Cricket: Controversy mars Aussie victory

Australia's Shane Watson's post-dismissal humiliation of the Windies' Chris Gayle earned him a sanction for poor behaviour. Photo / Getty Images

Australia snared the one wicket needed on Sunday to win the third test against the West Indies at the WACA Ground but it didn't come without controversy.

The West Indies, resuming at 308 for nine, added 15 runs to their overnight total before being bowled out for 323, handing Australia a 35-run win.

But the last wicket fell in controversial circumstances.

Kemar Roach (17) was given out by umpire Billy Bowden, who deemed the batsman had edged Doug Bollinger (3-71) behind.

Roach appealed the decision and even though replays showed no evidence of an edge, TV umpire Asad Rauf gave him out.

Australia's win secured a 2-0 triumph in the series.

The Windies resumed play perilously placed, needing 51 more runs with just one wicket in hand.

And Gavin Tonge (23 not out off 22 balls) threw caution to the wind, slashing away in a bid to whittle off the runs quickly.

But the victory target of 359 proved too much, with Roach dismissed in the fourth over of the morning.

Had the West Indies reeled in the total, it would have been the eighth highest successful fourth-innings run chase in test history.

But it wasn't to be, despite yesterday's best efforts of 26-year-old Narsingh Deonarine (82) and Brendan Nash (65), plus some late hitting from Suleiman Benn (33 off 28 balls).

Deonarine and Nash combined for a gutsy 128-run, 293-ball stand, taking the West Indies from 68 for three to 196 for three.

But Shane Watson's dismissal of Deonarine sparked the Windies' downfall as the visitors lost wickets regularly.

Australia's win erased some of the demons of last summer, when South Africa cruised to 414 for four to snatch a remarkable victory in Perth.

Victorian Clint McKay, making his test debut, returned figures of 0-45 and 1-56 and will be replaced by Ben Hilfenhaus for the Boxing Day test against Pakistan if the Tasmanian proves he has overcome a knee injury.

Mitchell Johnson, battling gastro, snared 3-67 while Bollinger finished with 3-71.

Meanwhile, Australian Watson became the fourth player to be sanctioned for poor behaviour this test following his unsightly celebration of the wicket of West Indies captain Chris Gayle yesterday.

Watson screamed manically and aggressively in Gayle's direction after dismissing him before lunch at the WACA ground, and his actions did not escape the attention of ICC match referee Chris Broad.

The game's code of conduct states that bowlers must not seek to humiliate a batsman after his dismissal.

Umpires Ian Gould and Billy Bowden charged Watson with bringing the game into disrepute under clause 1.8 of the code, the same offence brought against West Indies spinner Sulieman Benn and Australians Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson.

After pleading guilty to the charge, Watson was handed a fine of 15 per cent of his match fee by Broad.

Gayle was named man of the match for his blazing 70-ball ton in the first innings.

The Windies skipper was also named man of the series, with his unbeaten 165 in Adelaide helping his side to a draw in that test.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who injured his left elbow in the first innings after copping a brutal bouncer from Roach, said he would rest over the next few days before attempting to prove his fitness for the Boxing Day test against Pakistan.

- AAP