News

 Michael Slater leads Australia to a 5-0 clean sweep

Sydney, January 6: Michael Slater guided Australia to a six-wicket victory on the final day of the fifth Test against the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground here on Saturday. With this victory, Australia registered their 15th consecutive Test win and a 5-0 series clean sweep. Glen McGrath was adjudged Man of the Series.

Australia went to lunch at 154/4 and it was always just a matter of time before the mighty Aussie boys would collect their 15th consecutive Test win.

Man of the Match Slater was instrumental in Australian run chase with a brilliant 85 off 128 balls with 10 hits to the fence. He was well supported by Ponting (14) and together the duo guided the home side to a victory target just after the lunch break.
 
Skipper Steve Waugh, a first innings centurion, was out just before lunch ending another determined knock when lbw to Marlon Samuels for 38.

On Waugh's departure, Australia required just 25 runs to win with six wickets intact. Mark Waugh was out on the 10th ball of the morning when he hung his bat at a Nixon McLean delivery outside the off-stump and looped a catch to Jimmy Adams in the gully on his overnight score of three.

Slater pounded Nixon McLean for nine runs in the 18th over, a knock that included two slashing boundaries; while in the 30th over he brought up his half-century. Just three overs later, he was back to his swashbuckling best, smashing the hapless McLean for 12 and storming up the pitch with almost every Nahendra Nagamootoo delivery. Such was his impeccable form with bat that it appeared quite on the cards that Australia could wrap up the match before lunch
  
Australia completed the first hour at 86 for three and 87 runs from victory. Colin Stuart had a good shout for lbw when Slater was on 47 but Hair turned the appeal down.

Slater, who threw away a certain century in the first innings when he went after Nagamootoo and was out for 96, brought up his 20th Test half-century and fourth of the series off 89 balls with six fours.

Runs were coming at a great pace with an Australian victory inevitable. Thirteen runs came off a McLean over, Slater hitting two fours as the West Indies lost their grip.

Ponting joined Slater at the crease and while Slater was content to play safe until lunch, it took the talented duo less than five overs to clinch the team's 15th consecutive Test victory.

Australia won the first Test by an innings and 126 runs, the second Test by an innings and 27 runs, the third Test by five wickets and the fourth Test by 352 runs.

 West Indies hoping against hope

Sydney, January 5: Maligned West Indies got some hope of preventing Australia claiming an unprecedented 5-0 series clean sweep with the help of Mahendra Nagamootoo and Ridley Jacobs in the fifth and final Test on Friday.

Mahendra Nagamootoo and Ridley Jacobs cracked half-centuries to leave Australia with a testing 173 runs for victory.

Matthew Hayden was out in the second over, trapped lbw for five by Colin Stuart.

Justin Langer followed him back to the pavilion when Courtney Walsh got him lbw for 10 in the seventh over to take his 494th Test wicket and leave the home side a shaky 38 for two.

 West Indies all out for 352; Australia needs 173 for victory 

Sydney, January 5: The West Indies were dismissed for 352 in their second innings against Australia late on the fourth day of the fifth and final cricket Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground here Friday. Australia will chase 173 runs to win the Test and complete a 5-0 series clean sweep and their 15th consecutive victory.

The West Indies led Australia by 12 runs with five wickets in hand.

Brian Lara hit leg spinner Stuart MacGill for three consecutive fours and went for a fourth boundary only to sky a catch to Colin Miller at deep mid-on, but Miller couldn't take it. Finally, Miller had Lara caught at the wicket by Adam Gilchrist for 28 off 36 balls. With Lara's dismissal the West Indies chances of salvaging the Test appeared gone.

 West Indies make a come back

Sydney, January 3: Steve Waugh completed his 24th Test century and Adam Gilchrist notched an impressive 87 before the West Indies came back with an opening partnership of 98 to lie 82 behind at the close of day three of the fifth Test in Sydney.

Glenn McGrath clean bowled Wavell Hinds on 46 with the second-last ball of the third day of the fifth and final Test to prevent a looming West Indies opening century partnership in their second innings here on Thursday.

Earlier, the tourists had weathered the Australians opening onslaught through their new opening pair, Sherwin Campbell and Hinds. Campbell and Hinds, who combined in a record 147-run first-wicket partnership in the first innings, put on 98 for the first wicket on Thursday.

 Tail Enders gives Australia 180 run lead over West Indies

Sydney, January 4: Tail enders Colin Miller and Glenn McGrath with the help of some lusty shots placed Australia at a 180-run lead over the West Indies on the third day of the fifth Test here on Thursday.

Miller struck two sixes and a boundary in his unbeaten 37 while McGrath hit 13 before being run out on the throw of Colin Stuart, while attempting a second run.

Earlier, skipper Jimmy Adams dropped the catch of Adam Gilchrist, who made the West Indies pay a high price for a fumbled catch. The dashing wicketkeeper-batsman profited from his reprieve blazing away for 87 with nine fours and a six off 124 balls to compound Adams' blunder in the gully off Colin Stuart.

Steve Waugh scored his 24th Test century to join Greg Chappell, Sachin Tendulkar and Viv Richards behind leader Sunil Gavaskar on 34.

Waugh was out for 103 shortly before lunch on a delivery from spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo. Waugh faced 238 balls and batted for 300 minutes. He hit nine fours and a six.Nagamootoo finished with 3-119 off 35 overs while Stuart claimed 2-81 off 23 overs.

Australia, racing towards their 15th successive Test victory and a 5-0 series whitewash, were dismissed for 452 off 135.4 overs about 30 minutes before tea in reply to the West Indies' 272.

At tea, the West Indies was 18 for no wicket with Sherwin Campbell on 10 and Wavell Hinds eight.

 Australia 284 for four at the close of the second day

Sydney, January 3: Australia were 284 for four at the close of the second day in reply to the West Indies first innings 272 on the second day of the fifth cricket Test at the SCG here on Wednesday.

Half-centuries from Michael Slater, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting took Australia past the West Indies first innings total of 272 all out and into a strong position to win the fifth Test at Sydney and complete the series whitewash

At stumps, skipper Steve Waugh was not out 82 with Ricky Ponting on 51. Waugh’s innings comprised of a massive 6 over the long-on boundary and many 4's and singles around the ground, which was another truly inspirational innings by the Australian captain. Ricky Ponting was in his usual aggressive form, carrying on the Slater legacy with many powerful drives and pull shots, to leave him on 51 at the close of play, also looking very strong and once again proving to be a valuable asset to the Australian team.

 Unlucky Slater out for the ninth time on 90’s

Sydney, January 3:  Michael Slater missed out on scoring a deserved century and got out again in the 90’s. This time he was out on 96 trying to loft leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo and mistimed his shot to offer a simple catch to Marlon Samuels at point. His brilliant knock included as many as 13 boundaries.

Resuming after tea, the Australian innings was steadied by skipper Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. Australia were 237-4 with Steve Waugh at 56 and Ricky Ponting at 32.

The last West Indian wicket added 16 more runs to their overnight score of 256 before being bowled out for 272. The last wicket fell in the form of Courtney Walsh (4) who was caught by Mathew Hayden off Colin “Blue” Miller.

Australian openers made a cautious start in reply to West Indies moderate total. Courtney Walsh provided the first breakthrough quite early in the innings. He had Hayden (3) caught in the slip by Lara when Australia’s score was 17.

With Slater's dismissal,  he joins his skipper Steve Waugh to become the second batsmen in the world to be out in the nervous 90s for the ninth time.  

Most 90s in test cricket : 9 Michael Slater (Australia), 9 Steve Waugh (Australia) (includes two not outs), 8 Alvin Kallicharran (West Indies) (one not out), 6 Geoff Boycott (England) (one not out), 6 Clem Hill (Austalia) (one not out), 6 Gordon Greenidge (West Indies), 6 Rohan Kanhai (West Indies)

 Australia to chase West Indies total of 272  

Sydney, January 3: Michael Slater was breezily leading the way as Australia set after the West Indies' first innings total of 272 during the second day of the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground here on Wednesday.

At lunch, Slater was 54 off 64 balls, cracking eight fours and Mark Waugh on 14 not out. There was controversy in the hour before lunch when Justin Langer refused to walk when he edged to Brian Lara at first slip off Courtney Walsh when he was on seven. The match umpires called in the help of the third umpire in the stand to make a decision with doubt whether Lara had his fingers under the ball to claim a clean catch.

 Lara argued with the umpires over the decision minutes later at the drinks break that Langer was not out, but his mood lasted another 20 minutes until Langer was finally out for 20l, caught by Ridley Jacobs in Nixon McLean's opening over and leaving Australia at 55 for two.

Slater was particularly severe on West Indian leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo and he was taken out of the attack nearing lunch having conceded 29 runs off his four overs. The West Indies added 16 runs to their overnight score before they were dismissed for 272.

 Stuart MacGill picks up seven wickets

Sydney, January  2: There was no respite for the West Indies despite an opening stand of 147 between Wavell Hinds and Sherwin Campbell as Stuart MacGill took seven wickets on his home ground of Sydney to reduce the visitors to 256 for 9 on the opening day of the fifth Test.

Stuart MacGill put the West Indies into a spin when he snared 7-92, undermining a record opening partnership on the first day of fifth cricket Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground Tuesday.

The West Indies, who had already conceded the series after losing the opening four Tests, began the day positively with Sherwin Campbell and Wavell Hinds combining in a record 147-run opening stand.

