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Day 1: Australia held in grip

Australia have been overcome by a sudden and unforeseen uncertainty these past few weeks, induced by Brian Lara's hypnotic brilliance and their successive defeats at Sabina Park and Kensington Oval.

It was a condition epitomised by the dropping of the once indispensable Shane Warne from the decisive Fourth and final Test here and reflected in their batting on the opening day yesterday before their resilient captain Steve Waugh once more intervened to point them on the right path.

At the close, he was defiant and unbeaten on 51 with his team 221 for five, a total reduced by a slow, heavily-grassed outfield that allowed only 13 fours. On the first day in Barbados just over a week ago, the Australians hit 31 boundaries.

Waugh won the toss for the fourth time in the series- the 11th successive time in Tests for Australia-and, once more, chose to bat. Behind 2-1 in the series, Australia need nothing less than a win to level the contest and retain the Frank Worrell Trophy and their goal was a substantial total to put pressure on the West Indies whose requirement is only a draw.

When Mark Waugh failed again, out for 11 in mid-afternoon, they were shaky at 96 for three but his steely brother came to the rescue again, solidly batting through the remaining three and a quarter hours.

On a pitch similar in appearance and character to that on which Lara amassed his record 375 against England here five years ago, Australia encountered testing bowling, not least from the latest West Indies fast bowler, 21-year-old Corey Collymore on debut, and were forced to fight for every run.

Michael Slater and Greg Blewett, restored to the eleven in place of the struggling Matthew Elliott, saw to it that Australia had their most solid start of the series, comfortably adding 60. Slater's natural aggression then got the better of him.

Always eager to attack, he had stepped out to hoist Nehemiah Perry for a straight six as soon as he came on but, in the over before lunch, he was seduced into square-cutting at Perry's bouncing off-break, couldn't keep the shot down and was caught by Dave Joseph at backward point.

It was an unexpected breakthrough for the West Indies. Bowlers are unlikely to find much joy over the five days on a ground where seven of the previous 13 Tests have been drawn, there have been 29 individual hundreds and the average innings total is 376. The outfield is their principal ally.

Such trivialities did not faze Collymore. He has come into the team after an outstanding debut first-class season, replacing left-armer Pedro Collins, his near neighbour in the northern Barbados parish of St Peter who has also enjoyed an encouraging debut series but seemed stale after 11 matches of Busta Cup, touring matches and Tests in 11 weeks.

Introduced after four overs from Ambrose, Collymore quickly settled into the consistent control of length and line that has impressed all good judges and had the first of what should be many Test wickets 25 minutes after lunch. He drew Blewett, on 32, into a drive against a late outswinger that touched the edge on its way through to Ridley Jacobs's gloves.

Unconcerned with reputations, Collymore greeted Mark Waugh with a first ball bouncer that flashed past his face. The ball and the stare that followed brought approving nods from Michael Holding and Sir Viv Richards watching in admiration from the press box. ``Attitude,'' said Sir Viv, ``attitude.'' And no one had more than the Master Blaster.

By then, Collymore was concluding 16 challenging overs, broken only by lunch. He had created enough of an impression on his captain that Lara would later prefer him to Ambrose as Courtney Walsh's new ball partner. The ploy lasted only two overs but it was significant all the same.

Collymore gave way after his first spell to Walsh who immediately found Mark Waugh's edge so low on the bat the batsman, suspecting a bounced-ball, waited for umpire Steve Bucknor's instant confirmation of Carl Hooper's low catch at second slip. The television replay left no doubt about its legality.

Waugh's 11 represented another failure for Australia's most commanding batsman and another explanation for their recent struggles. In seven innings in the series, he has passed 50 only once. At 92 for three, the innings again needed the steadying influence of the steelier of the Waugh twins. As usual, Steve did not falter, supported, as he was in the previous Test, by the left-handed Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting in successive partnerships of 59 and 56.

He and Langer remained together until half-hour after tea and seemed well entrenched. Langer had hoisted sixes off Adams and Hooper when he ran himself out on the stroke off Carl Hooper that raised his 50.

It pulled up inches short of the extra-cover boundary and, as he tried to convert an easy two into a close three, he was beaten by Perry's long, strong, accurate return to Hooper. Umpire Dave Orchard didn't even need the TV replay's confirmation of the decision.

