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Day 1: Waugh weighs in with century to halt West Indies

By Peter Deeley in Bridgetown

STEVE WAUGH'S second century in successive Tests rallied Australia on the opening day of this third match of the series after West Indies had held the early initiative with three wickets in the first hour.

The Australian captain led by example, weathering the early onslaught of the West Indies fast bowlers and then taking command as the wicket eased.

It was Waugh's 19th hundred for Australia and his third in four Tests in the Caribbean, including the double century four years ago which helped dethrone the home side as unofficial world champions.

Earlier Waugh had made it a hat-trick of successes with the toss, which left Brian Lara looking rather disconsolate, and chose to bat first for the third time in the series.

Australia's continued choice of the two leg-spinners, Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, suggests that they are rather locked into the strategy of wanting to bowl last. It worked in Trinidad but embarrassingly back-fired in Jamaica.

Interest in this game has been phenomenal after the West Indies comeback in the second Test. On the eve of this game, mounted police had to be called into the home side's final practice on a local pitch to clear away hundreds of watchers so that the players could complete their work-out.

Before the start Kensington Oval was bulging with 16,000 spectators, many of them Australian visitors, and tickets in the stands had been sold out for days.

After the first hour, Waugh's decision looked very questionable as Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose made excellent use of a pitch with some green on top. Lara had to switch his opening bowlers round, however, before they could make inroads and Michael Slater took advantage of the one over bowled by off-spinner Nehemiah Perry to hammer him straight into the wall of the stand for a cheeky six.

Matthew Elliott may have got a century in the warm-up game between the Tests but he is still looking far short of the form which marked his debut season and he soon fell to Walsh pushing half-forward at a ball angled across him to give the West Indian his 412th wicket and his 15th in the series.

Slater looked in impish form, always prepared to attack the quick bowlers, but he, too, was trapped on the front foot, nicking Ambrose low to Lara at first slip.

The drinks break was taken then and two balls later Ambrose induced Mark Waugh to jab down on a ball of full length outside off stump which trickled back on to his stumps.

At 36 for three it needed the solidity of their captain to yank Australia free. Ambrose was within an ace of dismissing him several times before lunch with deliveries which climbed and left the batsman. But Waugh is completely imperturbable: he can be beaten five times in an over and still dispatch the next for four.

He had the perfect foil in the gritty Justin Langer and these two added 108 in quick time for the fourth wicket. Both reached their half-centuries in 80 balls and, on 53, Waugh edged Pedro Collins to second slip, where Carl Hooper took the ball on the half-volley. It was not technically a chance but you got the feeling that if Hooper had not been match-rusty he might have picked it up.

Another drinks break brought an immediate wicket. Hooper, who has only just returned from Australia where his new-born child is ill, got Langer with his first ball of the series, the left-hander seeking to slash the spinner away but misjudging the line.

Ricky Ponting, who came into this game because Greg Blewett damaged his right thumb in practice, then shared in a half-century partnership with Waugh, the Australian captain being particularly severe on Collins, driving him straight for four twice in an over.

Day 2: Waugh sweeps aside all doubts

By Peter Roebuck in Bridgetown

STEVE WAUGH is a cricketer carved in stone. Nothing seems to draw a smile from him and nothing a frown. Simply he sets himself to stand firm against such winds as blow, sets himself to survive, to defy the elements, to see it through. Age has not wearied him and nor have numerous swift second runs scampered to fine leg. Hard as they tried the West Indians could not bring him down. Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose battered him, beat him regularly, appealed in vain, tried everything in their repertoires and still could not break him. Exhausted, they bent with hands on knees and left the work to colleagues.

