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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Russell Jackson early, Mike Hytner for a bit and Jonathan Howcroft in the afternoon

Australia v West Indies: the fourth day of the Boxing Day Test – as it happened

James Pattinson celebrates the wicket of Rajendra Chandrika aon day four of the Boxing Day Test.<br>
James Pattinson celebrates the wicket of Rajendra Chandrika on day four of the Boxing Day Test.
 Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

We’ll be back for the final Test of the summer from Sydney on January 3 but there’s plenty of cricket beforehand, not least an absorbing contest in Durban where England have the upper hand over South Africa. Watch that unfold with Dan Lucas here.

Thanks for your company throughout this Test. I’m off for another session with the leftover Christmas pud. See you next year!

Australia win by 177 runs

That’s it from the MCG. It took four full days for Australia to finally see off the West Indies but thanks to Nathan Lyon’s guile and Mitch Marsh’s resilience the victory was secured with a day to spare.

The tourists finally showed some application on a day that was perfect for batting against a tired-looking bowling attack. Jason Holder (68) proved he could be a genuine allrounder with a beautiful knock while the entire top order all got in before finding ways to get themselves out.

For Australia there will be concerns over the limping Peter Siddle and the off-key Josh Hazlewood who bowled 41 wicketless overs in the Test. Thankfully Lyon and Marsh came to the fore with the offie’s seven-for earning him man of the match honours.

For what it’s worth, Australia officially retain the Frank Worrell Trophy.

WICKET! Taylor c Pattinson b Marsh 0 (West Indies 282 all out)

All over! Taylor not hanging around, slogging at the excellent Marsh and he top edges to the leg side where Pattinson sprints in and dives to collect a brilliant match clinching catch.

Updated

88th over: West Indies 282-9 (Taylor 0, Warrican 4)

Pattinson follows up Marsh’s breakthrough with a rare delivery that moved off gun barrel straight. Warrican showed he’s here for a good time, not a long time, clearing his front leg and swiping across the line, somehow finding the long-on boundary.

WICKET! Roach c Warner b Pattinson 11 (West Indies 278-9)

The end is nigh... Pattinson squares Roach up and the ball shoots off a thick outside edge to David Warner at third slip.

Updated

87th over: West Indies 274-8 (Roach 7, Taylor 0)

Superb over from Marsh, Australia’s paceman of the day, and he may have just bought his skipper an extra half-hour tonight.

WICKET! Holder c Hazlewood b Marsh 68 (West Indies 274-8)

Huge wicket! Marsh is brought back into the attack and he bowls a testing over that ends with Jason Holder mistiming a lofted drive straight to Hazlewood at mid-off. A tame end to a fabulous knock.

Updated

86th over: West Indies 268-7 (Holder 63, Roach 6)

Roach looks the likelier wicket to fall but he rotates the strike after just two deliveries of Pattinson’s over. The new ball is not talking for Australia.

85th over: West Indies 266-7 (Holder 62, Roach 5)

Smith persisting with Hazlewood but the poor bloke looks shot. Holder by contrast looks magisterial at the crease, driving and pulling like a man with an average above 50, not below 30.

Whatever plans you had for tomorrow, cancel them, this is going into a fifth day.

84th over: West Indies 264-7 (Holder 60, Roach 5)

Holder cannot turn down a pull shot any more than I can refuse leftover Christmas pudding. Pattinson’s short stuff isn’t particularly dangerous though and there’s a sense that a plan might have been hatched that isn’t properly being executed.

Against Roach though Pattinson looks like Dennis Lillee, fizzing one past the outside edge and then prompting an uppish prod that evades the infield.

Not the desired outcome so far from the change of sphere.

83rd over: West Indies 255-7 (Holder 55, Roach 1)

Wicketless Hazlewood looks worryingly innocuous with the new ball. UnlikelyAustralia will be offered the extra half-hour at this rate. Seven overs remaining in the day, before 6pm.

82nd over: West Indies 255-7 (Holder 55, Roach 1)

Pattinson livelier with the new ball but he’s bowling at the competent Holder. Smith will be better served by his pace attack in future matches. The value of Mitchell Starc is increasing in his absence.

81st over: West Indies 254-7 (Holder 55, Roach 1)

Hazlewood takes the new ball immediately and begins with a Harmison-type delivery that barely hits the cut grass. Tired-looking return over that barely makes the West Indian number nine play.

80th over: West Indies 254-7 (Holder 55, Roach 1)

Huge couple of overs for Australia. The tail is now exposed with the new ball due and ten overs left in the day. This could be all over by sunset.

Wicket! C Brathwaite b Lyon 2 (West Indies 253-7)

What’s happened here? Lyon twirls in and then there’s the sound of bails tinkling but nobody’s quite sure if it’s from the ball or Nevill’s gloves? The replay clearly shows the ball ever so faintly clipping the off bail and floating apologetically to the floor. Talk about hitting the top of off, that was millimetre perfect from Lyon.

79th over: West Indies 250-6 (Holder 54, C Brathwaite 2)

Big over for Australia and reward for Mitch Marsh who has bent his back during the most thankless overs. Can Australia blow over the tail with the new ball in the remaining ten overs or so of play?

