In arguably the West Indies' most impressive tour performance to date, humbled captain Jason Holder offered no excuses but plenty of home truths after their disastrous 10-wicket loss to a second string Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane on Saturday.
A forthright Holder admitted his young team had to "look at ourselves in the mirror" after the near full strength Windies were outclassed by a CA XI with six first class debutants and an average age of 21.
It was the third-last ranked Windies' sole tour match before the first Test against world No.2 Australia in Hobart starting on Thursday.
Only rested bowling spearhead Jerome Taylor was missing from the Windies line-up at Allan Border Field.
Allrounder Holder admitted it would be a "challenge" to inspire his inexperienced line-up ahead of the Bellerive Oval Test but urged them to bounce back.
"The guys just have to take ownership sometimes," a brutally honest Holder said.
"Once we own up to our mistakes we have to be positive and look at ways to improve.
"We are not looking for excuses, just ways to improve - that way we will move forward faster than we are at the moment.
"We need to pick ourselves up, look at ourselves in the mirror and find something in ourselves."
Holder tried to show the way on Saturday, stroking an impressive 65 to ensure the unheralded hosts at least batted again.
Holder shared a 79-run eighth wicket stand with tailender Kemar Roach (36) to push the Windies' second innings to 210 - setting a victory target of just 10 runs on the four-day clash's final morning.
The towering Holder also took 4-76 in the CA XI's mammoth 444 first innings.
The tourists did well just to make the no name hosts bat again after recovering from 7-97 on Friday.
Leg-spinner Cameron Boyce took 4-84 to ensure a quick kill on Saturday.
Even the CA XI were surprised by the ease of their win.
"A little bit, but I think they got the worst of the conditions and it just shows the depth of Australian cricket," said Boyce of the match affected by rain throughout the first three days.
Holder now faces the daunting task of trying to inspire a Windies side that has not won an overseas Test series against anyone except minnows Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in 20 years.
It is a huge fall from grace for a side that enjoyed a remarkable 15 year unbeaten Test series streak from 1980.
To add further insult, the Windies were upstaged by a young side inspired by someone who wasn't even supposed to be playing.
Australian under 19 all-rounder James Bazley turned heads with match figures of 4-76 and a fine 50 in the hosts' whopping first innings.
Bazley was initially the CA XI 12th man but got a last minute nod as replacement for Victoria's Ryan Sidebottom.