On the first day of this Third Test, Waugh rescued his team. On the second he buried his opponents. Although it was not the Australian captain's most commanding innings it was timely because it does not take long for the dogs to start barking. Defeat in Sabina Park had been an embarrassment and voices were heard yearning for Mark Taylor's reassuring plod. Waugh set about silencing those doubts, and his own. He was at his most wilful, tucking the ball to leg repeatedly, and driving straight and through mid-wicket. Every run was important and he scores more ones and twos than any contemporary. Between times he played and missed as the old stagers tested him on a mild pitch; Waugh acknowledged these defeats with nods and then prepared himself for the next ball. He will relax when he retires, when it will be seen that he is not really stone but a block of ice with a flame inside.

Waugh found a determined partner in Ricky Ponting, a young man grown loose and now trying to rebuild his career. It says enough about Ponting's social life that Greg Matthews had become a companion. Given an unexpected chance by injuries elsewhere, Ponting began scratchily but kept his head and his wicket and presently began taking singles in the manner mastered by his captain. Ponting's temperament and footwork had been too agitated. Although strong off the back foot, he had started to rush his strokes and himself and often drove without due care and attention.

Now a less fallible batsman was seen, taking his time and alert to danger. Ponting pulled hard and moved his feet quickly whereas his captain somehow glided into position. Together this pair turned the match upon its head.

Both took a particular liking to Pedro Collins' wayward left-arm seamers. Collins has had a hard time and needs a rest. He was outbowled by two Barbadian colleagues in last week's championship final and it was disappointing to find Corey Collymore still on the sidelines. Not that Collins had much luck with tickles eluding fieldsmen and Ponting escaping on 90 as the umpire did not detect an edge as Ridley Jacobs took a diving catch.

Gradually the batsmen took charge, with Waugh bending to strike Carl Hooper's spinners into the Kensington stand. By lunch the locals realised that victory was beyond them.

Accordingly, hopes raised by events in Jamaica swiftly faded. Nonetheless, the ground was in fine fettle with the cricket enjoyed by large crowds sitting quietly in small stands named after the champions of yesterday. Indeed, so many great cricketers have emerged from this little island that they must share stands as they once shared the new ball or the middle order. Some of those mighty cricketers were wandering around, not least Pastor Wes Hall, Lance Gibbs and those cricketing knights Walcott, Weekes, Hunt and Richards. Sir Vivian Richards has offered his services as a selector and says he'd be prepared to spend more time in the Caribbean and less in Brunei.

Clearly the West Indians still have a long way to go, on the field and off it. When the Australians were in trouble they did not merely open an academy, they also sent coaches around the schools, primary and senior. It isn't basketball or soccer that is threatening cricket but computers and video games. Players used to rise here by word of mouth, they were raised in the informal academies of the back streets and rudimentary fields of local villages. Now something more organised is needed, for the game cannot take its position for granted.

Day 3: Campbell century keeps Australian bowlers at bay

Peter Deeley in Bridgetown

Sherwin Campbell, West Indies' pint-sized opener, put a sizeable dent in Australia's ego with a century that rescued the home side from utter disaster here yesterday.

The former Durham player had watched from the other end as six wickets went down for 98 and West Indies seemed helpless to stem Australia's stride towards a second victory in the series with another 193 needed to save the follow on.

Glenn McGrath took two quick wickets to bring his tally for the series to 19. Then Campbell, with wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs as his partner, went into over-drive against the Australian spinners and these two added 153 in just over two hours.

Campbell's loss of form led to him being left out of West Indies' recent tour of South Africa and on his return before this game he had scored only 22 runs in the series in four innings.

He spent a watchful four hours reaching 50 but then needed only another 85 minutes to arrive at his third Test hundred in 33 matches.

The loss of Brian Lara, caught off his glove for eight late on the second evening, seemed to be a mortal blow for West Indies, who started the third day of this third Test still needing another 211 to avoid the follow on.

The situation appeared irredeemable when McGrath took his wickets in the space of eight ball in the first hour. But Australia were to rue a difficult chance put down by Matthew Elliott at slip off Jason Gillespie when Campbell had added only a boundary to his score.

In the previous over, Gillespie, bowling at his fastest and sending down a heavy ration of short balls, had Campbell almost turning turtle at the crease in order to avoid being hit.