MacGill broke the partnership, dismissing Campbell for 79 and following up with the wicket of Hinds for 70 in his next over. MacGill, then took the prized wicket of Brian Lara at 35 off 73 balls, when Mark Waugh took a wonderfully instinctive catch at slip.

Mac Gill  struck again in the same over when he had Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw for a duck, his third duck of the series. Marlon Samuels was MacGill's fifth wicket for 28. The wickets kept coming for MacGill. He had Jacobs stumped by Adam Gilchrist for 12 and in the next ball Nixon McLean was given out lbw to a leg break.

The West Indians return tomorrow to try and add to the score with Colin Stuart and Courtney Walsh yet to score.

 West Indians continue to dominate

Sydney, January 2, 2001: With half centuries to both opening batsman and a record opening partnership, the West Indians have continued to dominate play on the opening day of the fifth and last Test at Sydney.

Sherwin Campbell was first and Wavell Hinds followed. Both batsmen picked up half centuries during the second session of the fifth test. Sherwin Campbell (79) was scored his half-century off 111 balls, which included six boundaries.

Wavell Hinds (70) was well behind Campbell on the scoreboard, but did not take long to catch up, finding the boundary three times in quick succession after lunch.

The opening partnership last for half the day, which consisted of 147 runs, the first century opening partnership any team has scored against the Australians in over 30 tests.

Jimmy Adams was LBW to Glenn McGrath at 10. Brian Lara came in next and is playing at 17
be fore the tea break.

 West Indies win toss and bat in fifth and final Test 

Sydney, January 2:  West Indies captain Jimmy Adams won the toss and decided to bat first in the fifth and final cricket Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground here Tuesday.

Australia are chasing their first-ever series clean sweep over the West Indies after winning the opening four Tests.

Australia are taking two spinners, Colin Miller and Stuart MacGill, into the Test in a bid to win an unprecedented 15th consecutive Test victory.

The match began under clear skies with the prospect of a full day's cricket.

 Waugh urges the Caribbean’s  to invest in youth

Melbourne, December 30: Steve Waugh urged the humiliated West Indies to invest in youth to climb from rock-bottom after the mighty Aussies defeated the West Indies by 352 runs in the fourth cricket Test here on Friday.

The Australians swept to an unprecedented 14th straight Test win when they routed the West Indies for 109 midway through the fourth day to take a 4-0 series lead into the final Test in Sydney in four days' time.

 "They are going through a tough time like we did in 1985, they've just got to stick with a couple of young guys who they think are going to be their future, the same way as Australia did then with myself, Dean Jones and Ian Healy," said Waugh, man-of-the-match for his unbeaten 121 in the first innings.  

 Australia beat West Indies by 352 runs 

Melbourne, December 29: Australia clinched their world record number of consecutive Test cricket wins to 14 with victory over the West Indies in the fourth Test here Friday.

They beat the tourists by 352 runs to take a 4-0 lead in the five-Test series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. West Indies were dismissed for 109.

The tourists lost their opening two Tests in Brisbane and Perth inside three days and last week's third Adelaide Test by five wickets early on the fifth day.

Australia will now push for a 5-0 series clean sweep in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which begins next Tuesday

Marlon Samuels made an unbeaten 60 in the first innings with another top scoring 46 before he was the last wicket to fall caught in the outfield going for his half-century off the bowling of Colin Miller.

Gillespie took the first six wickets to fall and finished with 6-40 off 17 overs.

The West Indian vice-captain, Sherwin Campbell was out for six after the opening half-hour. He wretched sequence of scores this series have been 10, 0, 3, 4, 18, 8, 5, 6; a total of 54 runs at 6.75.

Captain Jimmy Adams went out on a duck. Gillespie captured his sixth wicket in his next over when he removed nightwatchman Colin Stuart.

Wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs and Samuels had delayed Australia's victory before the left-hander was given out in dubious circumstances caught behind off spinner Miller. Jacobs made 23 off 40 balls and shared in a 54-run stand with Samuels.

Nixon McLean could not anything as he was run out for one in the final over before lunch leaving the tourists at 78 for eight.

 Adams appeals to save the paralyzed Carribean Cricket

Melbourne, December 29:  The West Indian skipper Jimmy Adams has appealed to his country's administrators to stop talking and act to revive paralyzed Caribbean cricket.

Adam couldn’t help himself from making such an appeal after the West Indies were defeated once again, tarnishing the image of once-proud West Indies cricket.

The mighty Aussies crushed them by 352 runs in the fourth Test to hold a 4-0 series lead with a Test to play. 

Caribbean cricket has been laid bare these past five years with a series defeat to England for the first time in 31 years and now the very real prospect of an unprecedented 5-0 series whitewash in Australia.

The 32-year-old Jamaican left-hander was a pitiful sight as he went for a first-ball duck at a time when he was needed most as the West Indies slid to be all out for 109 and hand Australia one of their most emphatic successes. He was out for a six-ball duck in the first innings.

Adams wants action from the Caribbean cricket authorities to turn things around.

"It is not ever a time to panic, I don't think panicking achieves anything," Adams said in the wake of the latest Test humiliation inside four days.

"You look at a situation, you assess it and you work out what is it that we want short-term, mid-term and what we realistically look for long-term in terms of years.” he added.

Adams admitted he is feeling the pressure of leading the under-achieving West Indian team.

"Of course, the results hurt," Adams said. "I'd like to consider myself always a realist but at the same time, you always try to be as positive as you can with all your players."

However, when asked how he was coping with the pressure of being in charge, Adams said that he was not so much physically (tired) but mentally of course.

Steve Waugh tried to console him and recommended Adams to have a serious drink. Waugh expressed his grief adding that Jimmy was a real nice guy and a good cricketer, but he (Waugh) was fortunate to captain an excellent side.

"At this time it's not happening for Jimmy, his batting's showing the signs of stress and what is going on, he's not thinking clearly with his shot selection and that happened today, but he'll come back from that." Steve said.

With the fifth and final Test coming up at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Adams said that he knew it was going to be a tough one again but he will have to deal with it.

 Australia declare at 262 for five,  set Windies 462-run target

Melbourne, December 28:  Steve Waugh declared his team's second innings at 262 for five setting the West Indies an incredible 462 runs to win the fourth cricket Test late on the third day here Thursday.

The West Indies will have to negotiate 10 overs before Thursday's stumps. There are still two days left in the Melbourne Test.

Mark Waugh remained 78 not out scored in 247 minutes and Ponting hit 26 off 24 balls. Earlier Justin Langer made 80. Ricky Ponting helped himself to 20 runs plus a no-ball from Colin Stuart's last over leading up to Waugh's declaration.

 Australians putting the test well out of Windies reach

Melbourne, December 28: Holding a 199-run lead on the first innings, the Australians were effectively putting the match well out of the West Indians reach in search of their 14th consecutive victory and a 4-0 series lead on the third day of the fourth cricket Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.

In the final over before tea Justin Langer was caught at slip by Daren Ganga off spinner Jimmy Adams for 80 when his eighth Test century was beckoning. At tea, Australia were 165 for three with Mark Waugh the not out batsman on 42.

With still more than two days to play, Australia led the West Indies by 364 runs and a major talking point was when skipper Steve Waugh would consider he had enough runs to declare and set the tourists a daunting target.

Langer and Waugh put on 116 runs for the third wicket in 139 minutes to ram home Australia's advantage.

Almost an hour's play was lost through rain in the morning session but the Australians only lost opener Michael Slater who fell to an edge to Brian Lara at first slip off Mervyn Dillon for four in the second over of the innings leaving his side at eight for one.

Wavell Hinds, who dropped Matthew Hayden on 24, was relieved to take a skied catch at square leg to dismiss Hayden for 30 off Nixon McLean shortly after lunch to leave Australia at 49 for two.

 West Indies all out for 165 on second day

MELBOURNE, December 27 : The West Indies just scrapped past the follow-on target meaning Australia will have to bat in their second innings on Thursday's third day.

Replying a mammoth Australia's total of 364, South Africa could barely make 165, all out, just saving a humiliating follow-on. With three days still to go, the Australians are firmly in the driver's seat to notch up their 14th successive Test victory. Bichel was the star performer, taking five for 60, including the prize scalp of Lara.

The Windies openers Ganga and Campbell pottered around unconvincingly, struggling to get runs on the board in spite of a very attacking field. Gillespie duly got rid of both of them, and Lara walked into bat in the twelfth over, with the score reading six for two! However, Bichel did the star turn, forcing Lara to edge an attempted drive.

Mark Waugh held on to the catch in the slips, and the Aussies heaved a huge sigh of relief. Two more wickets followed at the score of 28, and suddenly the Aussies would have been thinking in terms of another three-day match. Jacobs and Samuels had other ideas though. They added an invaluable 75 runs to take the Windies past the 100 mark.

However, a brief interruption due to rain seemed to disturb his rhythm, and upon resumption, Jacobs fell to Bichel. Samuels continued unperturbed, as he guided the tail-enders towards the first target of 165.

The Windies achieved that, but only just – last batsman Walsh was run-out when Samuels urged him to go an impossible third run, after the follow-on had been averted.

Samuels remained undefeated on a fine 60. Bichel finished with career-best figures of five for 60, while Gillespie took three for 48.

The Aussies are now well on top, with three days to go.

The Aussies are well on their way to a 14th successive win, and only bad weather can save the Windies the humiliation of another comprehensive defeat.  

