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West Indies v Australia, 7th One-day International
Garth Wattley - 25 April 1999

Campbell sends Kensington mad

Bottles and bad news dominated but there was some cricket.

And at the end of another bacchanal-filled Cable and Wireless One-day international at Kensington Oval, West Indies cricket was both winner and loser again.

Putting the sudden retirement of Carl Hooper behind them, and seeming to gather even more determination after bottles rained down after the controversial run-out of eventual Man-of-the-Match and Man-of-the-Series Sherwin Campbell, Jimmy Adams' side did the business to win the seventh and final match of the series by eight wickets and square the rubber at 3-3.

But it was only when Sir Garfield Sobers, once more called on to go to bat for West Indies cricket, announced that the Australians and the umpires had agreed to let Campbell continue that the crowd cooled down.

The belated recall then allowed Campbell to add 10 more runs to his fine 52 and seal an excellent series.

The underrated opener finished with 327 runs at a average of 46.71. It was a super effort, one that ensured that his side stayed in the series.

Yesterday's knock, again full of confident playing and aggressive running, came once more largely in partnership with Ridley Jacobs.

The pair, following on stands of 83 and 81 in their previous two innings, had posted 99 before they were separated in the 22nd over.

All-purpose Jacobs thrilled the ground again with his big hitting, getting 54, his second successive ODI half-century.

Especially sweet were his three sixes, in particular the one off Shane Lee that crashed into the signboard on the top tier of the Greenidge and Haynes stand.

And when he eventually departed, Mark Waugh at cover holding his firm uppish drive off brother Steve, the Windies were on their way.

Skipper Adams, adopting a more positive approach than on Saturday, kept the tempo going before he was forced to retire hurt after top-edging Michael Bevan into his face with the score on 131. Adams (37 not out) would return later to see the team home with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (31 not out) as they chased a revised target of 196 in 40 overs.

The captain's injury was the first bit of upset, soon to be followed by the Campbell fiasco.

The interruption halted the home side's very good progress after Australia had set them 253 for victory.

That total represented a significant lower-order recovery that had seen the visitors rally from being 118 for 6 in the 26th over when a direct hit from substitute Adrian Griffith finished Bevan, aka ``The Finisher.''

A pitch, watered the previous evening, had some early life in it for the bowlers. And Mervyn Dillon (2/36) Curtly Ambrose (1/51) and Reon King (3/59) took advantage.

Dillon, something of a strike bowler in the shorter game, began the slide with the wicket of the slashing Adam Gilchrist, who had got a six over third-man two balls earlier but only found Ambrose's lap as he attempted a repeat. In his next over, Dillon produced a beauty that left Ricky Ponting who could only edge it to Jacobs.

Three overs later, Ambrose also had Darren Lehmann caught by Jacobs.

King, bowling with far more control than previously in this series, then got rid of Mark and Steve Waugh.

But the Australians have repeatedly demonstrated their resilience in the lower order. And yesterday, they got vital runs from two of their under-achievers-Shane Lee and Tom Moody.

Lee got a timely, intelligently compiled 47 and Moody, quiet for the most part, exploded in the final over, slamming Ambrose for a six and a four to reached a well-paced 50. Twenties by Julian and Shane Warne also helped the Aussie cause.

And in the afternoon, when Campbell went the first time, Julian seemed to have played a vital part again.

But neither the Aussies nor anyone else had catered for more people power.


Source: The Express (Trinidad)