Gillespie was the more dangerous of the quick bowlers, conceding only one scoring stroke in his first seven over spell, but it was McGrath who did the damage in his fifth over when Carl Hooper sparred and Shane Warne, at first slip, took a catch to his left.

Apart from his partnership with Lara which won the Kingston game game, Jimmy Adams has looked completely out of touch and here he lasted only seven balls before his angled bat deflected McGrath's delivery to Mark Waugh at second slip.

Then came another of those twists of fortune that have marked this series. After the first hour, the fast bowlers took a well-earned rest and the batsmen went on the rampage against the leg-spinning partnership of Warne and Stuart MacGill.

Soon after lunch, Campbell's patient stay was rewarded with his half-century as he swept Warne for his seventh boundary. Jacobs cut and swept Warne with such effect that he reached his fifty in 88 minutes with six fours.

Warne had his moments, notably when Campbell edged him over his stumps and a Jacobs cut seemed to go through Mark Waugh at slip, but the bowler simply became more exasperated and his first three overs after lunch cost 24 runs.

In all, Warne's 12 overs in the day had gone for 52 and he was pulled out of the attack to be replaced by McGrath, who himself came in for similar punishment.

His pride damaged, he was replaced by Ricky Ponting and Campbell dismissively cracked the part-time bowler's first two balls for boundaries. But Ponting eventually made the breakthrough when Mark Waugh held on to an attempted dab by Jacobs.

Day 4: Australia are torn apart as vintage Walsh powers on

Peter Deeley in Bridgetown

A dismal Australian batting performance gave West Indies the outside chance of victory here yesterday when the home side set out to score 308 in the remaining four sessions of play in the third Test.

The tourists certainly could not blame the pitch, which remains true and firm, for their shoddy display. The incomparable Courtney Walsh, who seems to get better with age, took five for 39 as Australia were rolled over for 146 in 50.1 overs.

Walsh stands on 418 Test wickets, a mere 16 behind Kapil Dev, and seven appears to be his lucky number in this series: He has taken seven wickets in each game.

It hardly seems credible that a side who were 161 runs in arrears after the first innings could now be contemplating the possibility of a win but such as been the fluctuations of fortune in this series that almost anything seems possible.

West Indies are unrecognisable from the team bowled out for 51 in Trinidad three weeks ago, but then so are Australia who were rubbing their hands at the prospect of a 4-0 roll-over of the Caribbean side after that first Test win.

Despite the cushion of their big lead, Australia have looked unusually unsure in many areas, not least their batting, and could ill afford to lose Michael Slater, run out on a tight decision by the third umpire half an hour into the fourth day. Slater was coming back for a second run when Sherwin Campbell's unerring throw from third man hit the stumps.

Jason Gillespie, who had come in as nightwatchman, played some orthodox drives before he was bowled for 14 by Curtly Ambrose and Australia slumped to 48 for five when Mark Waugh was leg before to Courtney Walsh playing across the line. This brought the double century pairing of the first innings, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, together but West Indies were spared another pummelling when the Australia captain dragged on a ball from Pedro Collins from way outside the off stump.

West Indies could not be faulted for their battling performance. After the second day they had looked out of contention yet now there was the hint of another extraordinary comeback in the air as four Australian wickets went down in the first session for a meagre 63.

Further disaster befell the visitors on the fourth ball after lunch when Ian Healy chased a wide delivery from Collins to be caught behind.

Australia's lead then was less than 250 but Shane Warne, who has blossomed as a batsman as his bowling skills have taken a dive, helped Ponting add 53 for the eighth wicket.

Warne was eventually leg before to a swinging Walsh yorker for the innings' highest score of 32, and Stuart MacGill was quickly picked up swinging the same bowler high to the square leg fence.

Glenn McGrath slewed a wayward Walsh full toss behind his legs for four to take the lead beyond 300 and Ponting chased a wide ball to be caught at deep extra cover, giving Walsh his fifth wicket.