 Jacobs equals wicket-keeping record for Windies 

Melbourne, December 27: The West Indies might not have had much to celebrate after just managing to squeeze past the follow-on against Australia but wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs Wednesday claimed a slice of a proud record.

Jacobs equaled the world record for the number of a dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a Test innings by taking seven catches as Australia was bowled out for 364 in its first innings on the second day of the fourth cricket Test here.

And to cap off a fine day's work for a player who has been one of the few players to shine for the tourists, Jacobs returned later in the day to score a hard-hitting 42 to rescue his team's first innings.

Jacobs came to the wicket with his team in desperate trouble at 28 for five but thanks to his efforts, along with those of impressive newcomer Marlon Samuels (60 not out), the West Indies narrowly avoided the follow-on by reaching 165 -- 199 runs behind Australia's first innings.

That was the exact score the tourists needed to avoid batting again straight away and that should ensure the match will go at least four days.

Jacobs said he was surprised when told he equaled the wicket keeping dismissals record for a Test innings, jointly held by England's Bob Taylor, Pakistan's Wasim Bari and New Zealand's Ian Smith.

"I had no idea I'd equaled the record," Jacobs said. "I just go out there to give 100 percent and whatever comes my way, I appreciate."

 At tea, West Indies trailed Australia by 327 runs with five wickets left

Melbourne, December 27:  Australia had the West Indies on the run in a familiar series scenario on the second day of the fourth cricket Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here Wednesday.

After Steve Waugh completed his 23rd Test hundred to be unbeaten on 121 in Australia's first innings 364, the West Indies tattered as Waugh's team tightened the screws in their search for their 14th consecutive Test victory.

At tea, the tourists, with the series already over after losing the opening three Tests, were 37 for five with wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs on nine and Marlon Samuels yet to score.

Andy Bichel had 2-16 off six overs and Jason Gillespie 2-13 from eight overs with Glenn McGrath conceding just one scoring shot in his eight overs.

Gillespie removed Daren Ganga for four and Wavell Hinds, who was dropped twice in two balls before Michael Slater plucked a spectacular catch from mid-air in the gully, was out for a duck.

The West Indian champion batsman Brian Lara lasted 42 minutes before he was snapped up low down at second slip by Mark Waugh off Bichel for 16 to leave his team in convulsions at 28 for three.

Lara's dismissal signalled a chaotic 13-ball spell with the West Indies losing 3-0 as out-of-form opener Sherwin Campbell was caught close to the wicket by Matthew Hayden off Colin Miller for five -- just two scoring shots off 63 balls.

Captain Jimmy Adams lasted just six balls before a delivery from Bichel appeared to glance his gloves to offer Adam Gilchrist a catch behind for a duck.

At tea, the West Indies trailed Australia by 327 runs with five wickets left.

 Despite Toothache And Cramp Waugh Piled 103 

Melbourne, December 27, 2000: Despite severe toothache and cramp in buttock muscle, Australia Captain Steve Waugh guided Australia out of trouble after scoring 103. Australia recovered from humiliating 149 for five to reach respectable 364 in their first innings at lunch on the second day of the fourth cricket Test against the West Indies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Steve Waugh completed his 23rd Test century. The 35-year-old Test skipper pinched a quick single off Nixon McLean to beat the fieldsman's throw at the bowlers' end to reach his hundred. The run enabled Waugh to join West Indian great Viv Richards as the fifth all-time greatest runscorer with 8,450 runs, which he subsequently passed. He took 263 minutes to reach his hundred off 189 balls with 13 boundaries. It was Waugh's fifth Test century against the West Indies and third scored in Tests at the MCG. Waugh is playing in his 15th anniversary Test since his debut against India here in 1985. Early on the second day, Australia were 301 for seven in their first innings with Waugh on 103 and Jason Gillespie on 15.

 Captain's knock by Steve Waugh props up Aussies  

Melbourne, December 26: A superb, unbeaten 98 by Steve Waugh, and his unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership of 70 with Jason Gillespie took Australia to a respectable 295 for seven at stumps on day one of the fourth Test.

Earlier, Jimmy Adams won the toss and inserted the opposition on a wicket that had a fair sprinkling of grass.

Waugh came to the crease at the fall of Langer's wicket just after lunch, and held the innings together despite losing the top-order batsmen with alarming regularity.

The wickets were shared by the West Indian pacers - Dillon, McLean and new-comer Stuart taking two apiece.

The day began well for the Aussies, who saw off the first hour without losing a wicket.

Slater had a lucky escape though, Campbell dropping a simple chance at second slip when the batsman had scored just nine. Both Slater and Hayden looked to be settling in, when a couple of rash strokes saw both depart within six runs of each other.

Mark Waugh and Justin Langer saw Australia through to lunch without further alarms, but the slide started soon after lunch. Langer’s wicket was captured by debutant Stuart and Mark Waugh departed soon after, lobbing a catch to gully of a sharp lifter from Dillon, who has now dismissed him all five times in this series.

Steve Waugh came in when Australian’s were 105 for four and in trouble. Waugh added 44 runs for the fifth wicket with Ponting and 61 for the sixth with vice-captain Gilchrist.

However, Gilchrist and Bichel departed in quick succession, and at 225 for seven, the Windies would have hoped to restrict Australia to around 260.

Waugh found an able ally in Gillespie. The specialist night-watchman did his job to perfection, presenting a straight bat to everything in his 71-ball vigil at the crease.

The two have added 70 priceless runs so far, and would be looking to stitch together a few more on the morrow.

With the West Indies bowling, Walsh was the most economical, conceding just 38 runs off 22 overs. Debutant, Stuart bowled with class at a pace of 137-140 kmph and looked dangerous when he got his direction right.

 Huge crowd for Boxing Day

Melbourne, December 26: More than 73,000 fans flocked to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch Australian cricket's showpiece Boxing Day play in the fourth Test between Australia and the West Indies Tuesday.

After two years of rain intervention for the Tests against India and England, the sun shone to attract fans in vast numbers.

Late on the first day officials announced an opening day attendance of 73,233; the fourth biggest crowd for a Boxing Day Test in the heartland of Australian cricket.

Tuesday's crowd eclipsed the 72,891 that last saw the West Indies play Australia on December 26, 1996.

Sydney, December 23: The Australian team medical staff are unlikely to risk injured Australian fast bowler Brett Lee in the fourth cricket Test against the West Indies starting in Melbourne on Boxing Day.

Lee will fly to Melbourne Saturday to join the rest of the Australian squad knowing that his probability to play is not much.

The world's fastest bowler is keen to play but will be guided by a series of tests on his injured back under team doctor Trefor James and physiotherapist Errol Alcott.

If he shows any signs of discomfort, he will immediately be withdrawn from the Australian squad. Lee's fitness tests will not involve bowling, with medical staff putting him through a range of movements to see whether he feels pressure on the spine or joints.

"I don't think he's at great odds of starting," Alcott said Friday. "If we assess him and he's not quite right and he needs a bit more time we won't be risking him."

If that is the case, officials would seem unlikely to risk him in the fifth Test of the series in Sydney, which starts only three days after the Melbourne Test.

Lee has been left to his own devices since Australian medical staff discovered a stress reaction in the L3 vertebra in his lower back after the second Test in Perth.

Gilchrist is the hot favourite for the biggest job in cricket

Adelaide, December 23: By leading Australia to a hard-earned world record 13th successive Test win in the third Test against the West Indies in Adelaide, Gilchrist has become the hot favourite for the biggest job in cricket. Gilchrist will step down for the next Test, starting in Melbourne on December 26, provided Waugh is deemed to have recovered from an injury which has sidelined him since the second Test in Perth more than two weeks ago.

But it could only be a matter of time before Waugh's ageing body he is only half a year short of 36 opens the door for a full-time replacement leader. Gilchrist has been under the microscope as cricket followers consider whether he has the maturity to handle the dual roles of captaincy and wicket keeping, a massive double burden in the modern game in which off-field demands are as onerous as those on it.

The 29-year-old became the first Australian Test wicketkeeper-captain since Barry Jarman 32 years ago. Jarman, while admiring Gilchrist, has expressed doubts about whether one man can do justice to both jobs in the long term.

Gilchrist declared that, while it was difficult for anyone to make a judgment on one Test, he would certainly not reject an invitation to lead his country full-time.

"This has been a great experience for me and there will be many, many different opinions on whether it's possible, but I've really enjoyed it and if I'm called upon to take it on again I would be more than happy," Gilchrist said.

"It's the proudest moment of my cricket career. Like any Test match, you forget about aches and pains when you win, but I don't feel any more drawn or exhausted than after any other game.

"I felt that it didn't affect my game technically or the way I was contributing in regards to my job as a wicketkeeper and batsman.

"It's been a huge honour and a big thrill. I've learned a great deal and if I'm ever called upon again, I'll be able to look back on this Test, particularly because it was so tough, and draw from that."

Gilchrist has had a golden run since he made his Test debut only 13 months ago. He has played in 12 Tests — and Australia have won them all. Not least because of his 55 dismissals behind the stumps and an aggregate of 746 runs at an average of 53.28 with his sledgehammer bat.

 Lee's career might be saved by an MRI scan

Australia, Dec 22: Geoff Lawson, the former Aussie fast bowler believes that early detection of Brett Lee's back problem may save his career, although he might have back problems for a while. The 24-year-old quick will assemble with the Australian team in Melbourne, and will have extensive MRI scans of the bone around the L3-L4 lumbar region of his lower back to determine his fitness for the fourth Test. 