Ponting, century-maker in the first innings in the Barbados Test, replaced him and again batted confidently for an hour and three quarters while Waugh made a mockery of the tired West Indian tactics of bouncing him.

Lara always had the second new ball up his sleeve and, when he called for it immediately it was due, Walsh produced a couple of unplayable deliveries that troubled even Waugh. But the wicket fell at the opposite end.

Ponting misjudged the line of Curtly Ambrose's off-cutter, padded out with bat raised 20 minutes to the end and Orchard ruled him was palpably lbw for 21.

Ian Healy managed to hold on to the end with his captain on whom Australia's hopes for the total they need once more depend.

Day 2: Lashes of brilliance

The Brian Lara show moved on from Sabina Park and Kensington Oval to an Easter Sunday engagement at the Antigua Recreation Ground on the second day of the fourth Test yesterday.

It was shorter but even more spectacularly breathtaking than even the earlier epics of 213 and last Tuesday's match-winning, unbeaten 153.

The trouble was that none of his colleagues came to the party. On the site of his world record 375 five years again, Lara's even 100, blasted off 84 balls with three mighty sixes and 15 rasping fours that made a mockery of a slow, thickly-grassed outfield, could not seize the initiative for the West Indies.

Their dependency on their phenomenal captain was again exposed and, by the end of the day, they were 197 for six in reply to Australia's 303, leaving the match wide open with three days remaining.

The onus remains on Australia, 2-1 down and needing a victory to square the series and keep the Frank Worrell Trophy they have held since 1995.

Australia would have been better placed but for a missed catch that reprieved Lara when he was 14 and still preparing himself for the fireworks that were to follow.

He was once more obliged to come in at 20 for two after the failures of his openers, Adrian Griffith and Sherwin Campbell, both caught off the outside-edge in each of the first two overs from Colin Miller, operating in his faster mode.

Lara was calmly settling in when he spotted a short ball in the first over of a second spell from his old adversary, Glenn McGrath. He shifted his weight onto his backfoot and pulled. He mistimed the shot so badly that it went gently to straight midwicket where Miller, Australia's hero of the day until that moment, let the chance fall to ground.

In the same over, confusion with his partner, Dave Joseph, over a run to cover would have ended his innings had MacGill's throw not missed the stumps by a few inches.

In light of recent events, Australia would have feared the worst. Lara might have taken his escapes as a sign that the day was, yet again, to be his.

He proceeded to lay waste his opponents' three inexperienced bowlers with savage disdain.

With the previously indispensable Shane Warne now dropped and considering his future, and Jason Gillespie injured, Miller (who trundled pace until turning late in the day to off-spin), medium-pacer Adam Dale and leg-spinner Stuart MacGill formed the attack with McGrath. They had 19 Tests between them going into the match.

After spending 13 balls over his first run, Lara suddenly launched his devastating assault on all around him, his flashing blade fashioning shots of bewildering power and perfection drives through the covers, mid-off and mid-on, pulls, sweeps and cuts. The bowling, so tight that only 58 runs were scored off 27 overs between lunch and tea, was suddenly reduced to cannon fodder.

Dancing down the pitch, Lara upset MacGill's control, lofting him over mid-on for four, hoisting him into the scattering crowd on the popular eastern side of the ground for his first six and arriving at his 50 off his 61st ball. By then, he had eight fours in his column in the scorebook in addition to his six.

He was now in top gear and unstoppable. He pulled a MacGill full toss for four and then lifted him straight out of the ground and onto the roof of a yellow school bus parked in the adjoining Factory Road. Thankfully, it contained no schoolchildren.

Plundered for 34 off three overs, MacGill was sympathetically removed by Steve Waugh and replaced by Dale. The savagery that greeted him was even more severe.

Lara lashed the medium-pacer for four fours and a pulled six 22 in all - in his first over to move to 99 and reached his 13th Test hundred with a delicate sweep for a rare single when Miller came back with his off-spin.

It had taken 82 balls and 96 minutes. It was still 26 balls more than Viv Richards took over his 100 against England on the same ground in 1986 that stands as the fastest in Test cricket history. But Lara's second 50 required a mere 21 balls and he so dominated a partnership of 116 with Dave Joseph for the third wicket that Joseph contributed only 14.

