Australia's Cummins bags 200th Test wicket as West Indies crumble

Australia took a grip on the first Test in Perth on Friday with Pat Cummins bagging his 200th wicket as they bowled out a resolute West Indies then piled on more runs to stretch their lead to a commanding 344.

Scorecard

The visitors were dismissed for 283 in the final session on day three after the hosts declared their first innings at 598-4 on the back of double centuries from Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.

David Warner, on 17, and Labuschagne, on three, then hammered home Australia's advantage after they opted against the follow on to bat again, with Usman Khawaja the only casualty, out for five as they reached 29-1.

"You always bowl better when you're slightly fresher, there's really not too many instances where the follow on is realistic," said skipper Cummins in explaining the decision to bat again.

"I felt like all the guys stuck to it really well today. Even the first session, we didn't really get rewards but I felt we were in it. Happy everyone stuck at it," he added.

The West Indies, who have not won a Test on Australian soil in 25 years, started on 74-0 and made it to lunch with the loss of just debutant Tagenarine Chanderpaul for 51 and with Nkrumah Bonner retiring hurt after a blow to the head from a Cameron Green delivery.

But Cummins bowled fellow skipper and dangerman Kraigg Brathwaite for 64 soon after the break - his 200th Test wicket - and the momentum swung back in Australia's favour.

Three wickets fell in the second session before Mitchell Starc took the new ball and proved almost unplayable, removing Kyle Mayers and Joshua Da Silva in four deliveries.

Green was thrown into the cauldron for his second spell and accounted for the stubborn Shamarh Brooks, Bonner's concussion substitute, as they lost 6-38.

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