Lawson, who is the fast bowling coach of the state side, believes that advancements in medical science since the 80s will put Lee's career back on track.

“The great thing these days is that you can be very objective about it,'' Lawson said.

"The first sign of an injury, they send them for a scan of some description, whether it's a bone scan or an MRI or whatever, and it tells them exactly what's going on. You don't have to rely on the player's report of what the pain's like."

Lee's troubles started at Perth, where he complained of back problems after taking 5/61 on the last day of the Test match against the Windies. Brett is apparently "champing at the bit'' to get back into the thick of things.  The early detection of his back problem would ensure that he doesn't suffer a stress fracture.

"The bone's the same as any other bone, they heal the same as any other bone, and they've got to it before it's a stress fracture. So it's really only a matter of taking a couple of weeks of stress off it and it's back to pretty good condition," said Lawson.

"If the next MRI is fine, he's right to play, it's that simple these days."  Lawson, who has monitored Lee's action at NSW training in recent years, said injury was part of the process of bowling fast.

"His action's fine to generate pace, it's just that fast bowling puts stress on your back," Lawson said.  "There's this theory going around that if you've got the perfect action you won't get injured. It's not like that. Fast bowlers are going to get injured, and some get injured more than others." One thing is for sure – the Aussies are not going to play him at Melbourne unless he's 100% fit.

 Brett Lee, Steve Waugh included in squad for Boxing Day Test 

Australia, December 20: The CEO of the ACB, Malcolm Speed announced today that Brett Lee and Steven Waugh have been included in the squad for the Boxing Day Test against the Windies, at the MCG. However, both will have to pass a fitness test, before being included in the final 11.  

In the event of Waugh playing, Gilchrist will once again be vice-captain of the team, and the luckless Damien Martyn might have to step aside. Steve Waugh, who missed the Adelaide Test with a torn muscle in his buttock, seems to be fairly confident of recovering sufficiently to play in the fourth Test.

Steve said from Melbourne: "I've done a fair bit of work over the last ten days and the buttock is feeling good."  When quizzed as to whether he would play in Melbourne, Waugh replied: "I hope so.

I will have a fitness test in four days time and if it's good then I'll play but I'm confident at the moment.''

Brett Lee on the other hand will have a scan just before the Test, which will be the judge on him. If the stress is still to be found in his back, Lee will not be risked as it could lead to a career-threatening stress fracture.

If both Waugh and Lee are fit to play, the Aussie selectors will face the embarrassing problem of whom to drop. Their replacements at Adelaide, Miller and Martyn, starred in Australia's victory in the third Test. Miller in particular will be difficult to omit, after securing the man of the match prize at Adelaide for his ten-wicket haul.  

 Australia's consecutive 13 Test win 

Adelaide, Australia, Dec 19: Australia won the third test against the West Indies at Adelaide Oval to wrap up the five-Test series 3-0 and retain the Frank Worrell Trophy. Set a victory target of 130 after bundling out the tourists for a paltry second innings 141, the home country finished with 130 for five to extend to 13 their world record of consecutive Test wins. They were guided home by Damien Martyn (34 not out) and acting captain Adam Gilchrist (10) after Justin Langer had been dismissed for 48.

Despite a much improved performance in Adelaide, West Indies have now lost 16 of their past 18 away games. The most heartening feature for the Windies here was that champion batsman Brian Lara at last found his best Test form, with knocks of 182 and 39. But the rest of the tourists' batting remained below par. The next best contribution came from skipper Jimmy Adams, who hit a patient 49 in just over three hours in the first innings.

Australia's match-winner off-spinner Colin Miller, who captured five scalps in each innings for a match return of 10-113 -- the first time he has captured 10 wickets in a Test.

It was Miller, won the man of the match award, who put Australia firmly on the victory path Monday when he mesmerised the Windies' batsmen as they faltered disastrously on a wearing pitch.

 Lara was key wicket for Australia

Adelaide, December 19: Australia off-spinner Colin Miller, who celebrated his first 10-wicket test haul on Monday, said it had been vital to dismiss Brian Lara early.

At the close of the fourth day of the third test, Australia needed only 32 runs to clinch the series with six second innings wickets in hand.

Lara, who scored 182 in West Indies first innings, fell to Miller for 39 on Monday as his team collapsed to 141 all out. One of his victims, opener Daren Ganga, was at the centre of a row before lunch when he was given not out by Srinivas Venkataraghavan after wicketkeeper and captain Adam Gilchrist had claimed a catch off Miller.

Ganga exchanged words with some of the fielders and Lara marched down the pitch to get involved before the umpires stepped in to restore calm. Miller, who eventually trapped Ganga for 32 after lunch, was quick to play down the incident.

"I thought we had a wicket and Venkat didn't think we had a wicket so that was basically it. Not a lot was really said between the players, just the normal banter that goes on when a team thinks they've had a batsman out." Miller explained.

 Australia back in command as Miller destroys the West Indian second innings

Adelaide, December 18: Veteran off-spinner Colin Miller destroyed the West Indies second innings as Australia made a bold bid for victory on the fourth day of the third Test at Adelaide Oval here on Monday. Miller, 37 early next year, who captured 5-81 in the first innings, claimed 5-32 in the second to complete a Test 10-wicket match haul for the first time.

The West Indies were all out for 141 shortly before tea after losing eight wickets in less than a session, leaving Australia a victory target of 130 in four sessions.

Australia is chasing a 13th successive Test win after establishing a world record of 12 consecutive victories in Perth two weeks ago.

The West Indies collapsed dramatically in the second session after appearing to be reasonably well placed at lunch with 82 for two, holding an overall lead of 70.

Miller was well supported by champion paceman Glenn McGrath, who captured three for 27. The delicately poised game swung Australia's way soon after lunch when the home team took the vital wickets of left-hander Brian Lara (39) and opener Daren Ganga (32).

Miller, who troubled all the batsmen on the wearing pitch, trapped both the wickets. The prized wicket of Lara, who made a classic 182 in the first innings, came when the threatening left-hander had added only five to his lunch score.

Before lunch, Lara had hammered the Australian attack again, racing to 34 in 41 minutes from 32 balls, helped by three fours and a massive six.

Ganga fell leg before to Miller when the 36-year-old earned a verdict from neutral umpire Srinivas Venkataraghavan, from India.

That gave Miller his 50th wicket in his 15th Test. The wickets kept on falling with leg-spinner Stuart MacGill ousting Marlon Samuels (3) and Miller snapping up skipper Jimmy Adams (15) and Nixon McLean (0) and wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs (2) McGrath mopped up the tail by dismissing Mervyn Dillon (19) and Courtney Walsh (0) in quick succession.

 MacGill says sorry to Sarwan over collision

Adelaide, December 18: Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has apologized to West Indies 12th man Ramnaresh Sarwan over an incident on the third day of the third Test at Adelaide Oval Sunday, match referee Alan Smith said here on Monday.

The players collided in the player’s race, just off the field, as MacGill was returning to the Australian dressing room after being controversially dismissed late in the day.

Smith interviewed both players after play Sunday night. In a statement issued on Monday, Smith said he had warned MacGill he should be more careful in future.

Smith said in the statement, "MacGill regrets the collision, which he did not intend. However, he has accepted responsibility for the accident and has apologized warmly to Sarwan; this apology has been equally warmly accepted."

"The captains, players and management of Australia and the West Indies are determined that the good relationship between the teams should carry on as before.

"Having completed my inquiry into the incident, I am satisfied the teams have sorted it out amicably, but I have warned MacGill he should be more careful in future." The incident occurred shortly after MacGill had been ruled out, caught behind the wicket, by Australian umpire Steve Davis. TV replays showed the ball had struck MacGill's helmet, but made no contact with his bat or gloves.

 West Indian bowlers fight back 

Adelaide Dec17: Australia, with 355 for five at tea, appeared to be coasting towards a big first innings lead. However, the Windies lifted in the final session to snatch four wickets, leaving Australia with 403 for nine, with a lead of 12, over the tourists first innings 391.

Ponting had reached 86 not out at tea, with Australia a handsome 355 for five, only 36 runs behind the tourists 391, at Adelaide Oval. Damien Martyn was partnering Ponting with an unbeaten 25. Ponting slammed nine fours in his 139-ball assault.

Ponting, who will be 26 in two days, had reached 86 not out at tea, and appeared well on track for his eighth century in 37 Tests.

The tourists struck back again to remove Ricky Ponting (92), acting captain Adam Gilchrist (9), Stuart McGill (6) and Colin Miller (1).

Veteran speedster Courtney Walsh took the vital wicket of Ponting before Nixon McLean trapped Gilchrist and Miller and Mervyn Dillon accounted for McGill.

It was Walsh's second wicket of the innings, boosting his tally of Test scalps to 488. He is already the greatest wicket-taker in the history of the game and now has a reasonable chance of reaching the magic 500-wicket total before the end of the series.

Mac gill departed controversially, ruled by Australian umpire Steve Davis to have been caught by Jacobs off Dillon. He appeared mystified by the decision and TV replays suggested the ball had struck his helmet rather than bat or glove.

As he entered the player’s race after he had walked off the field, MacGill collided with West Indian 12th man Ramnaresh Sarwan, who was walking in the opposite direction.

The West Indies secured their first big breakthrough after lunch when paceman Dillon removed Mark Waugh for 63.  Waugh, playing from the crease, was rapped on the pad, and umpire Srinivas Venkataraghavan ruled him lbw.

