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An extraordinary triple-wicket maiden from Scott Boland has helped Australia all but seal a 2-0 series victory over the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval, needing just six wickets to wrap up the match with two days to play.
Boland claimed the wickets of Kraigg Brathwaite (3), Shamarh Brooks (0) and Jermaine Blackwood (0) in his first over of the innings to further enhance the legendary start to his Test match career.
The Victorian, with figures of 3-9 off six overs this innings, now has 21 wickets in four Tests at an average of 10 — 15 of those in the second innings.
The West Indies ended day 3 at 4-38, thanks to dogged resistance from Devon Thomas (8 off 44 balls) and Jason Holder (8 off 42 balls), a full 459 runs behind Australia's score, with six sessions of cricket still to be played.
Despite finding themselves deep in the mire after two dominant days from Australia, the West Indies would have hoped for a solid start on day three, resuming on 4-102, 409 runs behind.
They got anything but though, shambolically losing two wickets without scoring off the first 14 balls of the day.
Chanderpaul calamitously ran himself out in the very first over of the day — the first of two run outs in the innings on what appeared to be a very placid batting pitch.
Chanderpaul's wicket would have been particularly galling, dismissed without adding to his overnight score of 47, when night watchman Anderson Phillip refused a single off Mitchell Starc.
Starc then claimed Jason Holder for a four-ball duck in his next over.
Joshua da Silva and Phillip both counter-attacked nicely, scoring 60 runs for the seventh wicket off 78 balls before Lyon claimed the first of his two wickets of the session, da Silva LBW for 23.
Having passed his previous best first-class score of 36 — scored for Trinidad and Tobago against the Windward Islands in 2020 — Phillip looked set to become just the third West Indian night watchman to claim a Test half-century on the occasion of his second Test.
However, he fell in just as calamitous a way as Chanderpaul did earlier in the session, running himself out for 43.
Alzarri Joseph came and went for a golden duck, LBW to Lyon, before Roston Chase and Marquino Mindley stubbornly stuck around to further frustrate the Australian bowlers.
David Warner shelled a chance above his head at first slip with Chase on 12, and Carey shelled a diving effort when Mindley was on 5.
But Chase eventually holed out to a superb diving catch by Lyon at deep square leg for 34 after a 43-run stand for the final wicket, leaving the Windies 293 runs behind after the first innings.
Australia did not enforce the follow on, as has become standard in condensed Test match summers, and raced along to 0-77 at over five runs per over.
However, Roston Chase took the wickets of David Warner (28) and Usman Khawaja (45) in the space of three balls to temporarily stymie the accumulation of runs.
Marnus Labuschagne was caught on the stroke of tea for a quick-fire 31 off 23 balls to hand Phillip a deserved first wicket of the match.
Travis Head came out for the final session visibly intent on quick runs — hitting two monstrous sixes over cover off Phillip.
Jason Holder was left frustrated when Steve Smith skied one early in the final session, it swirled around and Alzarri Joseph put it down.
Smith finally departed for 35 with a similar shot to fine leg, where Devon Thomas held the catch.
Cameron Green was then out for 5 after a short stay, before Alex Carey (8) and Travis Head (38) pushed the score to 199 before Carey was bowled, prompting the declaration.
This left the West Indies needing an unlikely 497 to win in just over two days, a remote possibility given Australia has use of a new ball under lights.
Any hopes of a miracle disappeared in Boland's first brilliant over, finding Brathwaite's edge with his very first ball, before running through Brooks LBW and Blackwood, caught superbly low down at gully by Cameron Green, that same over.
Starc got in on the act to dismiss the pick of the Windies batters this series, Chanderpaul for 17 thanks to a last-ditch review for caught down the leg side.
Devon Thomas and Jason Holder dug in, adding just 17 runs in 13 and a half overs to frustrate the Australians.
However, with Lyon threatening both edges with turn and bounce, to expect them to survive long enough to conduct any meaningful effort at chasing down Australia's score is unrealistic.
Look back on how the day unfolded at Adelaide Oval in our live blog.
Key events
Australia vs West Indies, second Test
That's all for day three
By Andrew McGarry
Thanks for joining us on the blog for day three.
