Why historic low was not the West Indies’ greatest indignity, as field fumble became Australia’s fodder

Being bowled out for just 27 runs wasn’t even the worst indignity for the West Indies. It could’ve been even fewer, which became fodder for some Australian jokes after the Kingston humiliation.

The greatest indignity for the West Indies was not that they got bowled out for 27.

It was that they could have been bowled out for even less, and that the Australians were joking about it afterwards.

Continuing his horror tour on an individual front, Sam Konstas had already dropped two catches at third slip off Mitchell Starc when Scott Boland’s hat-trick left the Windies reeling at 9-26.

READ MORE: Watch: Inside Starc’s 15 balls of carnage

Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland combined for nine quickfire West Indies wickets in the third Test. Picture: AP Photo

Take the final wicket without conceding another run and the hosts’ innings would tie New Zealand’s 70-year-old record low Test score of 26 against England in Auckland.

Konstas was the one Australian player that the West Indies definitively crushed this series, and his final involvement was a misfield at gully that allowed Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales to squeeze through for what proved to be the Windies’ final run of the innings.

Sam Konstas endured a rough Test series, and dropped a catch which helped West Indies avoid unwanted history on the final day. His run out, however, was brilliant. Picture: AP Photo

Starc said subsequently that he hadn’t been aware of the chance for history until teammates began ribbing Konstas for his error.

“I didn’t know it. A few of the batters got stuck into Sammy when he tried to stop that one and let that one go,” Starc said.

“I don’t know who got in first in first, I think Uzzy (Khawaja) had something to say. But he’s all right the young fella.”

Australia didn’t have a player go past 71 with the bat across three Tests, the first time the Aussies haven’t produced a centurion in a Test series since 2018-19.

And yet they still won all three Tests by more than 130 runs.

Opposing captains Roston Chase and Pat Cummins both alluded to the idea that all three Tests appeared in the balance after two days. That may be true, but it is the grim final impression will linger for years to come when administrators ponder whether it is worth these sides playing Tests again.

The great irony is that this match was only added to the calendar after Shamar Joseph hauled the Windies to that famous victory at the Gabba in January last year. This series was only supposed to feature two Tests under the ICC’s Future Tours Program.

“Obviously being bowled out for less than 30 is quite embarrassing,” said Chase, with a certain the type of nonchalance you might use to describe a mild inconvenience like a parcel delivery being delayed by a couple of days.

An all-too familiar image for West Indies captain Roston Chase, as Australian bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green celebrate another cheap wicket. Picture: AFP

So easily did Australia steam through the woeful hosts that Cummins didn’t even deign to bowl himself.

A scorecard like this inevitably produces records to rival a vinyl convention. Among the most galling for the Windies was a new mark for the most ducks in a Test innings: seven.

Consider they were all out for 27 and still had time for a 15-run partnership between Chase and Justin Greaves.

Windies great Jeff Dujon last week accused Cricket West Indies of nepotism in hiring coach Daren Sammy at the expense of Andre Coley, who had led them to that breakthrough win in Brisbane.

The humiliating total of 27 is a historic low for the West Indies. Picture: AFP

After this freshest and most stinging humiliation you might expect the outrage-o-meter to burst through its casing.

But there is hardly a robust Caribbean cricket media to ask the hard questions. The travelling Aussie press pack consistently outnumbered their West Indian counterparts at all three Tests.

There is more interest in the upcoming Twenty20 series, inversely proportional to the attitude in Australia towards those white-ball games.

But when it comes to the longest format, the one over which the Windies lorded for 15 years, the overriding sense on the ground is apathy.

Originally published as Why historic low was not the West Indies’ greatest indignity, as field fumble became Australia’s fodder