WICKET! Ramdin c Nevill b Marsh 59 (West Indies 250-6)

Holder brings up the century partnership - the first of the series for the tourists - but Ramdin persishes immediately afterwards. A length delivery outside off stump holds its line and Ramdin feathers it behind.

78th over: West Indies 249-5 (Ramdin 59, Holder 53)

Holder having a dart at Lyon but his timing’s off. The offie clutches his head, searching for some hair to tear out. Ramdin has him fossicking for follicles again, lofting a straight drive just over the mid-on fielder.

77th over: West Indies 245-5 (Ramdin 56, Holder 52)

Fifty for Holder. There’s not a lot to like about this West Indian outfit but the skipper’s a beauty.

Review! Marsh traps Ramdin on the pads but the LBW appeal is rejected for fear the delivery is sliding down the leg side. DRS confirms. Both reviews spent in the space of a few balls. Two more will be returned to Smith in three overs time.

Busy over! Holder fails to connect sweetly with a pull shot - he is a compulsive puller - and the ball lands just short of Joe Burns at deep square leg.

Rocket emails: “I saw the “retrospective” ball tracking - I thought the original delivery was MUCH fuller than that “track” indicated. Would be good to be able to put them side by side and see if it was “fair dinkum”.

I only saw the tracking briefly so you might be right. However, it looked to be missing to the naked eye to me and any DRS would have to be greater than Umpire’s Call. I’m happy justice has prevailed.

Updated

76th over: West Indies 241-5 (Ramdin 56, Holder 49)

Lyon’s return bring an immediate false shot from Holder. Unperturbed he then unfurls a flowing cover drive for four, reaching the pitch of the ball with nimble footwork.

Review! Ramdin misses a sweep, prompting a ‘nearly at the new ball’ review but the suspicion is Lyon’s off-spinner struck the pad outside the line of off-stump, confirmed by DRS. “You’re on the telly now big fella,” chirrups Ian Gould to Marais Erasmus. Lovely.

75th over: West Indies 234-5 (Ramdin 55, Holder 43)

The afternoon all gearing towards the new ball now. Marsh doing his best to find a breakthrough but he could bowl all week in these conditions and not find a breakthrough.

74th over: West Indies 232-5 (Ramdin 53, Holder 43)

Smith brings himself on for a whirl and his third delivery is as village as you will ever see. A loopy waist high full toss that’s spanked away by Ramdin to bring up a very tidy half-century.

73rd over: West Indies 227-5 (Ramdin 48, Holder 43)

Holder sees runs in Marsh’s extra pace and he nearly comes a cropper, twice! First he top edges an attempted pull that lands in the vacant mid-on region, then he gloves a bouncer over the wicket-keeper and slip. Good effort from Marsh.

DRS update: the ball tracking has now been processed and the not-out call was correct. Shame really. The explosion of bile would have been the highlight of the day had it been proven out after the fact.

72nd over: West Indies 219-5 (Ramdin 48, Holder 35)

Brett Lee and Mark Taylor both describe the pitch as “beautiful”. It isn’t. A beautiful pitch would offer something to both bat and ball. This is flat and lifeless. There was no seam movement on day one and now late on day four there’s been no deterioration to exploit. The sooner cricket administrators realise a game’s quality isn’t just measured in weight of runs, the better.

Drinks.

71st over: West Indies 213-5 (Ramdin 46, Holder 30)

The match referee (Stuart Broad’s dad) has returned that failed review back to Australia because of the breakdown in the technology. Not that it should matter as Smith still has one up his sleeve and there’s only nine overs before that becomes two again.

Mitch Marsh the latest mug to bust his gut chucking a soft potato on a runway. No dice.

DRS Fail!

70th over: West Indies 210-5 (Ramdin 45, Holder 29)

All seven West Indian batsmen have made at least 19 this innings. The latest of them, Holder, digs out a Siddle yorker with surprising force to reach the midwicket fence. He tries to repeat the trick next ball and nearly hands his wicket away, inside edging a slog onto his thigh pad.

Review! Holder misses a half-volley on middle and leg stump. Australia review the decision and the process begins, narrated by TV umpire Ian Gould. However, when the ball tracking images are called for they don’t load! A long pause follows, before Gould is confident enough to deduce the delivery was missing leg stump without the need for CGI. Not a great look for Cricket Australia and the ICC.

Updated

69th over: West Indies 206-5 (Ramdin 45, Holder 25)

Pattinson giving his all but Holder and Ramdin now look well set in these conditions. Day five looming large unless the new ball can wreak some late havoc.

68th over: West Indies 198-5 (Ramdin 42, Holder 24)

Peter Siddle’s turn for a trundle and his pace is well down in the 120 kph range. Holder miscues a slog for three that had a few hearts in mouths but it was nowhere near any fielders.

67th over: West Indies 195-5 (Ramdin 41, Holder 22)

Pattinson recalled into the attack and it’s bodyline-lite to Holder but there’s not enough venom to unsettle the giant Barbadian. Over the wicket to Ramdin who respects a few straight balls and then punches a lovely back foot drive for three. This pair look pretty settle at the crease now.

Chris Morris emails in and not much of his message is fit to print. However, the tweet below summarises the gist.