Two balls later, 55 minutes into the final session, the persevering McGrath ended entertainment for 10 000 frenzied spectators, finding Lara's glove with a bodyline bouncer for wicket-keeper Ian Healy to complete a wide leg-side catch, inches from the grass. It was a familiar method of dismissal, the one weakness that McGrath and other quality fast bowlers have managed to repeatedly exploit.

The match then reverted to normalcy and Australia regrouped.

Dale, so severely destroyed by Lara, returned to remove the solid Joseph lbw for 28 and the left-handed Jimmy Adams for nought, nibbling outside off-stump for a catch to the 'keeper.

MacGill, also relieved at Lara's exit, returned to remove the left-handed wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs, unlucky to be ruled lbw to a sharply turning leg-break.

It left Carl Hooper, unbeaten on 40 and repeatedly unsettling his partners, and the crowd, with his erratic running, and the bowlers to improve the West Indies' position on the third day.

In the morning, Curtly Ambrose seized the initiative for the West Indies with three quick wickets before Miller, the No. 10, stopped him in his tracks with a bold counter-attack.

Miller, a 35-year-old in his first Test of the series whose average in his six previous Tests was four, hit 41 off 38 balls and dominated a stand of 53 with captain Steve Waugh that allowed Australia to recover to a total of 303 before they were all out just before lunch.

Armed with a ball 10 overs old and with the support of his boisterous home crowd, Ambrose despatched Healy, the left-handed Dale and MacGill, all to slip catches off tentative edges, for 21 runs within the first 50 minutes.

When Miller arrived, Australia had limped to 242 for eight from their overnight 221 for five and captain Waugh, 59, was in danger of running out of partners before he could make any attempt at raising a reasonable total.

Miller's approach to the situation was forthright and immediate, paying particular attention to a bemused and tiring Ambrose.

He pulled the great Antiguan fast bowler for four, then twice hoisted him over midwicket for meaty sixes - the first clearing the stand and ending up alongside the wall of the adjoining prison - and leg-glanced him for another boundary.

Ambrose took his three wickets for nine runs from his first five overs. Once Miller got hold of him, his next three overs cost 32 and Lara was forced to remove him to save him from the indignity of more punishment.

He turned to the more gentle offerings of Jimmy Adams' left-arm spin which did the trick in six balls, Miller cross-batting a catch to midwicket.

Alert to the sentiments of the 8 000 Antiguans packed into the stands, Lara quickly recalled Ambrose for the chance to claim his fifth wicket of the innings. He duly obliged, finding last man McGrath's edge for a catch to the 'keeper.

Once more, Waugh found himself left high and dry at the end of an innings, unbeaten 72. Refusing to shield his partners, he gathered all the easy runs that were on offer and which could be critical in the end.

Day 3: Aussies in control

Australia made all the running on the third day of the Fourth Test here yesterday, jockeying themselves into such a strong position it will be difficult for the West Indies to deny them the victory that will square the series and retain the Frank Worrell Trophy they have jealously held since 1995.

Their gallop was measured rather than hectic but, with time on their side, they steadily built on a lead of 81. They wasted a far more substantial first innings advantage of 161 in the previous Test in Barbados and let the West Indies in for their astonishing one-wicket victory.

They were intent on not repeating the mistake and were accommodated by a pitch that, true to reputation, has become progressively more favourable for batting.

After closing out the West Indies first innings for 222, removing the last four wickets for 25 within the first 40 minutes, Australia found little hindrance in advancing to 209 for two off the remaining 79 overs.

That puts them ahead by 231 with at least 180 overs available over the two remaining days. History and Brian Lara's present form and mood withstanding, it is an equation that should allow the bowlers ample time to put the squeeze on the West Indies' batsmen over the final day and a half.

That is the logical assessment but there has been little logical about this series.

The West Indies would be encouraged by their remarkable fightbacks after their heavy defeat in the First Test and by the memory of last year when England survived for 137.2 overs over the last day and a half in their second innings before capitulating to defeat by losing six wickets after tea, Left-hander Justin Langer was the hub around which Australia mounted a recovery after the early loss of Greg Blewett, lbw for 7 in Curtly Ambrose's seventh over, aiming towards mid-on.

Langer added 61 with the aggressive Michael Slater, who took on the lead role with 44 that included sixes lofted off Carl Hooper and hooked off Corey Collymore.