Waugh had occupied the crease for three and a half hours, hitting six fours, and sharing in a stand of 123 in 151 minutes with Ponting.

The West Indies only pre-lunch success came when Walsh removed nightwatchman Jason Gillespie for four after the right-hander had added two runs.

Damien Martyn, unbeaten with 46, and Glenn McGrath will resume on Monday at the start of the fourth day of the enthralling five-day game.

Leading 2-0 in the five-match series, Australia will clinch the rubber and retain the Frank Worrell Trophy if they win, as well as extend their world record sequence of 12 successive Test wins.

 Windies strike thrice after huge opening stand 

Adelaide, Dec 16, 2000: West Indies teenager Marlon Samuels made a scintillating debut here on Saturday by snatching two late wickets as Australia ended with 180 for three on the second day of the third Test.

It left the Aussies 180 for three, still 211 runs behind the West Indian first innings score of 391. Together at the crease were Mark Waugh (10) and nightwatchman Jason Gillespie (2).  

Openers Michael Slater and Matthew Hayden hit out boldly, smashing 156 runs in 165 minutes before Hayden was run out for 58 in the 38^th over off Sherwin Campbell. Then Samuels, a batsman/off-spinner from Jamaica who joined the touring squad only a week ago, maintained the West Indies impetus by ousting Slater (83) and Justin Langer (6) in the space of eight balls. In his next over, Samuels then removed little left-hander Justin Langer, as Lara held a sharp catch at slip.

The Slater-Hayden run-surge followed a superb 182 by Windies batting superstar Brian Lara, who hit the fourth-highest score of his illustrious 73-Test career. Resuming with an unbeaten 136 when the West Indies went back to the crease with 274 for four, Lara battered another eight fours, most of them off luckless leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.

Lara cracked his world Test record 375 against England in St John's, Antigua, in 1994; 277 against Australia in Sydney in 1993; and 213 off the Australian attack in Kingston last year. He is also the holder of the record for the highest score in first-class cricket: his 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in an English county championship game in 1994.

The West Indies lower-order had crumbled again after Lara had been dismissed. The tourists crashed from a formidable 354 for five immediately before Lara's dismissal to 391 all out, losing their last five wickets to off-spinner Colin Miller. Lara was at the crease for almost six hours, finishing with 29 thundering fours and one six.

He finally fell when he drove at a delivery from Miller, edged and was snapped up by Mark Waugh at slip.

Lara received wonderful support from Samuels. Paceman Jason Gillespie struck the first blow of the day for Australia in the opening over when he trapped nightwatchman Mervyn Dillon (nine) to have wonderful figures of 5-89.

Miller, a veteran of almost 37 who is playing in only his 15th Test, then took over, capturing 5 for 11 off 8.5 overs as he snatched the wickets of Lara, Samuels, Nixon McLean (0), Ridley Jacobs (21) and Courtney Walsh (0).  

 I owed this to the team: Lara  

Adelaide, Dec 15, 2000:   Brian Lara said he felt he had repaid a debt to West Indian cricket after scoring a magnificent 136 not out on the first day of the third test against Australia on Friday.

Lara smashed 21 fours and a six to help the tourists finish the opening day at Adelaide Oval on 274 for four after losing the first two tests. "I think I owed the team badly after the first two test matches,'' Lara said.

"We’ve been under a lot of pressure and we've been working pretty hard as a team to try and pull things back."

"It's been a rough ride for me. The runs have been coming but not in the right matches so I'm happy to have got some runs in the test today.''

Despite struggling with a chronic hamstring strain that has plagued him for five months, Lara showed his determination to regain his touch with a double-century last weekend against Australia A.

"My hamstring has been bothering me for five to six months but I've only missed one one-day international because of it,'' Lara said.

"The main thing is you're there to play cricket for your country and whatever the circumstances are you've got to stick it out.

"We know we played badly in the first two test matches. As a team we batted badly and as a batsman I've got to work on my game to make a contribution. Lately, Lara has been badly out of form this series with scores of 0, 4, 0 and 17 and this has been mirrored by the team's dismal performance.

Lara and West Indies captain Jimmy Adams steadily rebuilt the innings after the tourists had been reduced to 86 for three, putting on 183 together.

"I really enjoyed batting with Jimmy. We had a significant partnership again today and we played an important part,'' Lara said.

"Hopefully tomorrow I can go on and help the team get a very big score and put some pressure on Australia because they are the best team in the world.

"They're playing very good cricket and it's going to take a very good cricket team to beat then, not just a good batting performance but a good bowling performance.

"We’ve had a good day today but we need to bat for at least two more sessions, if we do that then I think we can get a good score.''

 Lara's unbeaten ton takes West Indies to 274/4

A relieved Lara said late on Friday, "I enjoyed that. I rate the innings pretty highly. Hopefully, tomorrow I can go on and get what the team needs we need a very big score to put pressure on Australia.

Lara said he was pleased that, for the first time this southern summer, he won a fascinating duel with Australia's champion paceman Glenn McGrath, who has trapped him three times so far here and 14 times in all Tests.

"Glenn is a very good bowler, but today was for batsmen more than bowlers, with the hot weather and the flat pitch. I am certainly happy to get one up on him."

The West Indies needed to bat for another two sessions to put Australia under heavy pressure and forge a potentially winning position, Lara said.

Lara and Mervyn Dillon (3 n.o) will resume when the game continues on Saturday.

Lara and skipper Jimmy Adams carved out a West Indies record fourth-wicket stand for Adelaide of 183, beating the 123 made by Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards in 1988-89.

Lara's century was his first in nine innings since he took 112 from the England attack in Manchester in August.

 Steve Waugh advices the new skipper Gilchrist to be himself 

Adelaide, Australia, Dec 15: Injured captain Steve Waugh, who led Australia to a world record 12 successive Test wins, has advised Adam Gilchrist to be his own man when he takes over in the third cricket Test against the West Indies starting on Friday. Waugh is sidelined with a strained muscle in his left buttock. He is expected to be fit for the fourth Test, starting in Melbourne on Boxing Day (December 26).  

Gilchrist, 29, the first Australian wicketkeeper in 32 years to lead his country, said he did not consider there were any special pressures facing himself or the team as they attempt to extend their winning run to 13 Tests and wrap up the current five-Test series 3-0. "We have had a tremendous run and Steve has done a great job as captain, and I am thrilled to be given this challenge. We will go out and play the same way, we have planned the same way and hopefully we will execute those plans in the same fashion," he said. "Winning has become a habit for this team, and it's a nice habit to have." 

Gilchrist said he had also been advised by former Australian captain Richie Benaud to do the job his own way. "We are not cut and dried on a decision here yet. and I certainly won't do it just because Steve has been doing it. I'll go on what I think in consultation with vice-captain Ricky Ponting and the other guys."

Referring to champion West Indies batsman Brian Lara's return to form, with a double century earlier in the week, Gilchrist said:" They were first-class runs, but they were not Test cricket runs.

It is an opportunity to let others see whether I can cope with it. It's a great opportunity for me to work out if I can take on the responsibility and continue to contribute to the team in the manner I have so far in my career.

 Lara declared fit for Adelaide Test  

Perth, December 15: Enigmatic batting star Brian Lara passed a rigid fitness test here late on Thursday and will play for the West Indies in the crucial third cricket Test against Australia.

The outcome is a massive relief for the Windies, 0-2 down in the series and needing a draw at least here to retain a serious interest in the five-match rubber for the Frank Worrell trophy.

Lara, 31, has hamstring and shoulder niggles. The hamstring problem has plagued him from before the tour, but the shoulder worry developed during his classic 231 against an Australia A side in Hobart, Tasmania, early in the week. Leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo was also declared fit after previously being said to be in doubt with a foot injury.

Nagamootoo, 25, is the only specialist spinner in the squad and appears to have good prospects of being called up for only his second Test as the Adelaide pitch is predicted to be responsive to spin over the past couple of days. Lara's double century against Australia A could turn around the rattled squad after their four-game losing streak in Australia, Harper said.

Two of the losses were in the Brisbane and Perth Tests, in which Lara was dismissed for 0, 4, 0 and 17 during a losing bout with his nemesis, ace fast bowler Glenn McGrath. "Brian Lara playing well means a lot to the team and he really batted magnificently in Hobart," Harper said. "To get a 365 partnership with Ridley Jacobs has had a tremendous effect on the team and we're looking forward to the Test match with great anticipation.'' 

The Windies will meet an under-strength Australia after the home team lost captain Steve Waugh (strained left buttock) and strike bowler Brett Lee (back soreness) following the crushing second Test win in Perth 12 days ago.

But Harper said the Windies could not take any comfort from Australia's injuries, insisting "any team Australia puts out will be a very tough team.''

 Lara remains under injury as West Indies prepare for crucial test 

Australia, Dec 14 : Brian Lara remained under an injury as the West Indies prepared for the crucial third cricket Test against Australia, starting at Adelaide Oval Friday.

Skipper Jimmy Adams said a decision on whether he would play might not be made until shortly before the match. Lara, 31, has hamstring and shoulder injuries. The hamstring problem has plagued him since before the tour, but the shoulder worry developed during his classic 231 against an Australia A side in Hobart, Tasmania, early in the week.

Adams said that because Lara was so experienced, team management would be guided largely by how he said he felt. "He has been around long enough and he has played enough internationals to know how he needs to feel to complete the game. He will have a big say."

West Indies, trailing by 0-2 in the five match series, must at least avoid defeat in Adelaide to stay alive in the series for the Frank Worrell Trophy.

