Jamaica, July 15 (IANS) Australia pacer Mitchell Starc scripted history in the third Test against the West Indies as he claimed a five-wicket haul in just 15 balls, the quickest in Test history, as the visitors bundled out the West Indies for 27, which is the second-lowest Test total ever.

The total of 27 is just one more run than the lowest Test total ever, when England bowled New Zealand out for 26 in 1955.

Starc, who was playing his 100th Test, took three wickets in his first over after West Indies were set 204 to win the day-night series finale in Kingston. His fourth scalp in the fifth over (Mikyle Louis lbw) saw him become the fourth Australian bowler to notch 400 career wickets after Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563) and great mate Nathan Lyon (562).

But the left-armer ensured they were never in it as he dismissed Shai Hope with his 15th delivery of the innings, to set a new mark for the fastest five-for in Test cricket.

Fifteen balls taken by Starc to get his five-fer makes it the quickest in the history of Tests, beating the previous quickest of 19 balls each by Ernie Toshack against India in Brisbane in 1947, Stuart Broad against Australia in Trent Bridge in 2015, and Scott Boland against England at the MCG in 2021.

The 35-year-old’s sixth wrapped up a thumping 176-run win that saw Australia sweep West Indies in a three-match series or more for the first time in the Caribbean, with the hosts’ seven ducks in their second innings a new record in a Test innings.

Starc finished with figures of 6/9, the best innings figures of any player in their 100th Test, bettering Muthiah Muralidaran’s 6/54 for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in 2006.

Meanwhile, Scott Boland, who holds the record for best bowling average in the last 110 years of Test cricket, again underlined his qualities as he claimed a hat-trick to leave the hosts reeling at 26/9.

Boland removed Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph and Jomel Warrican with consecutive deliveries to start his second over to become the 10th Australian to take a Test hat-trick.

With his 3-34 and 3-2 at Sabina Park in Australia’s Test victory against the West Indies, Boland’s Test bowling average now stands at 16.53, the best of any bowler in the last 110 years of Test cricket (minimum 2000 balls bowled).

–IANS

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