When Slater dragged an ordinary delivery from Courtney Walsh back into his stumps half-hour before tea, Langer and Mark Waugh batted through the last three hours with little discomfort in an unbeaten partnership of 133.

Langer was 84 at the end, his third half-century in his last four innings, asserting himself more and more as he went on. He lifted Nehemiah Perry onto the roof of the Richie Richardson Stand at long-on and stroked six fours as well.

Waugh, who has had a poor series by any standards, far less his own, overcame a hostile greeting from Walsh that included a bouncer fended off the bat handle for the first of his five fours, to be 60. In the process, he passed 6,000 runs in his 90th Test.

The West Indies set out their surprisingly negative strategy from early in the piece.

It seemed far too early to try to buy time for the draw that would recapture the Worrell Trophy, especially since they had bowled the opposition out relatively cheaply in six of their seven innings in the series.

After keeping the total down to 22 for one in the 15 overs before lunch, Brian Lara introduced Jimmy Adams on resumption to deliver his left-arm spin outside leg-stump to a packed leg-side field.

Adams was suddenly transformed from bowler to wicket-keeper in the course of his fifth over, taking over from Ridley Jacobs after the appointed keeper had his nose broken by his leg-side delivery, after which Hooper backed the faster bowlers in the attempt to check the flow of runs.

There were rarely more than one slip and, for Hooper and the underused off-spinner Nehemiah Perry, none at all. It left Langer and his partners picked up their runs at will, collecting singles and twos to the widely spread field and finding the gaps to the boundary whenever the ball was dropped short.

Glenn McGrath's pace as bowler and fielder had given Australia their immediate advantage in the morning.

He plucked out Nehemiah Perry's off-stump with a perfectly pitched in swinger in the third over of the day.

In the next over, Ambrose's ambitious slog off Stuart MacGill's googly skied a catch to Ricky Ponting, leaving Hooper the responsibility of squeezing out as many runs as he could with only the fast bowlers, Corey Collymore and Walsh, to come.

McGrath again spoiled the plan. Seeking to retain the strike from Collymore, Hooper tried to convert a stroke to fine-leg off MacGill into two runs.

No longer as feline or as fast as he once was, he found himself at least a foot short of his crease as McGrath's powerful, accurate return came over the stumps to wicket-keeper Ian Healy.

It was the 10th time in Tests that Hooper had been run out and it left McGrath with the formality of completing the innings with his third wicket-and his 27th in the series-as Walsh got his leg in front of middle-stump to a straight ball.

After that, Australia simply pulled further and further away.

Day 4: West Indies facing defeat

The West Indies start the final day of a series filled with glorious miracles needing yet another to reclaim the Frank Worrell Trophy, their most coveted prize that has been in Australia's possession since 1995.

The likelihood is considerably diminished since captain Brian Lara, the redeemer who transformed the misery of South Africa and the heavy defeat in the First Test into the magnificent triumphs the Second and Third, is not there to perform another of his wonders.

Set an improbable 388 to win or a minimum 138 overs to survive over the last four and a half sessions of the match to achieve their objective, the West Indies ended the fourth day 105 for four, Lara among them, with the last two specialist batsmen, the left-handers Jimmy Adams and Adrian Griffith together.

Only Lara's present single-minded application and heavy-scoring form that brought him his 213 at Sabina Park, his unbeaten 153 at Kensington Oval and his 84-ball 100 in the first innings here could have prompted far-fetched West Indian optimism that another astonishing result could be achieved. Their fate was virtually settled 55 minutes into the final session when their perennial nemesis, Glenn McGrath, bowling with typically demanding speed and controlled hostility, went through Lara's defence with a ball, delivered from over the wicket, that straightened to hit the front pad.

Umpire Dave Orchard's lbw decision that gave Australia's premier bowler his 29th wicket of the series, and Lara's for the 10th time in Tests, was as decisive as it was straightforward. It reduced the West Indies to 69 for three and triggered immediate celebrations among the Australians on the field and their hundreds of supporters in the stands who smelt the sweet and unmistakeable scent of victory that had been so frustratingly turned to the foul odour of defeat a week ago amidst frenzied scenes at Kensington Oval.

