West Indies vs. Australia: A Tale of 2 Tails as Visitors Win First Test

Ask a Test captain about his biggest annoyances, and being unable to prise out the opposition's lower order would probably be right up there with dropped catches and needless run outs. Australia showed just how crucial the performance of the tail can be in their emphatic nine-wicket win over the West Indies in Dominica on Friday.

That Australia stretched their 12-year unbeaten run against the West Indies was largely down to the tale of the two tails. Chasing the West Indies' first innings total of just 148, the visitors looked set for a mighty scrap after subsiding to 178 for eight.

Expertly marshalled by debutant Adam Voges, tailenders Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood instead took Australia from a potentially perilous position into a commanding one. The final two wickets added 140 runs to put the Australians in the box seat on a wearing pitch.

The West Indian attack that had proved so potent during the early stages of the Australian innings had no answer to the obdurate Aussie scrappers. Fast bowlers Jerome Taylor and Shannon Gabriel too often found a middling length that was neither full enough to provoke an edge nor short enough to discomfort the visitors.

By the time Josh Hazlewood finally succumbed to Marlon Samuels' gentle off-spin, Australia had a lead of 170 and the game was effectively up.

"

Josh Hazlewood out for 39. Brings his Test batting average to a lousy 71 from four matches #WIvAUS

— Martin Smith (@martinsmith9994) June 4, 2015"

Contrast that disappointing effort with the clinical masterclass given by Mitchell Starc in the West Indian second innings.

Samuels and youngster Shane Dowrich batted superbly for much of the third day while putting on a partnership of 144 for the fourth wicket. Granted, it wasn't the most scintillating of viewing but given the extremely slow pitch and even slower outfield, the scoring rate was never going to rattle along Brendon McCullum-style.

Some canny captaincy from Michael Clarke brought the breakthrough though. The skipper stationed Shane Watson next to Samuels at a short, straight mid-on and Dowrich fell right into the trap, chipping an easy catch to the ghost-fearing all-rounder.

"

Yeah, needed that! Blackwood joins Samuels out in the middle. LIVE: http://t.co/XWk4JxGDfN #WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/a6aUaelJ0Z

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) June 5, 2015"

With the West Indian batting door ajar, the Australians didn't just open it, they kicked it in. Unable to break the shackles, Jermaine Blackwood walked past a straight one from Nathan Lyon and was stumped.

Samuels then holed out at fine leg for the second time in the match, unable to control a short ball from Mitchell Johnson. Skipper Denesh Ramdin followed soon after, chopping on from the persevering Lyon.

Starc then finished the job in spectacular style, blasting out Jerome Taylor, Devendra Bishoo and Shannon Gabriel.

"

Mitch doing Mitch things #WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/dmMfOrKsXO

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) June 5, 2015"

The West Indies lost their final six wickets for just 18 runs. With the ball turning sharply, a chase of 150 could have caused a few jitters in the Australian camp. Instead, Starc and Johnson made victory a formality.

In their first innings, the Australians showed the value of having bowlers who can bat. More importantly, they possess a pair of fast bowlers who can blow away an opposition's lower order, even on slow pitches like the one on show at Windsor Park.

The West Indies are no strangers to late-innings histrionics, of course. Even accounting for their frailties, watching Starc and Johnson in full flow in Dominica was an awesome sight.

There are far fewer rabbits in world cricket these days. The days of a card-reading Phil Tufnell, Alan Mullally and Ed Giddins are long gone. Tailenders are just much better these days. Jerome Taylor has a Test century after all.

Dismissing the lower order is a skill best accomplished by big-turning leg spinners and express-paced quicks who can swing the ball.

The Australians may not have found a true heir to Shane Warne, but in Johnson and Starc they have a pair of bowlers capable of putting the fear of god into opposition tails. That's one of the main reasons they're the best team in the world today.