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It could have been a flag festival or the most freestyle version of Pan Ramajay, given the displays in the massive crowd. And when the man, police in frantic pursuit, ran away with the TV stump camera, there was real bacchanal.

However, the five-wicket West Indies win over Australia that has given them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Cable and Wireless series was more sober than spectacular.

The bare facts show that ``steady'' James Adams with 82 was Man-of-the-Match and that he shared an influential century partnership with ``solid'' opener Sherwin Campbell (64). But mere stats do a disservice to Jimmy.

Possessed of a refreshing self-assurance and spirit of enterprise, Adams once more showed the high-spirited Oval more of his new, confident self.

The fluent, sometimes elegant play that brought him eight eye-catching boundaries en route to his career-best ODI score was rich entertainment for the audience.

His work was done in tandem with Campbell-with whom he added 109 runs for the second wicket-and Carl Hooper (56, 62 balls) with whom he put on 70 for the third. The efforts represented solid support for the earlier fielding effort that saw Australia restricted to 242 in their 50 overs after the visitors had reached 108 without loss.

Captain Brian Lara, who carted Tom Moody away for the winning boundary off the last ball of the penultimate over, would have been pleased that his task-18 not out-was made so simple yesterday.

Not only did he not have to extend his sore right wrist but he was able to admire as spectator, a batting effort that capped a thoroughly deserved, professionally executed Windies win.

Nehemiah Perry played no part in the afternoon action, and Phil Simmons made but a brief appearance before, with victory in sight, he was run out, hesitating over a second overthrow.

But the pair played a great part in ensuring that the winning target was not prohibitive.

Perry, bowling with good control on the slow, placid track, took 3 for 45 in his ten overs in mid-innings while also dismissing Damien Martyn by yanking out the offstump at the striker's end with a bullet throw from backward point.

And Simmons, also bowling when the Aussies were looking to accelerate, kept them in check with tight control and change of pace in taking two for 43 in his nine.

Those efforts continued where mean, miserly Curtly Ambrose left off, his first seven overs costing just 13 runs.

But none of that would have been in Adams's mind when he left the pavilion to replace Stuart Williams with just 15 runs on the board.

Williams, opening after flu forced Shivnarine Chanderpaul out of the starting XI, had another unhappy time, trapped lbw by Damien Fleming as he yet again played across the line.

But Aussie elation at that dismissal was tempered by the injury-enforced absence of strike bowler Glenn McGrath. His first game of the series was ended after just one over when he sprained an ankle chasing a ball in the outfield.

It was a significant loss for captain Steve Waugh who saw Adams and Campbell further refine their One-day form.

Stands of 86 and 84 in the first two ODIs had ended prematurely. But yesterday the pair got their ``century''.

Again running well despite a few more scares, they played with reassurance in the shorter game prompted by recently improved fortunes in the longer one.

Together they posted 50 in just 12 overs and 100 in 21.

Adams, dropped on 52 by Darren Lehmann off his own bowling, was more assured. Campbell also had dicey moments against both Fleming and Moody. But when he cut Shane Warne to the backward point boundary ahead of three chasing fielders, he had reached his second 50 of the series in 68 balls. Adams too took 68 to get to his half-century.

But the dual effort was ended in the 27th over, Lehman's first, when Campbell was bowled, off-stump, playing across the left-arm spinner.

Hooper replaced him at 124 for 2. And he stayed a while, 62 deliveries. It meant the Oval massive saw glimpses of the Hooper style. Consecutive boundaries, straight-driven and swept behind square, brought him his 50. But before then, Adams had departed, bowled by a perfect Fleming yorker.

Hooper though should have done better with the Fleming delivery he dragged onto his off-stump.

Lara was left to seal the deal. And he would have done so gladly, grateful that his side had not suffered from his having lost the toss for the seventh time in Tests and one-dayers.

The WI captain would also have been satisfied with how his bowlers took advantage of some Aussie miscalculation in the batting order.

After opener Adam Gilchrist (43) skied Perry to Ambrose at long-off and Mark Waugh's almost effortless, 100-ball 74 was ended by Adams's smart pick-up and throw, the innings lost its way.

Shane Lee's promotion to number three seemed unnecessary and Perry made it a failure, trapping him lbw.

Captain Waugh's entrance ahead of Bevan with the last 10 overs already in progress also backfired, the slogging skipper being bowled by Simmons.

Bevan's late order 29 not out was a little too late for yesterday.

But today when Lara celebrates the fifth anniversary of his Test world record, Waugh will be aiming to get the sums right.

And spoil the party.