Two Contrasting Test matches ended in victories for the current big two, Australia and South Africa, but the stars were a veteran fast bowler and a debut captain.
At Centurion, the West Indies were thoroughly outplayed in all departments. Their only success was winning the toss, but that merely formed the prelude to a big innings for the home side. Ramdin's men enjoyed some moments when three successive wicket-maidens must have lifted their spirits. Enter AB de Villiers, he and the magnificent Hasham Amla produced a triple-century partnership and that was that.
When AB fell for 152, debutant Stiaan van Zyl came to the crease and contributed a brisk unbeaten hundred of his own. Brathwaite and Smith made a solid start but then the wickets began to tumble at regular intervals. Vernon Philander pitched in with four wickets and no batsman reached 40 as the visitors were bowled out for 201.
Following on, West Indies fared little better and once Leon Johnson was caught behind, that great warrior Dale Steyn produced one of those spells which few can cope with. He claimed 6-34 and the Proteas cruised to an innings victory.
Meanwhile there was another successful debutant at Brisbane. India looked good value, with Murali Vijay (144) and Ajinkya Rahane (81) building a promising score. However, 23 year-old Josh Hazelwood took five wickets to keep the Aussies in the mix. With Clarke injured again, in-form Steve Smith was given the captaincy but the pressure didn't show. He stroked his sixth Test century then the tail wagged vigorously. Mitch Johnson and Mitch Starc scored half-centuries to enjoy a 97-run lead.
Johnson proceeded to rip out the Indian middle-order and only Shikhtar Dhawan - in two instalments either side of an injury break - showed any resilience. Needing only 128 to win in four sessions, Ishant Sharma silenced the Gabba crowd early on but Chris Rogers crunched ten boundaries for his second 55 of the match. There were a few more flutters but an extra cover drive from Mitch Marsh ended proceedings to win by four wickets.
The cracked pitch probably contributed to a preponderance of catches. All of India's first innings victims were caught, six by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. He added three more in the second keeping to the pacemen.
So another encouraging display by Australia, and young Steve Smith's conversion from dodgy all-rounder to world-class batsman looks complete. Let's also hope that Hazelwood is now free of the stress fracture hoodoo that has affected so many young Aussie fast bowlers in recent years.
