Can things get any worse for the West Indies?

IN the space of two and a half days in Hobart, the West Indies confirmed every bit of bad press they’ve received in recent weeks.

Australia won the first Test of the 2015-16 Frank Worrell Trophy by an innings and 212 runs – the greatest winning margin between these two teams since their very first series back in 1930-31.

The visitors showed a hint of promise early on day one at Bellerive Oval, when wickets from Shannon Gabriel and spinner Jomel Warrican left the hosts three down before lunch.

But that’s where the party ended for the Caribbean nations.

Adam Voges (269*) and Shaun Marsh (182) ground a lifeless West Indian attack into the dirt from then on, putting on 449 at five runs per over in a record-breaking partnership for the fourth wicket.

Chasing 583 and missing Gabriel, who was unable to bat due to injury, Jason Holder’s men fell 360 runs short as Josh Hazlewood (4/45) and Nathan Lyon (3/43) put in arguably their best shifts of the summer.

It would have been worse but for a superb batting performance from Darren Bravo, who scored 108 of the Windies’ 223 runs.

But even he couldn’t save the day after Steven Smith enforced the follow on.

The West Indies collapsed for only 148 in their second dig, with Australian quick James Pattinson snaring a career-best five for 27 on his long-awaited return to Test cricket.

The bad news didn’t end there for WI captain Jason Holder, who was fined 60 per cent of his match fee due to slow over rates.

The Windies’ woes were compounded further still on Sunday, with the ICC confirming allrounder Marlon Samuels would be banned from bowling for 12 months because of an illegal action.

“As this report constitutes the player’s second suspension within a two-year period, he is now automatically suspended from bowling in international cricket for a 12-month period,” read the official statement.

“Samuels is entitled to appeal any procedural aspect of the Independent Assessment that has led to this automatic suspension.

“However, only after the expiry of this one-year period will he be entitled to approach the ICC for a re-assessment of his bowling action.”

First Test betting results

Adam Voges and anyone who backed him were the big winners from the Hobart Test.

The West Australian veteran made it two hundreds in three innings against the West Indies, top scoring with a superb 269 not out en route to the man of the match award.

He now holds a rather handy batting average of 436.0 in Test matches against WI.

Those who got behind our man Josh Hazlewood will also be smiling, as the lanky New South Welshman followed up his excellent showing in Adelaide with a team-high haul of four wickets in the first innings.

There wasn’t much competition for top bowler in the Windies camp, with left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican bagging three of their four wickets (at a cost of 158 runs, we might add).

As the only man to pass 40 in the first dig, Darren Bravo was easily the pick of the visiting batsmen.

Match result
Australia – $1.11

To win the toss
Australia – $1.90
Double chance
Australia or draw – $1
Australia or West Indies – $1.04

Draw no bet
Australia – $1.01

Highest opening partnership (first innings)
Australia – $1.22

Top team batsmen (first innings)
Adam Voges (AUS) – $7
Darren Bravo (WI) – $3.75

Top team bowlers (first innings)
Josh Hazlewood (AUS) – $3.25
Jomel Warrican (WI) – $5

Man of the match
Adam Voges – $12

Australia vs. West Indies series markets

Given they were paying about $1.02 at best before the series started, it’s no surprise Australia are now virtually unbackable in the 2015-16 Frank Worrell Trophy outright betting.

Some leading online bookmakers have as good as suspended bets on the Aussies by bringing them in to $1 even.

There is plenty of value on offer for those tipping a drawn series ($41 at CrownBet.com), but even that would be an absolute miracle after what we witnessed at Blundstone Arena.

Here are the most popular Australia vs. West Indies futures bets at our top-ranked cricket bookmakers online.

Series result
Australia – $1
West Indies – $151
Draw – $41

Odds by www.CrownBet.com

Correct series score
3-0 Australia – $1.20
2-0 Australia – $4.33
2-1 Australia – $13
1-0 Australia – $41
1-1 Draw – $51
2-1 West Indies – $101

Odds by www.Bet365.com

Top Australian series run-scorer
Adam Voges – $1.30
Shaun Marsh – $3.50
David Warner – $15
Steven Smith – $26
Joe Burns – $34

Odds by www.Sportsbet.com

Top West Indies run-scorer
Darren Bravo – $1.80
Kraigg Braithwaite – $2.50
Marlon Samuels – $13
Denesh Ramdin – $34
Rajendra Chandrika – $41
Jason Holder – $41
Shai Hope – $41
Jermaine Blackwood – $51

Odds by Sportsbet.com

2015-16 Frank Worrell Trophy results and fixtures

First Test – December 10-12, 2015 at Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Australian won by an innings and 212 runs

Second Test – December 26-30, 2015 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Australia $1.06 – Draw $13 – West Indies $21 (WilliamHill.com)

Third Test – January 3-7, 2016 at the Sydney Cricket Ground