 Gilchrist to captain Australia for third Test  

Adam Gilchrist has been named as Australia's 41st Test match captain, and will lead the side in the Third Ansett Australia Test match in Adelaide starting on Friday 15 December, 2000.

Ricky Ponting has also been named as vice-captain of the match. Gilchrist takes over from Stephen Waugh who damaged his left buttock muscle during the Second Ansett Australia Test match in Perth. The announcement was made by ACB Chairman Dennis Rogers in a media conference at Melbourne Airport on Tuesday morning.

 Shane Warne still not recovered from injury 

December 7, 2000: Shane Warne, who is still recovering from a finger injury, will not be able to return for the Boxing Day Test against West Indies. However, he is hopeful of making a comeback for the series against West Indies and Zimbabwe beginning on January 11.

Warne was sidelined for six weeks since breaking his finger while playing for Victoria in a Sheffield Shield match in October. His original goal was to be back for the fourth Test against the West Indies, starting at the MCG on December 26.

"I'm not ruling myself out for Boxing Day, I might wake up tomorrow and suddenly I've got full movement and no pain in my finger," Warne told ABC radio. "But I think my aim will probably be the one-day series."

Warne said that he is not planning to rush back too early. “Generally when you are right you should give yourself an extra couple of weeks and make sure you are 110 percent,” he said. “If I'm not right in the next couple of weeks then I won't play.” Australia's Test wicket record-holder was confident about reclaiming his place despite the national side having strolled to a 2-0 series lead against the West Indies in his absence. “I don't have to prove anything to anyone,” he said. “I think the last 10 years, what I have been able to achieve on and off the field, has been pretty good.”

Warne was also confident he would quickly regain his form. "Last year through England in county cricket and the start of this season, my form was as good as it's ever been," he said. "That has been the most frustrating thing because I was fit and doing everything well."

 Australia scores a remarkable win and breaks the record 

December 4, 2000: Australia’s remarkable sequence win in test matches reached its peak, when they thrashed the West Indies by an innings and 27 runs on the third day of the second Test at Perth's WACA Ground. It was their 12^th consecutive win in test matches. It is the greatest winning sequence in the sport since Test cricket began 123 years ago, beating the 11 victories on the trot by Clive Lloyd's champion Caribbean team of the mid-1980s.

Aussies got the Windies out for 173 in the second innings after Australia hammered 396 in their knock. The end came in front of an ecstatic crowd of 11,057, when express bowler Brett Lee trapped veteran tail ender lbw 19 minutes after tea.

Lee finished with the brilliant figures of 5-61. As soon as Walsh was dismissed, Australian players formed in a huddle on the field, congratulating each other. Stumps were souvenired and players walked round the ground waving to the crowd.

Australia's remarkable winning sequence under skipper Steve Waugh began in Zimbabwe where they won a one-off match in Harare 14 months ago. This was followed by 3-0 clean sweeps over Pakistan and India in Australia last summer and a 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand there shortly after.

Australia equaled the old record in Brisbane and surpassed it with another irrepressible performance here, which underlines the side's claims as by far the best in current Test ranks. West Indies started their day at 16-2 and showed glimpses of a fight as Opening batsman Daren (Daren) Ganga and left-hander Wavell Hinds kept out the hungry Australian attack for 44 minutes.

The first to go was Ganga, who fell to speedster Jason Gillespie for 20 when third slip Matthew Hayden took a superb diving catch. Brian Lara failed to perform to his potential failed once again, as he was bowled by leg-spinner Stuart MacGill for 17.  Lara fell to the rash shot after courageously surviving a ferocious assault by the Australian pace attack, led by Glenn McGrath, the man who dismissed him in his three previous Test failures on this tour.

MacGill also took Hinds' wicket on the stroke of lunch to make the tourists a hopeless 95 for five. Hinds, who hit a half-century in the first innings, made 41 in almost two hours, with six thunderous boundaries.

The downfall continued after lunch as fast bowler Brett Lee sent back the luckless Ramnaresh Sarwan (1), who now has three runs from four innings in the series. Skipper Jimmy Adams, who finished with an unbeaten 40, and Ridley Jacobs (24) offered stern resistance in a 54-run stand before Jacobs was run out. 

 Australia can get better: Steve Waugh

Perth, Dec 4: Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh predicted that his side, which set a new world record 12 successive Test wins by beating the West Indies at the WACA Ground, can get better.

“I think this is still the beginning and we can get better,” Waugh said after Australia crushed the Windies by an innings and 27 runs shortly after tea Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The 12 wins in a row is the greatest winning sequence in the sport since Test cricket began 123 years ago, beating the 11 victories on the trot by Clive Lloyd's champion Caribbean team of the mid-1980s.

“We don't want to take our foot off the accelerator now,” Waugh said. "We want to keep improving. “You get the feeling among the side that it is a special team and we can really go places," he said, adding the team get so much joy out of playing well and winning that we don't want to lose that feeling.” He said the team had never set out to win 12 Tests in a row.

“We simply set a target to win the next Test we play, so that won't change,” he said. “Now we have the opposition 2-0 down, we must fancy our chances of winning the next three. This was a really good professional win,” he said. “We are doing the job and doing the little things right and following our plans really well.”

“When that last West Indies wicket fell we felt something very special. Walking around the ground we sang out team song - and that is something we will take with us for the rest of our lives.” Australia's win was made all the sweeter because it was the first time the home country had beaten the West Indies here in six Test tussles between the sides.

 I am proud of the way Mark played:  Steve 

PERTH, Dec 4: Australian batsman Mark Waugh's performance showed he had more mental toughness than he had been credited with, his twin brother, Australian captain Steve Waugh, said here on Sunday.

“Obviously, he has been under intense scrutiny, rightly or wrongly,” Steve Waugh said, in an apparent reference to Mark Waugh's alleged involvement in providing information for money to an Indian bookmaker.

CBI had named Mark Waugh in their report on match fixing. He vehemently denied all those charges. His brilliant 119 in Australia's innings played a key part in the host's win at the WACA Ground Sunday, when they swamped the West Indies by an innings and 27 runs in the second Test to set a world record of 12 successive Test victories.

“That century was really important for him, as he has been under a lot of pressure, and it was a great effort,” said Steve Waugh. “It shows he has a lot more mental toughness than he has been given credit for over the years. I think eventually when our careers have ended, people will recognise that we are equally mentally tough and equally talented as well,” He added.

“We might play in a different fashion, but I think that deep down we are pretty similar.” Steve said he had more emotions for Mark than for other players. “You feel a bit more about what was going on and how he was down, and it has probably affected my game a bit as well. It is not easy going into matches when Mark is under scrutiny, and obviously part of the family, so it has been hard all round. To get a hundred of the sort he got against a quality attack in difficult circumstances - I am really proud of the way he played.”

 Injured Steve Waugh doubtful for Adelaide

Perth, December 3: Australian captain Steve Waugh is in doubt for the third Test against West Indies in Adelaide on December 15 after being injured in the second Test here.

Team physiotherapist Errol Alcott said that Steve had a torn muscle in his left buttock, received while fielding in the current second Test at the WACA Ground in Perth Friday. "The condition usually takes two to four weeks to right itself, so it could be touch and go for him for the next Test," Alcott said.

Waugh was restricted in his movements while batting Saturday, and was also limited when he led his team on to the field for the start of the West Indies second innings late in the day. "We'll try to get him through tomorrow (Sunday) and then reassess the situation," Alcott said.

If Waugh is unable to line up in Adelaide, the new vice-captain Adam Gilchrist would probably lead the side. Gilchrist was chosen for the Test side for the first time just over a year ago, but has made such a huge impact in that time that he was named Waugh's deputy.

Waugh would not want to sideline himself during the remainder of the present game, in which Australia stands on the threshold of completing a world record 12 Test wins in succession.  

 Mark Waugh hits 119, as Aus takes charge 

Perth, December 2: Mark Waugh showed no signs off pressure from any quarter as he hit a magnificent century to take Australia to 396. Australian captain Steve Waugh declared the Australian innings with the lead of 200 runs. To make matters worse, West Indies were 16-2 at the close of day 2. Opener Sherwin Campbell was the first one to go as he gave a simple catch at gully and that gave Lee a wicket. Night watchman Mervyn Dillon was the other casualty as McGrath snapped him. 

Earlier Mark Waugh hit a brilliant 119 to bolster the Australian innings. It was a a typical Mark Waugh knock, full of elegance and exquisite timing.  He hit some brilliant drives, and his flicks were truly classy. Besides him, Adam Gilchrist made a quick 50 before he got out to Walsh. Brett lee once again was amongst runs as he made 41 not out. As Australia reached 396-8, Steve Waugh decided to declare the innings and wanted his bowlers to take a shot at the West Indian openers. With a lead of 184 runs, and two days to go Australia has every chance to win the match and beat the West Indian record of 12 consecutive test wins. 

 Jacobs fights it out for the Windies as Aus reaches 72-2 

Perth, December 1: Ridley Jacobs saved his team from yet another disastrous performance as he made an unbeaten 96. West Indies were all out for 196 on the first day of the second test against Australia. At stumps, Australia were 72-2 after losing Slater and Langer cheaply. Slater was caught off the bowling of Dillon for 19 and Langer was caught by Sarwan for just 5 runs.