They had already made inroads into the innings when Lara arrived in the middle quarter-hour after tea. But they have come to appreciate in the past few weeks that these mean little one they have still to get rid of the phenomenal left-hander. Lara replaced Dave Joseph who surrendered his wicket with the rashness of a schoolboy in the closing overs of a house match, not like a batsman out to save a crucial Test.

Joseph had been prematurely called to the wicket after McGrath, during the course of an opening burst of nine overs, struck Griffith on his unprotected right elbow, obliging him to retire for attention.

The heavy-set Antiguan calmly batted the 10 minutes to tea but returned to immediately launch a surprise and reckless attack on the medium-pacer Adam Dale. He twice lifted him through mid-wicket and cut him for three fours in his first over. In his second, he attempted to plant him over mid on again, did not get to the pitch and embarrassingly scooped a catch to midon.

McGrath, who had previously accounted for Lara nine times in Tests, was predictably reintroduced brought back as soon as Australia's prime target came in.

McGrath collected a bonus wicket second ball. Lara pushed the first away on the leg-side for his first run bringing Sherwin Campbell into strike.

The little opener had seen off his threatening opening salvo and seemed well set with 29, taking four fours off the wayward leg-spinner Stuart MacGill and growing in confidence. Without waiting to reassess the dangerous McGrath, he fired a wild drive at a wide outswinger first ball and snicked a catch to the tumbling Ian Healy.

He was even more culpable than Joseph for it meant not one but two new batsmen at the wicket. Appreciating the gravity of the situation, Lara spent 40 circumspect minutes over his 26 balls before he trudged off with Australian joy echoing in his ears.

Occasional medium-pacer Greg Blewett, surprisingly brought on by captain Steve Waugh once he rested McGrath, gained Orchard's less obvious LBW verdict against the team's most experienced, if not most reliable, batsman, Carl Hooper as he stretched well forward 20 minutes before the close. It was another crippling blow.

Earlier, Australia temporarily lost their way as purposeful, high quality fast bowling by Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, well supported by Hooper's leg-side off-spin, accentuated what might have been had the approach, and the tactics, been more positive on the third day.

In a commanding position at the start, 209 for two and already 290 ahead, Australia spent 42.4 overs adding 97 before they were bowled out for 306 forty minutes after lunch, their last six wickets falling for 41 runs.

Ambrose's 10 consecutive overs, spanning the first hour and 20 minutes and costing nine runs, was as close to perfection as imaginable. No more than half-dozen of his 60 deliveries failed to find their target within a radius of a foot or so on a length around off-stump neither too short or too full.

Spurning the use of the second new ball, due after his opening over, he did not concede his first run until his 32nd ball and then it was an outside edge for two to third man by Justin Langer, left-hander who moved from his overnight 84 to 127, his third Test hundred that occupied six hours 35 minutes with two sixes and eight fours.

His rewards were the wickets of the Waughs, both caught behind. They are big prizes at any time but even they were inadequate returns for his memorable efforts.

When he rested, Walsh maintained the standards Ambrose had set while Hooper, from round the wicket, kept the pressure on at the opposite end, spinning one across Langer to hit off-stump and end his well composed innings.

The Australians could only raise 65 runs off the 33 overs in the morning, their problems starkly revealed by Ricky Ponting's struggle for four runs off 56 balls.

When they tried to accelerate afterwards, their last five wickets fell in a heap for 32, three to Walsh and two to Hooper. Even then, their position was imposing. But it was only when McGrath took care of Lara that would breathe easily.

Day 5: Australia level Test series

It was always a mission impossible and the West Indies finally succumbed to the disappointment of defeat by 176 runs in the final Test 25 minutes before tea on the last day here yesterday.

The flags, the cheers, the smiles and the ecstasy that were all West Indian following the emotional one-wicket triumph at Kensington Oval eight days earlier were now all Australian when their magnificent fast bowler Glenn McGrath finished off the West Indies second innings for 211 with his 30th wicket of the series, his umpteenth bouncer that deflected from Corey Collymore's glove to gully.

Like their team, the hundreds of travelling Australians had to wait since their crushing victory in the First Test in Port of Spain for this moment and they joyfully savoured it.

Even their relieved captain Steve Waugh, normally a serious, stern-faced cricketer, beamed as he collected the Frank Worrell Trophy that only victory here would have retained for his team in his first Test as series as captain.

