successful.”