66th over: West Indies 191-5 (Ramdin 38, Holder 21)

Entertaining over. Teasing start from Lyon with a couple of half-chances on offer from Holder before he’s unceremoniously thwacked over cow corner by Ramdin. That’s backed up by a well cut four and confirmation that Ramdin may have just played himself into form.

65rd over: West Indies 180-5 (Ramdin 30, Holder 18)

Already a sense that Australia are gearing up for the new ball, still 15 overs away. Hazlewood is trying manfully but with batsmen not looking to score he is easy enough to play from the crease in these conditions. Worth considering throwing the ball to Smith or Warner?

64th over: West Indies 174-5 (Ramdin 24, Holder 18)

Lyon continuing around the wicket to the right handed batsmen. Ramdin nurdles him away safely before Treebeard Holder swats an effortless six just to the off side of the sightscreen. Lovely batting. You get the feeling Holder could be something special in a different team.

63rd over: West Indies 166-5 (Ramdin 23, Holder 11)

Cue talk of Simon O’Donnell’s record MCG six, which was a barely believable 144m. That stroke is commemorated by a different coloured chair in the place where that particular maximum landed.

Hazlewood again opting for the fourth stump line with the occasional inducker. This time he’s clipped to fine-leg for four by Ramdin. A touch of reverse on offer, not much.

62nd over: West Indies 162-5 (Ramdin 19, Holder 11)

Jason Holder carts Nathan Lyon 95 metres into the sparsely populated MCG stands. That was a glorious sight. Holder is like one of those big trees in Lord of the Rings thwomping away Lyon’s floated offie. Some elegant defensive strokes precede a swept four. There’s a lot to like about Mr Holder.

Jason Holder smashes a huge six on day four of the Boxing Day Test.
Jason Holder smashes a huge six on day four of the Boxing Day Test. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAP

Updated

61st over: West Indies 152-5 (Ramdin 19, Holder 1)

Hazlewood ploughing a neat furrow outside off stump and then firing an inswinger into Jason Holder’s pads, not far off an LBW there.

This innings is a good example of why Australia’s selectors are so keen to have raw pace in their attack wherever possible. Nothing doing in the air or off the pitch so it’s reasonably simple to get in line and repel anything in the 125-135 kph range. Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc sandshoe crushers would be a different kettle of fish. Scott Boland for Sydney?

60th over: West Indies 151-5 (Ramdin 19, Holder 1)

“Catch it!” Yells Steve Smith as Ramdin sweeps powerfully straight into Joe Burns at short leg. Um, maybe not Smudger. Besides, it bounced before it reached the fielder.

Another maiden, this time from Lyon. Australia smothering West Indies.

59th over: West Indies 151-5 (Ramdin 19, Holder 1)

Control C, Control V. Maiden from Hazlewood.

58th over: West Indies 151-5 (Ramdin 19, Holder 1)

It’s hard to know what a batsman should do in these situations. Do they block for eternity? Do they play their ‘natural’ game? Blackwood opting to play his shots immediately after tea and he perishes.

Terrific skill and cojones from Lyon mind you. Offering identical near long-hops for Blackwood to hoist himself by his own petard. The second delivery bounced less than the first, beating the under edge and destined for the middle of middle.

WICKET! Blackwood LBW b Lyon 20 (West Indies 150-5)

Deary me Jermaine Blackwood. There’s a right way and a wrong way to bat for a draw and that is the dismissal of a man with a pre-booked tee time at Kingston Heath. Lyon suckers him into slapping a short ball to the midwicket fence and then offers a similar delivery next ball that Blackwood attempts to hoick to the same destination. Misses this time, hits the back leg, out.

Nathan Lyon celebrates the wicket of Jermaine Blackwood at the MCG.
Nathan Lyon celebrates the wicket of Jermaine Blackwood at the MCG. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAP

Updated

57th over: West Indies 146-4 (Blackwood 16, Ramdin 19)

Here we go again. 34 overs available for Australia to dismiss six West Indians or we’re back again tomorrow for an unlikely fifth day. Anybody disappointed they’ll miss out on their Die Hard marathon emergency filler on C9 can blame a combination of Kookaburra and the MCG groundstaff. The ball and the surface are not conducive to taking wickets.

Hazlewood with a maiden.

The darts has been dominated in recent decades by Phil The Power Taylor, one of Stoke-on-Trent’s most famous sons. The Potteries lost another today with the incomparable Lemmy hammering his last riff.

Surprisingly few cricketers have emerged from that part of the world. A consequence perhaps of Staffordshire only achieving Minor Counties status? Unless someone can tell me otherwise I’m going to go with Bob Taylor, the former wicketkeeper, as the highest profile player from the region.

Or how about a look ahead to the last 16 of the PDC World Championships later today featuring the blockbuster match-up of Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld.

Whet your appetite with this sparkling exhibition of sport from MvG three years ago. 17 perfect darts, an arena losing its mind and some delightful Blackpool-based commentary.

Ohhhhhh Michael van Gerwen!

To keep you going through the tea break, take a moment to celebrate the 54th anniversary of the birth of David Clarence Boon MBE. Is he Australia’s most beloved modern cricketer?

Credit to Jesse Hogan for circulating this clip on social media earlier.