At the presentation ceremony, he described the prize the teams have contested since 1965 as ``equally important'' as the Ashes they have fought out with England for 118 years. It was a timely and resounding compliment to West Indies cricket that was in such a state of turmoil prior to the series.

As disappointed as he was at the failure to regain the trophy that has been in Australia's possession since 1995, West Indies captain Brian Lara hailed the team spirit for such a competitive performance against the team generally acknowledged as the strongest in international cricket.

After the humiliating 5-0 whitewash in South Africa, a crestfallen Lara spoke candidly of disunity and lack of confidence. When that ill-starred tour was quickly followed by the all-out second innings 51 and defeat by 312 runs in the First Test in Port of Spain, with Lara himself under a two-match captaincy probation, a 2-2 final outcome was a ridiculous pipe-dream.

Lara himself was at the heart of the stirring revival, leading from the front with his renewed penchant for exceptional heavy-scoring and justifiably earning the Man-of-the-Series award ahead of McGrath. But, at the presentation ceremony, he credited his players and his support staff for their contributions.

Even in defeat, the new West Indian determination was evident as the eager Australians were delayed by the defiance of the newer team members of the team. The tall left-handed opener Adrian Griffith remained defiant for three hours until he was lbw, ninth out for 56. Ridley Jacobs kept him company for an hour and a half, Nehemiah Perry for 40 minutes and the 21-year-old debutant Collymore for over an hour.

Three months ago, in the shambles that was South Africa, the situation at the start of the day would almost certainly have translated into rapid capitulation. Here there was no surrender, even though Lara, dismissed on the previous afternoon, was not there and Jimmy Adams had perished swiftly.

Adams's credentials as a doughty fighter are well established. The left-hander still has an average of just under 50 in his 37 Tests and had twice defied the Australians in the series-for six and three-quarter hours for his 94 in the Second Test and for almost three hours in his second innings 38 in the Third Test, both in crucial partnerships with Lara. If the West Indies needed anyone to stay, it was he.

Instead, he fell to a piece of uncharacteristically slack cricket on his part and slick glovework by Ian Healy off the first ball of the day's third over. He had not added to his overnight 18 when he lost his balance as he aimed to turn off-spinner Colin Miller's quick, leg-side delivery and Healy removed the bails in a flash.

It was a reversal that tested the character of Griffith-in his Third Test and still very much on trial-and the lower order.

Griffith took over Adams's role to which he is technically and temperamentally suited. His strokes are limited but not his concentration or his patience and he ignored repeated near misses against McGrath's probing pace to keep the Australians waiting longer than they would have bargained for.

Jacobs, the fourth left-hander in the order, is more at home leading recoveries than saving lost causes but he followed Griffith's lead, mainly against McGrath and leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.

Lunch was 20 minutes away when Waugh introduced the speculative medium-pace of Greg Blewett. As it did on the previous afternoon with Blewett's very questionable lbw dismissal of Carl Hooper, the change quickly achieved its purpose. Falling across his crease in defence, the left-handed wicketkeeper went leg before 20 minutes to lunch.

Perry, the tall right-hander in his first series, remained with Griffith for 40 minutes on either side of lunch, cracking four boundaries MacGill in 26. The predicament suited his nature no better than it did Jacobs's and he eventually flicked a leg-break off his legs straight to midwicket.

Conscious that MacGill would bother the tailenders, in spite of his penchant for a loose ball or two every over, yet still wanting to give McGrath the benefit of the new ball, Waugh solved the problem by playing both cards. He claimed the new ball but still kept on MacGill.

Old ball or new, it made no difference as Curtly Ambrose swung wildly at MacGill and was bowled. Even then, the fight wasn't over.

Keen to finish things off, McGrath's bodyline hostility was as fierce as at any time in the series. Griffith and Collymore both bobbed and weaved and absorbed several blows to body and gloves but would not be bowed.

It took a prodigious leg-break from MacGill-and lengthy deliberation by umpire Steve Bucknor before affirming an appeal for lbw-to end Griffith's determined vigil. Interrupted by the knock to the elbow from McGrath that forced him to retire hurt on the previous day when 10, his four hours 40 minutes and 218 balls at the wicket revealed the commitment the West Indies have sought for so long.

Quarter-hour later, McGrath delivered the coup de grace, Collymore fending off a catch and setting off for the pavilion without waiting for umpire Dave Orchard's long delayed decision.