Barbados, June 28: Australia defeated the West Indies by 159 runs in the first Test match at Kensington Oval in Barbados, finishing the game inside three days. The match was highlighted by a stunning bowling performance from Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood, who took 5 wickets in the second innings to seal the win.After setting a target of 301, Australia bowled out the hosts for just 141. Hazlewood’s fiery spell saw him take 4 wickets in just 16 balls, breaking the backbone of the West Indies batting order. His match-winning figures read 5 for 43.
Earlier, Australia had posted 283 in their first innings. West Indies responded with 188, giving the visitors a lead of 95 runs. In the second innings, Australia were in trouble at 65 for 4, but a 102-run partnership between Travis Head (61) and Beau Webster (63) steadied the innings. Alex Carey added quick runs with a 40-ball 65, helping Australia reach 310.
West Indies’ fast bowler Shamar Joseph impressed with a five-wicket haul in the second innings, but poor fielding—dropping as many as seven catches—proved costly for the hosts.
With this win, Australia take a 1–0 lead in the two-match series. The second Test will be played in Grenada starting July 4. West Indies will look to bounce back with better batting and sharper fielding.