Howdy. Bravo once again to Russell Jackson for steering the good ship OBO through the first two sessions of the day. The postprandial afternoon stint can’t have been easy after a slap up Committee Room buffet.

Me? I’ve had the lurgy so I’ve been on sachets of rehydration powder and microwaved Christmas pudding leftovers. Anyone who suggests the leftovers and the lurgy may be related can leave now. I will finish that pudding if it takes me until Australia Day.

I’m Jonathan Howcroft and I’ll be on deck for what may be the final session of the Test but the way the West Indies have dug in this innings it would surprise nobody to see them drag proceedings into a fifth day. The pitch is flat the ball isn’t doing much and the sun is shining. There won’t be many better opportunities to occupy the crease as a touring batsman in Australia.

While Australia winkle out the remaining West Indians feel free to tweet me @JPHowcroft or email me at jonathan.howcroft.freelance@guardian.co.uk.

Tea on day four - the Aussies are in charge

57th over: West Indies 146-4 (Blackwood 16, Ramdin 19)

Err, okay, that’s tea then. JP Howcroft will be on board shortly to join you and if I was a betting man, I’d say the lovely Lancastrian will be taking you through to the conclusion of this Test. It’s Australia’s to claim this afternoon.

56th over: West Indies 146-4 (Blackwood 16, Ramdin 19)

Tea is only seven minutes away now so Steve Smith decides it’s high time for a bit of his own leg-spin filth but it’s actually pretty tidy stuff by his standards and there’s even a stifled LBW shout against Blackwood. It ends up a maiden – a collector’s item for Smith.

55th over: West Indies 146-4 (Blackwood 16, Ramdin 19)

Denesh Ramdin is looking the goods today and turns a lovely boundary to leg when Marsh puts one on his hip. One minor injury update from the Aussie ranks: Peter Siddle was off the ground earlier for some treatment on his ankle but he’s back in the field now and looking good to go again.

54th over: West Indies 140-4 (Blackwood 16, Ramdin 13)

Ramdin is rocking now and takes advantage of some rare trash from Lyon, looting a few boundaries out to deep square leg and cow. There’s about a quarter of a chance for Burns to dive to his right and snaffle a close-in catch from the final delivery but it was a good metre to his right.

More Russell Crowe material to keep us occupied. This one’s a bit Dell Boy Trotter.

53rd over: West Indies 130-4 (Blackwood 15, Ramdin 4)

Ramdin gets going with a boundary but the local broadcaster shows his batting chart and it makes for some sorry reading in the past year and a bit; like a once thriving capital city levelled by a hurricane. He’s up against it here too because Marsh – almost always hovering around the 130-135kmph mark in the last 12 months – has suddenly found another 10 clicks up his sleeve. The over finishes with a sharp return catch chance for Marsh after he’s sent down a full bunger but it merely clips the fingers of his outstretched right hand.

52nd over: West Indies 126-4 (Blackwood 15, Ramdin 0)

Now Blackwood is on the attack, driving past mid-off and then sweeping Lyon to pick up a pair of boundaries to move into double figures.

51st over: West Indies 118-4 (Blackwood 7, Ramdin 0)

This presents a bit of an opportunity for Marsh because Ramdin has not looked a Test six in this innings; kind of ironic given the bowler he’s facing first up. Marsh almost cleans him up second ball as the Windies keeper plays a foot inside the line and nervously peers back to see that the ball has carried through above the bails. Marsh finishes the over by darting one out and past the outside edge. Good stuff. He’s making something happen here.

WICKET! Samuels c Nevill b Marsh 19 (West Indies 118-4)

Gargh, just as Samuels was beginning to find some fluency – or perhaps because of it – he follows a wonderful late cut the boundary off Marsh with a lazy shuffle and prod to feather an edge behind to Nevill. That was a real ‘nothing shot’, as they say. He just shoved the bat out there and he’s on his way for 19 from 49 deliveries.

50th over: West Indies 114-3 (Samuels 15, Blackwood 7)

Samuels is allowing himself a little bit of flair now, taking a few steps down the track to Lyon and indulging in a curling backlift to send two out through cover and a ball later he belts Lyon down the ground for a lofted boundary.

Geez, poor Russell Crowe. This is awful stuff.

49th over: West Indies 107-3 (Samuels 8, Blackwood 7)

Mitch Marsh is back for another go, this time from the Member’s end. He overpitches slightly to Blackwood and the Jamaican plays the kind of on-drive that wouldn’t be out of place in a coaching manual to pick up three. Wanna feel old? Blackwood was born in November 1991, meaning he wasn’t even alive to see this:

Patrick Patterson’s bouncers.

48th over: West Indies 101-3 (Samuels 5, Blackwood 4)

In this over the West Indies’ 100 comes up from 286 deliveries of pure grind. That comes when Samuels cracks one through point to pick up two. Settle down Marlon. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

47th over: West Indies 99-3 (Samuels 3, Blackwood 4)

There’s a single to Samuels in this Pattinson over and credit where it’s due, he’s possibly been stung by all the criticism of the past few weeks and is certainly applying himself today.

46th over: West Indies 98-3 (Samuels 2, Blackwood 4)

Lyon steps up with another maiden. No real surprises there.

Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith wear their sunglasses inside.
Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith wear their sunglasses inside. Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

45th over: West Indies 98-3 (Samuels 2, Blackwood 4)

Pattinson’s a little fed up with the lifelessness of this pitch so attempts to ‘chin’ Marlon Samuels with an exaggerated bouncer than merely balloons over the batsman’s head. Better is a searching yorker with the final delivery, which raps Samuels at the base of the front pad and sparks a huge appeal. Dunno why, it was sailing a good foot or so down the leg side.

44th over: West Indies 98-3 (Samuels 2, Blackwood 4)

Lyon’s got a slip, a short leg and a long-on but it’s a regulation field otherwise, probably under the assumption that Samuels will find a way to do something silly no matter where you put ‘em. He’s off strike with a single and Blackwood sees us through the rest. Has Phil Simmons told them that lasting until the fifth day is their KPI for this game? Fair enough if so. It’s not exciting but it’s at least admirable.

43rd over: West Indies 97-3 (Samuels 1, Blackwood 4)

Blackwood takes his turn at guarding the wicket and sees off a Pattinson maiden without ever really imposing himself on proceedings. Here you go, no matter how one-sided the contest Australians will still watch cricket on TV.

42nd over: West Indies 97-3 (Samuels 1, Blackwood 4)

Nathan Lyon’s on to replace the ineffectual Marsh and starts with a maiden to the suddenly patient and obdurate Samuels. I wonder how long this discipline will last.

I assume this is legit:

41st over: West Indies 97-3 (Samuels 1, Blackwood 4)

It’s hard to tell who was sleeping worse on the single that gets Marlon Samuels off the mark, the scorer or the no-striker Blackwood, who might have been run out by a more lithe fieldsman than Nathan Lyon. Blackwood’s much more convincing when he’s just facing up and angles two out to deep square leg to open his account.

In other news, West Indies team management has now wisely rescinded its decision to bar their only member of the touring press from interviewing players.

40th over: West Indies 92-3 (Samuels 0, Blackwood 0)

Marlon Samuels is taking a while to get going today (surprise, surprise) and there’s a hairy moment when he fends Marsh a little uppishly past the outstretched hand of Burns at short leg but soon he’s off strike but not off the mark with a leg bye.

Mitchell Marsh is yet to break through for a wicket in the West Indies’ second innings.
Mitchell Marsh is yet to break through for a wicket in the West Indies’ second innings. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

39th over: West Indies 91-3 (Samuels 0, Blackwood 0)

Jermaine Blackwood is the new man at the crease for the Windies. He’s got the final ball of James Pattinson’s over to negotiate and he manages it.

WICKET! Chandrika lbw Pattinson 37 (West Indies 91-3)

Another bowling change with Patto’s Pumping Pistons returning at the Member’s end and after Chandrika strokes him to fine leg for four he’s trapped in front and umpire Llong’s finger goes straight up. There’s a review but replays indicate it was clipping the top of leg stumps to the umpire’s call stands.

38th over: West Indies 87-2 (Chandrika 33, Samuels 0)

Mitch Marsh is back to replace Siddle at the Southern Stand end of the ground and he keeps on a stump-to-stump line until the final delivery, which offers Chandrika some width so he presses forward and strokes an attractive drive for three to deep extra cover.

37th over: West Indies 84-2 (Chandrika 30, Samuels 0)

Hazlewood’s waddling his way towards momentum and then reaching a full head of steam before delivering to Chandrika, whose milestone of passing 25 I’m said to say I missed as I was shoving chocolate tarts into my mouth. Samuels is still to get off the mark.

“Re. Warner’s crap ‘gun’ fielding,” says Robert Wilson, “you couldn’t be more wrong. It’s the same as his ludicrous dibbly-dobbler bouncers when he gets a bowl. They take five minutes to arrive. Pigeons land on them while airborne. Yet when they slap into the visibly aged keeper’s gloves, Warner immediately gives the sleeping batsman absolutely ****loads of glare and gab. You’d have to be a total git not to appreciate the blinding beauty of such pure and naked attitude. Makes me want to whisper love poems in his little ear.”

36th over: West Indies 83-2 (Chandrika 29, Samuels 0)

Okay folks I’m back in the live-blogging position and positively bursting at the seams thanks to a buffet lunch down in the MCC committee room. What is the price of my journalistic integrity? Platters of prawns, smoked salmon and prime cut steaks, basically. I’m in a food coma and don’t even mind that I got a ticking off from the CEO for my tan brogues. Siddle’s bowled a maiden here, if that matters. I bet his lunch was a little healthier than mine.

35th over: West Indies 83-2 (Chandrika 29, Samuels 0)

Chandrika is next to show a bit of uncertainty outside off stump as a Hazlewood delivery fizzes through. It’s almost a carbon copy of Bravo’s dismissal, the only difference – a key one – being Chandrika doesn’t get an edge.

And Russell’s back! I’ll hand the reins to him and leave him to fill you in on his lunch. Enjoy the rest of the day.

Updated

34th over: West Indies 83-2 (Chandrika 29, Samuels 0)

Siddle completes a wicket maiden and that could well prove to be a key wicket for Australia. And that without any kind of pace or movement – Bravo will be disappointed with his little waft at that delivery. Samuels is the new batsman.

