Cricket: Clarke celebrates biggest victory

Captain Michael Clarke (left) and Shane Watson enjoy the dismissal of Darren Sammy in Bridgetown. Photo / AP

Harris and Hilfenhaus spark a remarkable turnaround as Aussies triumph.

BRIDGETOWN - Forget Johannesburg. Forget Galle. Yesterday's three-wicket win over the West Indies in Barbados is as good as it gets for Australian captain Michael Clarke.

The tourists completed a remarkable five-session turnaround in the first test at Kensington Oval, chasing down 192 runs in 47 overs in fading light to secure a nail-biting win over the never-say-die Windies.

The victory, inspired by Ryan Harris' match-turning unbeaten 68 and Ben Hilfenhaus' three-wicket burst before tea on day four, was fittingly achieved by that pair as they scrambled home for the winning run as the sun set over Bridgetown.

Clarke's bold decision to declare while still trailing by 43 runs in the first innings proved a masterstroke and the skipper said none of his previous seven test victories as captain could compare.

"This is as good as I've had, no doubt, because we had our backs to the wall for the first three days of the game," said Clarke, putting the win above his inaugural test victory on a dustbowl in Sri Lanka or the dramatic two-wicket victory over South Africa in November.

"The spirit and the character ... of the guys in the change room is what drives you, I guess, as a captain to make a bold decision, to declare when I declared.

"The confidence around me from everybody in that group, there wasn't one bit of fear of losing that test match - it wasn't spoken about.

"From day one of the test, all that's been spoken about is what we have to do to win this test match."

Man-of-the-match Harris, promoted above Peter Siddle in the second innings, admitted to having to make a dash from the toilet to pad up as Australia's run chase began to falter on a dying fifth-day wicket.

Offspinner Narsingh Deonarine claimed 4-26 in a withering spell into the rough after tea before paceman Kemar Roach ended the innings of debutant Matthew Wade (18) and Michael Hussey (32) to put jitters through Australia's chase.

In the end, though, Hilfenhaus - who took 4-27 in the Windies' second-innings 148 - sealed the victory, celebrating with Harris even as the third umpire ruled him not out on a run-out appeal.

"I actually said to Mike Hussey before tea that I'd love to be out there at the end of a test match and hit the winning runs," Harris said.

"I didn't do that but I was out there. It was a good feeling. To win it after them making 450 and being in a position where the game washeading to a draw, that's a huge win for us."

The second test in the series begins in Trinidad on Monday.

- AAP