Earlier in the day, West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs played a fighting innings of 96 not out after Windies were reeling at 51-5. It was a stupendous effort from Jacobs and one that deserved a century. However, he ran out of partners as West Indies were all out for 196. Glenn McGrath was the star of the day as he took his 300th wicket, that of Lara and also a hat trick, which put the brakes on the West Indians. Gilispie took three wickets for 46 runs and Lee took two for 52. 

Jacobs was involved in a handy partnership with Dillon, who made 27 runs before he was caught by Hayden. Hinds, who played his first test against Australia made 50 runs.  

 McGrath spells disaster for Windies again, takes 300 wickets and a hat trick 

Perth, Nov 30: Glenn McGrath took three wickets in three balls as West Indies was again in trouble at 65-5 at lunch. In the process, McGrath took his 300^th wicket and took Australia an inch closer to their 12^th consecutive test victory. His first victim was Sherwin Campbell, who was undone by a beauty, which pitched on middle and swung towards the off-stump and took the edge. The very next ball McGrath took Lara’s wicket as Mcgill caught him at gully. Adams was facing the hat trick ball and he obliged McGrath fully be giving a simple catch at forward short leg. 

Sarwan, who was initially dropped from the team but was picked again at the last moment failed again. Slater caught him for 2 off Lee. McGrath would have got his 4^th wicket as well, had Ponting held on to the catch of Jacobs. In all of this, Hinds was going strong with 43 not out and was playing positively.

 McGrath takes aim at 500 test wickets 

PERTH, Nov 29: Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath has his eye set on the 500 wickets mark. He has now taken 298 in 63 tests and should very soon become only the third Australian behind Shane Warne (366) and Dennis Lillee (355) to reach the 300 mark.

McGrath, 30, took 10 wickets for just 27 runs as Australia won the first test against the West Indies by an innings and 126 runs on Saturday. The second test starts in Perth on Friday. "I'm really enjoying it at the moment and the body feels great and I'm bowling well," McGrath told reporters. "My ultimate goal is to play 100 tests and I'd like to average about five wickets a test at the end of my career so that's the aim."

McGrath is 16th on the all-time list of test wicket-takers. West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh, 38, who took 1-78 in the Brisbane match, is on top with 484. "I don't play the game (for records) but it's good to do those things," McGrath said.

No other bowler in history has ever taken 10 or more wickets for less runs in a test match but McGrath insists there was nothing special about his latest haul. "I just bowled it in the spot, I just tried to keep it simple," McGrath said.

 Australia breaks the record and the West Indies 

Brisbane, Nov 25: Australia not only broke the World record of 11 consecutive test wins, but also humiliated the West Indies team to the core. They were beaten by and innings and 126 runs and the chief contributor was the man himself, Glenn McGrath. He took 10 wickets in the match and was deservedly the man of the match. He got the wicket of Lara in both innings. 

Resuming the innings at 25-2, West Indies kept losing wickets at regular intervals and was all out for 124. The first one to go was Ganga who was stumped by Gilchrist off the bowling of McGill. Sarwan was bowled to a beauty by Brett Lee. The batsman had no chance of playing that and was out for a duck. Jimmy Adams also did not stay on for too long as Lee dismissed him for 16 again. Chanderpaul on the other hand was firm and determined to salvage some pride. He made an unbeaten 62 and watched the mighty Australians destroy his team. McGrath removed Dillon for a second duck of the match. He took 4 wickets and Lee took three. Bichel took one.

It is the second time in this year, that West Indies was dismissed twice under two and a half days and with 4 more test matches coming up, they will have to do a lot of rethinking.

 West Indies in trouble again 

Brisbane, Nov 24: West Indies was 25-2 at the close of day 2 after dismissing Australia for 332 runs. With the lead of 250 runs and 2 wickets already down, West Indies were in serious trouble. The bad news for them is Lara was out once again to McGrath after making just 4 runs. 

McGrath also dismissed Campbell for a duck. Australia started their day at 1-107 but lost three wickets very quickly. The first to go was Michael Slater who got out on the first ball that he had faced. Campbell caught him off the bowling of Black. Three balls later, Jacobs out caught Bichel. Australia suffered another blow when Langer was nicely caught by Jacobs again.

Waugh brothers resurrected the innings some bit but that did not stay that long as Mark Waugh was caught by Dillon of his own bowling. He made 24. His brother also did not last for that long as Campbell, which gave Dillon his second wicket, caught him brilliantly. Ricky Ponting looked good in short stay as he made 20 before becoming Black’s 4^th victim. Gilchrist made a quick 48 before being caught by Jacobs. But some brilliant batting by Brett Lee, who made an unbeaten 69, took Australia to a respectable score of 332. He along with McGill played some amazing shots and displayed one bit of his talent, which had never done so in the past. His shots came from the middle of the bat and a six off Black was absolutely magnificent. McGill 99. Black was the highest wicket taker from the West Indies as he took 4 and Dillon took 3.  

 West Indies comes back strongly

Brisbane, Nov 24: In a bid to make a strong come back, West Indies bowler dismissed 8 Australian wickets for 285 runs. The bad news for them is that Australia has taken a lead of 200 runs.  Australia started their day at 1-107 but lost three wickets very quickly. The first to go was Michael Slater who got out on the first ball that he had faced. Campbell caught him off the bowling of Black. Three balls later, Jacobs out caught Bichel. Australia suffered another blow when Langer was nicely caught by Jacobs again. Waugh brothers resurrected the innings some bit but that did not stay that long as Mark Waugh was caught by Dillion of his own bowling. He made 24. His brother also did not last for that long as Campbell, which gave Dillon his second wicket, caught him brilliantly. Ricky Ponting looked good in short stay as he made 20 before becoming Black’s 4^th victim. Gilchrist made a quick 47 before being caught by Jacobs.

 Australia has a field day against West Indies 

Brisbane, Nov 23: After dismissing West Indies for just 82, Australia were in a great position at the close of day one as they had made 107-1 at the loss of just one wicket, that of Mathew Hayden, who made 47. Slater was on 54 with Andrew Bichel, who had come in as the night watchman. The Aussies have taken a lead of 25 runs and with 9 wickets in hand, they have a brilliant chance of winning the test match. 

Earlier in the day, Glenn McGrath took 6 wickets for 17 runs and demolished the West Indian line up. Lara was out for a duck as he nicked one to Gilchrist off the bowling of McGrath. It was a dismal performance from the West Indians who produced their lowest total in this year alone. The other two came against England. The last 7 wickets fell for just 14 runs and infact McGrath was on hat trick twice before narrowly missing it.  

 McGrath destroys Windies line up, all out for 82

Brisbane, Nov 23: Jimmy Adam’s worst nightmare came true when his team was bundled out for just 82 in their first test match against Australia.

After winning the toss, Steve Waugh put West Indies to bat on a pitch, which was fast and had bounce but was not terrifying. West Indies suffered their biggest blow when Lara was undone by his nemesis on the first ball of McGrath’s new spell.  After reaching the mark of 2/45 fifteen minutes beyond the adjournment, the next seven wickets fell for seven wickets for fourteen runs. Another fifteen runs were somehow accrued from a contextually magnificent last wicket partnership between Jimmy Adams (16*) and Courtney Walsh (9). But by then, the damage had well and truly been inflicted.

The damage was done by none other than Glenn McGrath who returned with magnificent figures of 6/17 off twenty overs. During a display through which the West Indians seemingly found the exercise of middling the ball a near-impossible assignment, the paceman claimed 4/0 in the space of ten deliveries at one stage. In short, He was lethal and relentless. Twice, he found himself on the verge of hat-tricks; twice, they were only narrowly averted.

The new young hope of West Indies Sarwan was unnecessarily run out for a duck when he ridiculously attempted a second run with Ricky Ponting in rapid pursuit of a ball to short fine leg. With the exception of Shivnarine Chanderpaul (20), Daren Ganga (18) and Adams, the entire line-up was swept away in a fashion that defied credulity.

It all left the visitors crashing to a sub-one hundred total in a Test innings for the fourth time in less than two years. In all likelihood, it also left the fate of this particular Test match, being played on a pitch that hardly seems to contain the terrors that their batting seemed to imply, heading toward only one possible result.

 Waugh's word is good enough: Border 

Sydney, Nov 22: Former Australian cricket captain Allan Border has again come to the defence of Mark Waugh, saying the senior Test batsman had been "crucified" by the local media.

Border said that it is enough for ACB that Waugh has denied allegations that he had taken more money from an Indian bookmaker as they have every reason to believe him.

"The presumption of innocence has got to take precedence there," Border told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

"He's under a lot more pressure and it seems in the media, has been crucified. "He's saying one thing and an illegal bookmaker is saying another and we seem to be taking the illegal bookmaker's word on it. I'd sooner believe Mark Waugh's side of this and just get on with it."

Waugh, the twin brother of Test skipper Steve, has kept his silence since the renewed allegations. Waugh is yet to be questioned by Australian Cricket Board's special investigator into cricket corruption Greg Melick.

 Gillespie out of the first test

Brisbane, Nov 22: Jason Gillespie would be missing the first test against the West Indies due to a right hamstring strain. He was not considered fit to play the match. It would have been a big disappointment for the fast bowler who has spent the majority of last season recovering from a broken leg. Colin Miller is also out of the original 13-man Test squad with selectors releasing him to play for Victoria in a Sheffield Shield game against South Australia in Melbourne also starting on Thursday.

Andy Bichel and Stuart MacGill were named in a Test XI, with batsman Damien Martyn brought in as 12th man for the Test. Gillespie, who the Australians anticipated forming part of a three-man pace battery with Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, injured his hamstring while fielding for South Australia in a one-day game last Sunday against New South Wales in Sydney.