We'll be back tomorrow for what could be the final day of the series - in the meantime from me, Andrew McGarry and from Simon Smale, have a good evening!
Another BIG day for Australia
By Andrew McGarry
Key Event
So the West Indies managed to escape without further damage - but that is a brilliant final session for the hosts.
They got the lead up to 496 before the declaration - some might say it came a little late, but the start of the second innings proved there was well and truly enough time left to make a mark on day three.
The over of the summer so far from Scott Boland ripped the heart out of the West Indies top order - three dots and three wickets.
Mitchell Starc added the key wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul to have the tourists four-for. That was all the wickets for the evening, but this is an absolutely dominant position for Australia.
West Indies need 459 runs to win - but realistically the key number is six ... the wickets required for Australia to wrap up this Test inside four days.
22nd over - Australia gets one more!
By Andrew McGarry
Nathan Lyon gets one last over - they pushed through and the umpires are in position before 10:00pm cut-off.
A good first ball that comes back in and hits Holder's pad. No run.
inside edge! thumps the pad and flies harmlessly away. A let-off there for Holder.
And another ball that loops away, no run no catch. Three balls left.
Good straight defence from Holder. The pressure is right on here. he gets straightened up, but the ball is blocked back down the pitch.
Final ball! And he keeps it out - that's stumps!
21st over - Boland has one more
By Andrew McGarry
First ball is deflected to the slips. no run.
Devon Thomas can sense stumps, it's four minutes away. he still has to negotiate this over and maybe the next.
Thomas steps away, Boland stops - the crowd hoots.
And next ball is a leave.
That one jumped up, Thomas fended it down with his glove.
Boland goes back quickly to his mark. A slower ball, Thomas keeps it out!
Good defence there, there is one ball left and Boland is running back to his mark. Holder goes down for a chat.
It's 9:59 local time, this might be the last of the day.
he plays it to the slips. No run.
Will that be it?
20th over - Lyon in again
By Andrew McGarry
A cry from the fielders as Lyon's first ball hits bat and pad for Holder. No run.
That one came back! It hit the pad and looped up. Safe.
Better defence there, full face block from Holder.
no hanging around here - that one hit the pad, there is no appeal it was going down and too high.
Another nervy push from Holder - that could have cannoned off the glove but it fell safe.
SHOT! Holder leans into a ball outside off and strokes it to the boundary. that's over - it's 4-38.
19th over - Scott Boland returns
By Andrew McGarry
The cheering starts as Boland takes the pomegranate ...
And he immediately beats the bat with a jaffa!
Devon Thomas gets off strike with a single on the legside. Now it's Holder's turn.
Holder is watchful ... leans forward, another defence.
We have nine minutes to stumps, I don't think anyone is going to be hitting big shots right now.
A leave - the ball comes back late, but no real threat.
Holder is 3 off 29 balls. And now he's 4 off 30, after a quick flick to fine leg for a single.
West Indies are 4-34.
And he beats the bat AGAIN! Nervy push from Thomas to end the over. We might have three overs left - or possibly two.
18th over - Nathan Lyon comes in again
By Andrew McGarry
We have 15 minutes left - what's on the menu?
Lyon draws Jason Holder forward to drop the bat on it. No run.
This time he steps back and plays a solid defence.
West Indies are 4-32, and survival is of the essence here.
Another defensive prod - almost a French cut. Lyon then lands one outside off and it comes back a little. No run.
Lyon goes over the wicket - and Holder produces another proper defence. He tries to hit across the line off the last ball, it runs to mid-off and there is no score.
17th over - Michael Neser tries again
By Andrew McGarry
Devon Thomas is having a torrid time here. He's playing defensively, five off 32 balls.
Things have settled a bit more recently, but the tension is there - another wicket now would be disastrous.
Nothing so far this over. Neser is being solid but not spectacular - the West Indies are just clipping it out, not getting it off the square at the minute.
And as soon as i say that, Thomas lets loose with a high hook that drops safe. They run two.
16th over - Lyon in again
By Andrew McGarry
Australia pushing for more wickets here - Lyon keeps Thomas scoreless to start, with three dot balls.
Finally Devon Thomas uses his feet and hits him down the ground on the off for three.
The fifth ball jumps up, and falls to the turf with a few cries. No run, no wicket. And another dot finishes the over.