Day 5: Lara stands tall to lead West Indies from front

Peter Deeley in Bridgetown

Brian Lara is famous for mammoth scores but his century here yesterday must surely rank as the most momentous innings of his life with the West Indies captain attempting to steer his side towards one of history's more improbable Test victories.

Brian Lara celebrates with team mates after they won the third test against Australia by one wicket

It had all the ingredients of a high-class drama: a battle against the odds, shots of breathtaking quality, his name ringing from the crowded stands - and to boot, a full-blooded row with Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath when both players had to be separated by colleagues.

McGrath certainly lost his cool then, but he regained his composure in time to put Australia in the driving seat with two lbw decisions in successive balls to reduce West Indies to 248 for eight as Lara looked on in anguish.

That gave the fast bowler his fifth five-wicket haul in three games. It also meant that with only tail-enders Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh to help him, Lara had to get the remaining 60 runs virtually on his own.

While Jimmy Adams was there, Lara had inched his side towards the target of 308 runs. These two, the stars of West Indies' unlikely second Test win in Kingston, got within 70 runs of the target in a stand of 133 for the sixth wicket before Adams was bowled by McGrath.

The loss of two West Indies wickets well within the first hour for the addition of only 20 runs was a poor omen for the home crowd, who had packed Kensington Oval on this working day hoping to see a win against all the odds.

Adrian Griffith had not added to his overnight score when Jason Gillespie straightened one which sneaked inside bat and flicked the pad. Carl Hooper was quickly picked off by Gillespie when he drove loosely and Ian Healy held the chance.

This may be Healy's last game: he is suffering from a damaged calf muscle and Adam Gilchrist is coming in, ready to play if necessary in the final Antigua Test starting on Saturday.

Healy, who holds the world record for the most Test dismissals, has uncharacteristically fumbled many balls during this tour and has conceded 30 byes in the last two Tests, including eight yesterday. He has also struggled with his batting, scoring only 31 runs in six Test innings on tour.

Gilchrist, 27, Australia's one-day wicketkeeper for the past 18 months, is also a strong left-hand batsman who opens for the Australian limited-overs side, a role in which he hit two centuries in the recent one-day series against England and Sri Lanka.

Adams is not the player of yore, his technique now limited by the way his bottom hand is down the base of the bat handle. It was an hour before he played an aggressive shot, driving Stuart MacGill for four, but he applied himself to the support role with rare resolution.

In that opening hour Gillespie bowled magnificently, his spell of seven overs, five maidens, and two wickets for eight runs said everything. But as soon as MacGill appeared Lara broke free, hitting the spinner's first over for 14.

Warne's lack of form was underlined by the way Lara pulled a slow turning delivery for six and he disappeared from the attack after giving away 26 runs in five overs.

Gillespie had gone off with a recurrence of back trouble before the interval and though he returned afterwards this meant he could not share the new ball with McGrath when it became due.

The overs he missed might have been absolutely crucial in the context of a tight finish. Steve Waugh had to bowl them, giving away 11 runs and Lara milked him for all he was worth, with boundaries off successive balls.

Gillespie eventually got back into the action and immediately troubled Lara but at the other end trouble of a different sort erupted. McGrath bowled a short ball which Lara went to duck, but it came through low and hit him on the helmet.

Feeling his head, Lara was called for a leg-bye and when he arrived at the other end had a bitter altercation with McGrath. Whatever was said further angered both men and Adams had to come up and pull Lara away while Michael Slater intervened on the bowler's behalf.

All this happened right under the nose of umpire Ed Nicholls and the two protagonists continued their bickering for some time. When McGrath tried another bouncer Lara contemptuously pulled it for four.

The West Indies captain was continuously urging himself on, talking and banging his side with his fist. Warne came back and Lara waited only two balls before he bounced down the pitch and delivered the leg-spinner high back over his head for his 14th four and his hundred, which had taken just under four hours.