WICKET! Bravo c Nevill b Siddle 21 (West Indies 83-2)

Siddle, who hasn’t been bowling fast by any stretch of the imagination, claims the scalp of Bravo, who edges to Nevill behind the stumps and Australia have their man!

33rd over: West Indies 83-1 (Chandrika 29, Bravo 21)

Bravo opens up and has a crack at hitting Hazlewood through the covers but the connection between willow and leather isn’t as sweet as he would want, and he has to settle for three runs. Otherwise, nothing much to report, other than this must be one epic dessert.

Updated

32nd over: West Indies 80-1 (Chandrika 29, Bravo 18)

Chandrika edges a Siddle delivery past first slip and the ball runs away to the boundary. He now has his highest Test score, and it’s not long before he adds to it, ending the over on 29.

31st over: West Indies 74-1 (Chandrika 23, Bravo 18)

Bravo, who doesn’t appear to have brought his “running game” today, ambles off for just two on a stab past point, before he plays neatly off his legs for another two.

Meanwhile, there is sad news is coming out of the UK, where Lemmy, the lead singer from ace band Motörhead, has died, aged 70. The band has requested that fans “play Lemmy’s music LOUD. Have a drink or few. Share stories. Celebrate the LIFE this lovely, wonderful man celebrated so vibrantly himself”.

So come on then. Turn it up.

30th over: West Indies 69-1 (Chandrika 22, Bravo 14)

The players are back out in the Melbourne sunshine, so to the cricket! Chandrika moves onto 22 with three flicks off his legs, the second one a bit uppish but safe, off Siddle’s bowling. Meanwhile, we have news from Russell. He’s “into dessert” and should be with us shortly.

Updated

Russ said a bite to eat, but he was being as economical with the truth as Nathan Lyon has been with the ball this morning. There are “bites to eat” and then there are swanky media lunches in the MCC committee room at the MCG. Russell, I can confirm, has been enjoying the latter. In fact, he continues to do so, hence I’ve been called to fill in for a couple of overs. I can only hope the banquet is worth it. Presumably we’ll find out soon enough.

Surely this ground has been covered on these pages before, but assuming the majority of us won’t be able to compete with Russell’s lobster and caviar four-coursers on a regular basis, what makes it into your esky for a day at the cricket? Email mike.hytner@theguardian.com or tweet me @mike_hytner. For me, it isn’t a true cricket lunch without a packet of cold cocktail sausages.

Updated

Lunch on day four - West Indies are 64-1

29th over: West Indies 64-1 (Chandrika 17, Bravo 14)

Hazlewood is a very frustrated young man in the wake of that non-wicket but he can only really blame himself and possibly shouldn’t be shaping to throw the ball back at Bravo when he defends later in the over. That’s all she wrote for the first session and if you don’t mind, I’m off to grab a bite to eat.

Another wicket off a no ball!

This time it’s Hazlewood! And what a superb catch it would have been by Nevill diving to his left to remove Bravo, who’d driven lavishly and sent a thick edge careening away at head height towards the cordon. But Bravo is called back because The Haze has narrowly overstepped. Oh dear.

28th over: West Indies 61-1 (Chandrika 17, Bravo 12)

Okay, it’s five minutes to lunch now and James Pattinson’s still bounding in hunting for a wicket. There’s a single to each batsman and I’m really beginning to entertain the horrifying prospect that this thing might go to another day. Say it ain’t so.

27th over: West Indies 59-1 (Chandrika 16, Bravo 11)

This game’s just sort of meandering towards lunch now but Chandrika’s determination to stay out there at least represents a battle of personal will. There’s another single here and Bravo cross-bats through mid-wicket for two to move into double figures.

West Indies’ Rajendra Chandrika isn’t the prettiest batsman but he’s showing plenty of steel on day four at the MCG.
West Indies’ Rajendra Chandrika isn’t the prettiest batsman but he’s showing plenty of steel on day four at the MCG. Photograph: Andy Brownbill/AP

26th over: West Indies 56-1 (Chandrika 15, Bravo 9)

The Aussies briefly believe that Pattinson has trapped Chandrika in front but they take too long deciding whether or not to review, a good thing in the end because it pitched well outside the line of off-stump. Chandrika clips a single to leg to finish the over.

25th over: West Indies 54-1 (Chandrika 14, Bravo 8)

Question for you: is David Warner the worst ‘gun’ fieldsman of all time? He hustles, he throws himself around and he looks like he’s good, but that arm is pure and unrefined custard, which becomes evident when he tries to slow down the stumps from close range in this over. Could it be that he just doesn’t yet realise that he’s a left-hander?

Updated

24th over: West Indies 52-1 (Chandrika 13, Bravo 7)

Nathan Lyon’s given a rest after his first spell reaped 1-10 from 8 overs but he’s given a rest so that James Pattinson can have a go from the Southern Stand end before lunch. The bowler briefly believes that Bravo has tickled one down the leg side to Nevill but there’s no DRS review, so he can’t have been that confident.

