THE West Indies Under-19s defeated Australia by four wickets yesterday in the only three-day Test between the teams.
Australia, trailing by 22 runs, resumed at 0-54 in the morning session before posting 228 all out for their second innings at the ICC Global Cricket Academy in Dubai. The West Indies, needing 153 to win, made the run chase more difficult than it might have been, losing six wickets with no batsman making so much as a half-century.
But they got there eventually, recording a youth Test victory to go alongside a 2-1 win in the three-match one-day series.
Needing early wickets to disrupt the West Indies’ chase, Australia might have fancied their chances after legbreak bowler Ashton Agar dismissed John Campbell for just 16.
But Caribbean captain Kraigg Brathwaite – unbeaten on 168 in the first innings – again proved tough to shift.
The surviving opener chalked up 46 off 62 balls – the top score for his side in their second knock- before he too succumbed to Agar.
Akeem Saunders was the next best with 42.
When he departed as the third of Agar’s four victims in the innings, he left the West Indies 3-105 and needing just 48 for victory.
They made it look difficult after ducks to Anthony Alleyne and Justin Greaves, together with Kavem Hodge’s below-par four.
But Kyle Mayers and Derone Davis finished unbeaten on 24 and 16 respectively to drag the West Indies across the line.
Agar was Australia’s leading wicket-taker, finishing with figures of 4-59 from 16 overs.
Corey McMahon claimed one wicket with the other a run-out.
Earlier, openers Meyrick Buchanan and Sam Truloff navigated the initial overs on Tuesday without incident.
But when the first wicket did fall – that of Buchanan, caught by Alleyne from the bowling of Ronsford Beaton for 40 – it sparked a collapse that proved fatal to Australia’s chances.
Truloff (38) was the next to go, clean-bowled by Beaton (2-44).
James Peirson followed for a duck and captain Sebastian Gotch made just five, to see Australia slump from 0-73 to 4-103.
Nick Stevens and Cameron Bancroft made a valiant attempt to steady the ship.
The pair put on Australia’s biggest partnership, 84 runs for the fifth wicket.
But when Stevens fell for 50 and Bancroft departed after reaching 56, Australia’s chances went with them.
A battling 20 from Kurtis Patterson could only prolong the inevitable and he received little in the way of assistance from the tail – the last four men added just 12 runs between them.
Trinidad’s Davis was again the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-44 from 16 overs.
Beaton, Khan and Hodge all claimed two apiece. (CA)

AUSTRALIA U-19 1st innings 350
WEST INDIES U-19s 1st innings 426-8 decl.
AUSTRALIA U-19s 2nd innings (o/n 54 for two)
M. Buchanan c Alleyne b Beaton    40
S. Truloff b Beaton    38
N. Stevens c wkp. Katwaroo b Davis    50
J. Peirson stp. Katwaroo b Khan    0
S. Gotch c Campbell b Khan    5
C. Bancroft b Davis    56 
K. Patterson stp. Katwaroo b Hodge    20
M. Simonds run-out    4
C. McMahon lbw b Davis    3
J. Judd b Hodge    4
T. Scott not out    1
Extras: (b-1, lb-6)    7     
Total: (all out, 64.2 overs)    228
Fall of wickets: 1-73, 2-92, 3-93, 4-103, 5-187, 6-202, 7-215, 8-221, 9-225.
Bowling: Greaves 3-1-5-0, Beaton 11-2-44-2, Davis 16-2-44-3, Khan 19-0-63-2, Nelson 8-0-33-0, Hodge 7.2-0-32-2.
WEST INDIES U-19s 2nd innings (target: 153 runs)
K. Brathwaite c Stevens b Agar    46
J. Campbell b Agar    16
A. Saunders c wkp. Peirson b Agar    42 
A. Alleyne run-out    0
K. Hodge c Agar b McMahon    4
K. Mayers not out    24 
J. Greaves c Bancroft b Agar    0
D. Davis not out    16
Extras: (b-4, lb-1)    5     
Total: (6 wkts, 33 overs)    153
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-105, 3-105, 4-109, 5-113, 6-127.
Bowling: McMahon 9-1-41-1, Agar 16-6-59-4, Scott 2-0-16-0, Simonds 3-0-13-0, Buchanan 3-1-19-0.