Adelaide Test: West Indies’ sting in the tail reveals Aussies' last-wicket struggles

It’s official: Australia are finding it harder to finish off an innings than any other nation.

On a milestone day for Australia in Adelaide, Josh Hazlewood bagged 4-44 to have the West Indies all out for 188 to open the Frank Worrell Trophy series.

In doing so, Hazlewood became the 11th member of Australia’s 250-wicket club, joining teammates Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in the rarefied air.

Together the Australian attack are the first quartet in Test history to play together with 250 wickets each to their name.

Cummins also claimed 4-41 on Wednesday, taking his returns for the summer to 23 wickets at 11.69.

The most relentless attack in world cricket, Australia’s rise to the top of the rankings has come off the back of the quartet’s miserly returns and built-up pressure.

It was the case again in Adelaide, as economical bowling regularly led to dismissals as a wasteful West Indies middle order threw away their wickets in a collapse of 5-45.

But it was also the same old story when it came to the tail.

The West Indies would have been all out for less than 140 if not for Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach putting on 55 for the final wicket.

It was the third 10th-wicket stand of 50 or more in the past year against Australia.

In that time, only two other half-century stands have been put on for the final wicket against other nations.

And the average of 19.4 runs Australia have leaked for the last wicket is the highest of any Test team in the past 12 months.

While the Windies’ runs are unlikely to prove crucial in this Test, Australia’s late-innings troubles have been costly in the past.

Ben Stokes and Ollie Robinson’s 38 for the last English wicket at Headingley helped change the third Test in last year’s Ashes, as Australia were denied an outright series win.

Australia didn’t rely so much on the short ball on Wednesday, but analysis from broadcasters Seven showed only one of the 83 balls they bowled during the last partnership would have hit the stumps.

The hosts were unlucky at times, with a return catch narrowly evading Mitchell Starc’s grasp, and a Joseph bottom edge just missing the stumps.

However, it remains an issue Australia would no doubt like sorted given the importance of late-order runs in closer Test matches.

LAST-WICKET STANDS VS AUSTRALIA IN PAST 12 MONTHS

86 - Aamir Jamal and Mir Hamza (Pak) at SCG

66 - Jimmy Anderson and Jonny Bairstow (Eng) at Old Trafford

55 - Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach (WI) at Adelaide Oval

38 - Ollie Robinson and Ben Stokes (Eng) at Headingley

25 - James Anderson and Josh Tongue (Eng) at Lord’s