WI vs AUS Test Series: Andrew McDonald Questions Value Of 3-0 Sweep On 'Borderline Impossible' Surfaces

Australia coach Andrew McDonald believes it is difficult to draw long-term conclusions from their 3-0 series whitewash of West Indies, given the poor playing conditions.

Australia retained the Frank Worrell Trophy for a 14th series in a row as they eased to three away victories over the Windies, the third of which made history.

In the third Test, Australia bowled their hosts out for just 27 in their second innings – the second-lowest score in Test cricket history.

West Indies only narrowly avoided a piece of unwanted history, with New Zealand's 26 all out versus England in 1955 still the worst score in any red-ball match.

Australia won all three Tests by over 100 runs – 159 in the first, 133 in the second and 176 in the third – but McDonald felt the surfaces used in Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica made a thorough analysis difficult.

"It's really difficult to make accurate judgements on both batting units based upon the surfaces that we played on," McDonald told The New Ball on SEN Radio. 

"And you take that into the third Test, which is a pink-ball Dukes on that surface, that game just moved way too fast and at times, it didn't even look like cricket. 

"That cricket was borderline impossible to play at certain stages. Some of those deliveries from Mitchell Starc, the way that ball behaved under the lights. 

"So it's a bigger question for what the pink Dukes looks like for Test match cricket, really." 

Despite their comprehensive series win, McDonald feels questions remain over Australia’s batting order.  

"It feels as though we'll still be a little bit unsettled in terms of what our combinations look like at the top of the order with the way the performances have gone here," he said.

With Marnus Labuschagne dropped and Steve Smith injured, 19-year-old Sam Konstas was given a chance at the top of the order.  

However, he ended the series averaging 8.33, only once making it past 20, while a couple of dropped catches in the third Test ensured West Indies would not register the worst-ever Test cricket score.

Some believe Konstas' showings have placed his chances of facing England in the Ashes in doubt, but McDonald has defended the batsman.

"I don't think anyone's damaged by being exposed to Test cricket because I think what it does do is it gives you a taste of what that level is like," he said.  

"There’s no doubt he's got some things to work on, like all our players do, and they continually work on. He's clear on what they are. 

"We feel as though across the journey, he's shown he's a highly talented player and I hate to use that word talent, but with his skillset, over time I think we’ll see the real Sam Konstas."

Australia's West Indies tour continues with a five-match T20 series, with the first match taking place on 21 July.