23rd over: West Indies 52-1 (Chandrika 13, Bravo 7)

Josh Hazlewood’s back for another blast at Chandrika and he starts with a maiden of real quality; the ball is really slapping into Nevill’s gloves behind the wicket but still there’s no breakthrough for the right-armer.

22nd over: West Indies 52-1 (Chandrika 13, Bravo 7)

As Nathan Lyon bowls the most unassuming over you could imagine to Dwayne Bravo, I’ve just read the news that Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister has gone to the great bandroom in the sky, so let’s wake ourselves up a little with his rendition of ‘Ace of Spades’ from The Young Ones.

Motorhead - Ace of Spades

21st over: West Indies 50-1 (Chandrika 13, Bravo 5)

Reader Simon McMahon has just twigged. “Morning Russell. Whither West Indian cricket? The land of Sobers, Lloyd, Holding, Richards, Greenidge, Haynes, Marshall, Walsh, Ambrose, Lara. In a sentence or two if you can, please.” I don’t even need a sentence or two, Simon, just look at this and try not to shake your head.

Chandika’s been stuck on 11 for a while but he picks up two with a fairly unconvincing drive down the ground off Marsh, who blots his copybook with a front-foot no ball next up. They should give Chandrika a free hit to spice things up. The Windies’ 50 is up off 126 deliveries.

20th over: West Indies 47-1 (Chandrika 11, Bravo 5)

Paul Tooby is pulling me up on my misleading crowd stats. “Notwithstanding the Australian obsession with attendance (Sport is what you PLAY.) it’s really not indicative of anything to describe the empty top tier of the MCG, a 100,000-seater stadium,” he says. “Is there an actual attendance figure yet? I dare say it would make Lord’s look pretty full, and I’m certain it would dwarf the attendance at any Shield game. Like I said though, it doesn’t even matter.”

Oh look, I’d say there’s sub-2000 in the whole ground right now but I can hardly blame them. I probably wouldn’t come and pay full price for this either. All the noise about the final day crowd in Brisbane was nonsense too; on a work day in November you can’t expect people to turn up for the last day of a rout.

19th over: West Indies 47-1 (Chandrika 11, Bravo 5)

Phil ‘Ray Romano’ Withall has arrived with his first email missive of the day, which is always a highlight for me. “I think that there could be a chance of an upset in this Test,” he says. “My reasoning is based on nothing other than the fact that my wife, for the first time in 11 years, remembered our wedding anniversary. It is obvious that some strange voodoo is in the air.”

Say no more, Phil. Marsh’s over costs just a single to Bravo.

18th over: West Indies 46-1 (Chandrika 11, Bravo 4)

Chandrika’s in no great hurry and again plays out a maiden against Lyon, who can do no wrong at the moment. Chandrika is 11 off 55 deliveries.

Updated

17th over: West Indies 46-1 (Chandrika 11, Bravo 4)

Here’s a huge shocker for you folks: Darren Bravo hasn’t made a single run from his first dozen deliveries and it’s made him something of a target for Marsh, who cranks the speedo up to 143km/h and digs a bouncer into his ribs. Bravo finally gets off the mark by cracking a lovely cover drive out to the rope.

Updated

16th over: West Indies 42-1 (Chandrika 9, Bravo 0)

Chandrika returns after drinks with two from the bowling of Lyon to move to 11, 14 runs from his inevitable demise.

15th over: West Indies 40-1 (Chandrika 9, Bravo 0)

If this live blog is boring you to death, you could always check out my alternative sports awards for 2015, which are right about here. Or not. It’s your life. Meanwhile, Chandrika can’t get a duck so by Lemon Logic he’s a dead certainty to end up dismissed for 25.

14th over: West Indies 40-1 (Chandrika 9, Bravo 0)

I feel a little robbed by Brathwaite’s dismissal, I’ll be honest. Chandrika dourly defends another maiden and concedes to Lyon. I think we’re about to see a whole lot more of that.

13th over: West Indies 40-1 (Chandrika 9, Bravo 0)

Smith continues to ring the changes and replaces Siddle with Mitch Marsh at the Member’s end. Chandrika stretches his legs for two after leaning into a crisp cover drive when the bowler gives him some width. There’s nearly a mix-up when Chandrika belts another down the ground and scurries through for three but the throw from the deep was wide so Bravo made his ground at the keeper’s end.

12th over: West Indies 35-1 (Chandrika 4, Bravo 0)

After his minor epic of the first innings, steady-as-she-goes Darren Bravo marks his guard and calmly negotiating the last three deliveries of the Lyon over.

WICKET! Brathwaite c Smith b Lyon 31 (West Indies 35-1)

Another innings, another instance of Nathan Lyon making the breakthrough. Kraigg Brathwaite has drowned in honey here, skipping down the track first ball of the over to slam a lofted boundary but a ball later, misjudging the bounce outside off stump and in the process of cutting, fencing an edge through to Smith at slip. That’s a shame. He’d started that knock in breezy fashion but now he’s back in the sheds.

11th over: West Indies 31-0 (Brathwaite 27, Chandrika 4)

Brathwaite’s again proving himself a nuisance to the Australians, sweating on some width from Siddle and when it comes, quickly depositing him out to the boundary at deep extra cover and there’s also a three. “That’s a pretty classy declaration from Smith there,” says Robert Wilson. “30 runs away from a ton at the Eat All You Can Buffet that is the Windies attack. It’s not always easy to give credit for the things that people have not done but the cap must be doffed here. Smith has shown respect for this match, for the crowd and even for the old notion of reasonably credible batting averages.”

