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Day 1: West Indies slow run flow

Ezra Stuart

ST JOHN'S - A disciplined display of bowling by the West Indies restricted Australia's scoring on the opening day of the final Cable and Wireless cricket Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground here yesterday.

At the close, Australia, who are trailing 1-2 in the four-match series, were 221 for five with captain Steve Waugh not out 52 and wicket-keeper Ian Healy on four.

Australia won the toss and batted on a placid pitch and slow outfield and were indebted to half-centuries from Waugh and No. 3 batsman Justin Langer, who knocked up 51.

Waugh, with an even century in the second Test and 199 in the third Test, has so far batted for 194 minutes and struck six fours off 126 balls.

Langer, adding 59 for the fourth-wicket partnership with his captain to lift Australia from 96 for three, hit two sixes and a four in his 103-ball knock, which lasted 156 minutes.

There has been one wicket each for the West Indies' three pace bowlers, debutant Corey Collymore (22-6-41-1), veterans Courtney Walsh (18-0-46-1) and Curtly Ambrose (20-5- 48-1) as well as off-spinner Nehemiah Perry (15-5-36-1).

The Australians were given an encouraging opening stand of 60 between Michael Slater (33) and Greg Blewett (32) but found runs difficult to get against steady and accurate West Indian bowling.

From a lunch score of 62 for one, Australia made slow progress, crawling to 123 for three at tea as young rookie paceman Collymore bowled with hostility and got the ball to swing in an impressive spell. Collymore, who replaced compatriot Pedro Collins had Blewett caught by wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs while Walsh removed Mark Waugh (11) to a second slip catch by Carl Hooper.

Left-hander Langer, who moved from one to 29 at tea, batted with more enterprise after the break against the friendly spin bowling of Hooper and Jimmy Adams.

He lifted Adams over mid-wicket for six and also hoisted Hooper for a straight six but was run out by an accurate throw from Perry, attempting a third run.

Langer struck Hooper powerfully through the covers and quickly completed two runs to bring up his fifty, but was beaten by Perry's throw from the extra cover boundary to Hooper at the bowler's end.

Afterwards, Ponting joined his captain and the two batsmen, who added a record 281 runs for the fifth, again pulled Australia around from an uncomfortable position. Waugh was nearly caught down the leg-side by Jacobs when he gloved a short ball from Walsh before he had scored.

But he emerged from an uncertain start to bat positively as he put his side in a relatively good position at the end of the day.

Waugh struck Perry for two fours in one over and after the West Indies took the second new ball at 198 for four in the 81st over, he posted the 200 in 350 minutes by whipping Walsh off his legs for four.

West Indies' captain Brian Lara entrusted Collymore with the second new ball but after a couple of overs, he summoned Ambrose.

Ambrose broke the threatening fifth-wicket stand of 56 in his first over when Ponting padded up to an inswinging delivery and was given out leg before wicket for 21.

Earlier, Australia, seeking a victory to level the series and retain the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy, started cautiously even though Slater played a number of attacking shots.

Slater pulled Ambrose powerfully through square-leg for four and, like he did in the Barbados Test, hoisted Perry's third ball for a straight six.

However, Perry got his revenge just before lunch when the ambitious Slater cut a short delivery which deceived him with its bounce for Dave Joseph to take a diving catch at short cover point.

West Indies further pegged back Australia in the post-lunch session by taking the wickets of Blewett and the struggling Mark Waugh while only 51 runs were scored.

After getting the wicket of Blewett, a fired-up Collymore tested the experienced Mark Waugh with a number of short deliveries.

Waugh had one elegant cover- driven boundary off Ambrose but then dabbed at a wide delivery from Walsh and gave Hooper an easy catch at second slip.

It was Walsh's 419th wicket in Test cricket.

Afterwards, Steve Waugh featured in successive half-centuries with Langer and Ponting which left the match interestingly poised at stumps.