Night time at Adelaide Oval
By Andrew McGarry
15th over - Neser again
By Andrew McGarry
With Lyon holding down one end, are they going to try and attack Neser?
A block to start from Thomas.
A checked drive there now from Thomas, and a great stop at short mid-off.
Neser deflects the next ball in his follow-through and it deflects onto the stumps. Holder is in his ground.
A run! Thomas flicks one off his pads for a single.
Neser is not going at pace here, but he's still hard to get away.
An edge there, but it's a deflection into the ground and to the slips. And solid defence to end the over.
14th over - It's Nathan Lyon
By Andrew McGarry
Ok, here we go - it's the king of Adelaide Test bowlers, Nathan Lyon!
What do Thomas and Holder do here? They can't stand on the crease or they're liable to give the edge. if they go after him, it could be over quick.
Jason Holder is up first.
A strangled cry from the fielders as the ball hits the pad - I think it took the edge first.
Another dot ball. Fielders are INTERESTED here.
He ripped that one through and it hit Holder's bat and went back, missing the stumps. Another dot - he's going at about 90kph here...
Holder tries to sweep but hits it to the fielder. No run.
That one turned back in, and it's defended by Holder. A maiden.
13th over - Neser to continue
By Andrew McGarry
Is this a moment of calm? it's been more than three overs since the last wicket...
A couple of dot balls to start. Neser coming in again to Thomas, who has made 1 off 17. He prods a ball to the offside, no run.
Beats him with a beauty! Great ball there, Thomas pushes forward and the ball whizzes past the edge.
A leave, no run.
"No! No!" is the call as Thomas nudges it on the off. Another over down. At this stage, the tourists are probably counting the minutes down to 10:00pm local time when there can be no more play - and therefore no more wickets.
12th over - Another from Boland
By Andrew McGarry
The murmur is going round the ground as Boland comes in and bowls a first ball, Thomas gets a run.
The expectation levels are SKY HIGH after this start to the innings.
Holder takes a quick single, the ball is fired in at the bowler's end, there's no hit. They get a run.
Everything though is so hard for the batsmen right now.
There's a leg-bye off the fifth ball ... it's 4-26 and that target of 497 seems oceans away. Because it is. And that's over.
11th over - Michael Neser back on
By Andrew McGarry
Good to see Neser back on ... we thought he might have twinged his knee before, but things must be ok.
Dot ball to start. He runs in again and Holder lets one go outside off.
We're in a spot where a few straight maiden overs would be an improvement for the tourists.
Holder plays the next ball down to the slips. No run.
Runs! Holder clips one off his legs, they run two. West Indies are 4-23.
Another ball hits the pad, but there is hardly a noise. And another block down to Labuschagne in the cordon. That's over.
10th over - Scott Boland once again
By Andrew McGarry
And he raps Thomas on the pad first up!
Nothing doing, it was going down leg - but every ball seems to raise a roar from the Adelaide crowd. They are LOVING this.
Thomas fends this next one out on the off. No run.
A bit more solid defence from Thomas there that time.
Another ball slides just past the bat outside off after a fine bit of movement. Another wicket is beckoning, to be honest.
Wow! That was even better! Fine shavings of daylight between bat and ball there.
And a leave from Thomas. What a great over from Boland.
The West indies are ... under pressure.
Starc completes the ninth over
By Andrew McGarry
Jason Holder sees out the over ... but the West Indies look stunned here.
It's Holder and Devon Thomas to keep going, facing a man who has 3-5 off two overs!
Holy moly!
By Andrew McGarry
I'm not sure I know what to say after THAT, Simon!
Incredible stuff from Australia. Scotty Boland's entry into the innings sent the Adelaide Oval crowd crazy.
Six wickets to go, and a mere matter of another 476 to win...
Out! Chanderpaul goes caught behind!
By Simon Smale
Key Event
What a review! There was a lot of doubt there but Smith seemed interested, Carey was keen and Travis Head came from a mile away to tell them to review.
He saw it, heard it, or just felt that it should be out.
It was, Chanderpaul's series comes to and end with a 28-ball 17 and that's another hammer blow for the West Indies.
It's time for drinks! Andrew McGarry, the blog is yours...