10th over: West Indies 24-0 (Brathwaite 20, Chandrika 4)

Lyon’s getting plenty of loop and a little bit of drift as he operates to Chandrika but the batsman is happy to defend as his first instinct and wait for the occasional bad ball, though Lyon hasn’t bowled many of them in this match. It’s a maiden.

9th over: West Indies 24-0 (Brathwaite 20, Chandrika 4)

Siddle does indeed appear from the Member’s end and with Brathwaite on strike he’s got two slips, two men at gully and two very close at short mid-wicket for anything flicked off the pads, so stump-to-stump is probably the plan. Three balls in he’s actually a bit too straight and Brathwaite turns it past those two men at mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

There’s another two clipped through cover and we’re very quickly seeing how the Australians found it so easy to pile on runs late in the day yesterday; this is still an excellent track for batting.

Josh Hazlewood had no luck early on day four at the MCG.
Josh Hazlewood had no luck early on day four at the MCG. Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

8th over: West Indies 20-0 (Brathwaite 16, Chandrika 4)

I didn’t think Pattinson was doing too badly but Steve Smith’s seen enough for now so bring Nathan Lyon of for some spin at the Southern Stand end. Chandrika edges him for two past slip and defends stoutly thereafter as the spinner finds his range.

7th over: West Indies 18-0 (Brathwaite 16, Chandrika 2)

Hazlewood’s getting it up around rib height now as he wheels away to Chandrika but there’s still not much doing so you couldn’t rule out Peter Siddle’s appearance next over at the Member’s end.

6th over: West Indies 15-0 (Brathwaite 14, Chandrika 1)

He’s taken a stack of wickets in his last few outings but a weakness of James Pattinson’s efforts in this series has been his first spells, which have often been scattergun and gone for plenty of runs. This over he’s maintaining an impecable line outside Brathwaite’s off stump and it’s not until the final delivery that the batsman finds two through mid-off.

5th over: West Indies 13-0 (Brathwaite 12, Chandrika 1)

Hazlewood is zeroing in on Brathwaite’s front pad now and Steve Smith seriously considers a DRS review when the batsman crumples forward to be struck in front, but it was perhaps sailing a little high. Brathwaite celebrates by driving handsomely for three.

4th over: West Indies 10-0 (Brathwaite 9, Chandrika 1)

Pattinson’s bustling in with plenty of energy but there’s something a bit sad about the surroundings with the stands empty. The bowler makes his own fun, sending a bouncer whistling past Chandrika’s ear as he weaves out of the way.

3rd over: West Indies 9-0 (Brathwaite 8, Chandrika 1)

Hazlewood has three slips, a gully and Khawaja at shortish mid-wicket but there’s not a lot of assistance on offer from the surface for him either. Do you rest him in Sydney? He looks like he needs it to be honest.

2nd over: West Indies 8-0 (Brathwaite 7, Chandrika 1)

Geez, there’s not much life in the pitch when James Pattinson bangs the first ball of his spell down just short of a length and perhaps confident he’s not going to cop one in the ribs, Brathwaite goes on the attack with a pair of twos, the second of which comes from a very tailendery hack through mid-on. He’s certainly not going to be bogged down, Brathwaite.

1st over: West Indies 3-0 (Brathwaite 2, Chandrika 1)

Okay, we’re under way now and I must tell you, this atmosphere brings to mind nothing more auspicious than your average Sheffield Shield fixture. There’s 33 people in the top tier of the Southern Stand. That I could count them in between Josh Hazlewood’s first two deliveries of the day tells you a bit. The first is clipped down to fine leg for a single to Kraigg Brathwaite and Chandrika fends the next towards point, after which he too gets off the mark to cover.

Australia has officially declared

The Windies might not know it, but the scoreboard attendants do. Smith’s sacrificed individual milestones for, well, hopefully a day off to play golf.

A bit more about that potential declaration

If it’s happened, nobody has told the West Indies yet.

Preamble

Hello OBOers and welcome to day four of the Boxing Day Test, which we probably didn’t expect to stretch to four days when the West Indies slumped to 91-6 in response to Australia’s first innings of 551-3 declared, but that’s Test cricket for you.

Australia leads by 459 now and speculation was strong overnight that Steve Smith – undefeated on 70 from as many deliveries and looking a good thing for twin centuries – might declare and ask his bowlers to snuff this out by the afternoon. By the looks of Australia’s warm-ups out in the middle, which are focused on bowling activities, I’d say Smith has probably made his call.

You can contact me on the details above for all your comments, quips and observations throughout the morning. If required, JP Howcroft will drop by in the afternoon to bring this thing home.

Russ will be here shortly but in the meantime, check out all of the developments from yesterday in the day three match report. Meanwhile, Ali Martin has all the latest on South Africa’s struggles against England at Kingsmead and there’s always Russ’s feature on the stories behind Australia’s baggy greens and its accompanying interactive, in which you can flip a series of cards to reveal the stories behind each cap.

Updated

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