Team: Steve Waugh (captain), Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Andy Bichel, Stuart MacGill, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath. 12th man: Damien Martyn. 

 World-class pitch prepared at Perth: Curator

Perth, Nov 17: A world-class track would be ready for the second Australia-West Indies Test starting at the WACA Ground in 15 days said thee man who prepared a pitch umpires declared dangerous after only five overs had been bowled. "I've got no concerns about the quality of the wicket for the Test match," curator Richard Winter said at a media conference called by the Western Australian Cricket Association to quell criticism after Wednesday's farce.

Balls flying off the severely cracked strip could hurt, thought the umpires Keith Rinaldi and Randolph Woolridge as they called off a one-day inter-State Cup match between Western Australia and Queensland. "The Test wicket is looking really good, it has great grass cover, is very flat and there's no sign of any cracks at all," he said.

A number of Tests in Perth in the past decade have ended in only three days, but WACA officials say this is mainly because of the strength of the Australian side, rather than shortcomings in WACA pitches.

 Walsh and Lara ready to take on the Aussies: Adams

Melbourne, Nov 16:  West Indies captain Jimmy Adams said Courtney Walsh and Brian Lara will both be ready to face Australia in next week's first Test despite a lack of match practice. Walsh and Lara have yet to play a first-class match on tour, settling for Friday's four-day game against Victoria here as their only hitout before the first Test begins at Brisbane's Gabba ground next Thursday.

Lara has already hit two centuries in two festival matches while the 38-year-old Walsh has bowled just six overs on tour. But the world's leading Test wicket-taker looked as smooth as ever when he conceded just four runs against a Northern Territory Invitation XI in Alice Springs on Tuesday in his first workout.

Walsh was satisfied and that was good enough for Adams, who needs the veteran strike bowler to guide the Windies through a Test series he has labelled "the greatest challenge in world cricket". "Courtney calls the shots and tells me how he feels," Adams said. "He bowled six overs and said he was grooving pretty well. At his age that would do for me. "If the rhythm is there, he's happy. I've seen Courtney not play before Test matches but he goes to the nets and comes away saying 'the rhythm is there, the rhythm is there - I feel good'."

Lara has batted for almost four hours on tour and the 31-year-old has already said he wants to match that total during the Victoria game. Adams said the Windies would name a line-up "as close to the Test team as possible" but he was non-committal about the spots up for grabs.

Rookie paceman Kerry Jeremy is the only player unavailable while he recovers from a broken jaw suffered in the Windies' seven-wicket loss to Western Australia last week.  

 Australian team announced for the test series against Windies

Melbourne, Nov 16: Australian selectors announced the thirteen-strong line-up in preparation for next week's First Test against West Indies in Brisbane.

The have recalled pacemen Jason Gillespie and Andy Bichel to its Test squad. The return of the pair comes in the form of their respective inclusions in the Gillespie has returned to the team after fourteen long months since a sickening on-field collision with captain Steve Waugh in a match in Kandy put paid to thoughts of anything other than a long stint on the sidelines. He did renew his association with international cricket in the three-match one-day international series with South Africa three months ago but has not appeared in Test ranks since that fateful day in September 1999.

As expected, the Australians included two other players who were also missing from the team that represented them in their last Test appearance - against New Zealand in Hamilton in April. In the absence of Shane Warne (unavailable due to a serious finger injury), leg spinner Stuart MacGill rejoins the Test attack, while batsman Ricky Ponting also re-assumes a berth after an ankle injury had rendered him unavailable for the trip across the Tasman. Western Australia's Damien Martyn makes way for Ponting, while Warne and fellow Victorian Damien Fleming - who has also been badly injury-affected through the early part of the new Australian season - are the bowlers to have been replaced.

Australia will start the Test series, which begins on 23 November at the newly redeveloped 'Gabba ground, an overwhelming favourite. But both Waugh and the recent history of Test results between the two sides suggest that a comfortable win for the home team is far from the foregone conclusion that it might otherwise appear.

Test squad: Steve Waugh (NSW, c), Adam Gilchrist (WA, vc), Andrew Bichel (Qld), Jason Gillespie (SA), Matthew Hayden (Qld), Justin Langer (WA), Brett Lee (NSW), Stuart MacGill (NSW), Glenn McGrath (NSW), Colin Miller (Vic), Ricky Ponting (Tas), Michael Slater (NSW), Mark Waugh

 Mark Waugh close to regaining his best form 

November 14, 2000: Mark Waugh showed no pressure of the allegations made against him in an Indian match-fixing inquiry with an impressive 152 for New South Wales against Tasmania in Hobart last week and has made his chances of being in the team stronger. And to help his matters, selector Allan Border said Monday he could see no reason for dropping the batsman who had struggled to find form earlier in the season.

"It's a tough call to be changing a side that's just won 10 Test matches, with him a vital part of it," Border said. "So without giving too much away I'd be very surprised if we go in another direction given his current form and the form of the side up to now."

The only change in the team is likely to be leg-spinner Shane Warne who broke a finger in his spinning hand last month. New South Wales leg spinner Stuart MacGill looks likely to get a recall ahead of Victoria's versatile Colin Miller. MacGill's 12 Tests have netted him 59 wickets at an average of 23.32 and his three one-dayers have seen him concede 3.5 runs per over in 30 overs, as well as taking six wickets at 17.50.  His last Test was over 18 months ago in the West Indies, when he bowled alongside Warne.

 Steve Waugh appeals for support and faith

Sydney, Nov 14: Australian captain Steve Waugh has urged his fans to support Test cricket amid international outrage at recent match-fixing and bookmaker scandals.

"There's always going to be some doubters," Waugh said. "All I can say is that we're going to play to the best of our ability and people can judge us on the way we play."

Australia and the West Indies begin their five-Test series at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 23 and interest will centre on whether the game's popularity in Australia has suffered because of the Hansie Cronje saga and accusations from an Indian bookmaker against a host of Test players, including Waugh's brother Mark. "We're going to play good cricket, we're going to be exciting to watch and hopefully people will have faith in the Australian side," Waugh said. "There's always going to be some bad moments in any sport and unfortunately it's happened in cricket. "But let's get on with the future."

Waugh, whose reputation is spotlessly clean, said the Australian players had become increasingly aware of their responsibility as role models. "We're professional cricketers and we've got to set examples for young people because people look up to the Australian cricketers," he said. "We're high profile."  

 Mark Waugh shows his class: hits century

Sydney, November 10 - Mark Waugh once again displayed why he still is one of the best in the World as he hit a stroke filled century against Tasmania on Thursday. Waugh provided Australia's selectors with another demonstration of his rare ability to score runs under pressure when he stroked 152 for New South Wales on day three of their match in Hobart. "It's very important to keep scoring runs or taking wickets at this juncture," Australia coach John Buchanan said. "That's what selectors are really taking notice of. Not only for the first test selection but for later on down the track as well."

Buchanan was all praise for the way Waugh had coped since an Indian bookmaker in a report accused him last week of taking money for providing information on the team.

Waugh has denied all the claims and Buchanan said it was unfair that the details of the Indian police's investigation were made public because of the pressure they had put on him and other players named in the report. "All the inquiries around the world need to come to some sort of finality -- it doesn't mean that they stop investigating but just that they do it in a less public way," Buchanan said. "From our point of view, Mark's done everything he possibly can and I believe he's totally innocent until proven otherwise. "Everybody should adopt that attitude at this stage and he should be allowed to go on and play his cricket the best way he possibly can."

Shrugging off the controversy, Waugh helped NSW overhaul Tasmania's first innings total of 362 to reach 464. His innings lasted four and quarter hours and 205 balls and featured 15 boundaries. Tasmania, in their second innings, was 119-1 at the close with just one day left to to play as the match headed for a draw.

The first test against West Indies starts in Brisbane on November 23. 

 West Indies team to face biased umpiring 

Perth, Nov 9: A new book that has come out revealed that the touring West Indian team would concede at least 30 runs as extras in each of their five test matches. The book is named " The best of the best" by Australian writer Charles Davis who has used statistical evidence to compare cricket and cricketers across the various eras of the sport. The most interesting piece of evidence is the subject of a chapter which covers the home team bias during the 1990s. The figures suggest that visiting teams in Australia were at a disadvantage as at least 30 runs would be conceded by biased lbw decisions. It must give the Australian authorities something to think about.  

 Lara hits a cracking century 

PERTH, Australia, November 8:  West Indies superstar Brian Lara started off his Australian Tour with a superb century in the first match of the tourists. Lara who has been accused of match fixing was in devastating form as he made a chanceless 108 (11 fours, three sixes) off 107 balls against an Australian Cricket Board Chairman's X1 at Lilac Hill Park, Caversham. 

"It's been a tough week, but everything will come to fruition eventually, I hope, " said Lara, 31, after slamming his century.Opener and vice-captain Sherwin Campbell also stroked a polished unbeaten 111 (eight fours, four sixes) from 142 deliveries as the West Indies reached 276-2 from their 50 overs in the one-day clash before heavy rain caused play to be abandoned. "I have responsibilities to West Indies cricket not to let other things affect me, so I'll just put on the blinkers and go out and do my best by getting runs," Lara said, referring to match-fixing allegations made against him by an Indian bookmaker.

"Today was good - I hit the ball well," he said. "Now I have to get set to play a longer innings in the four-day match against Western Australia starting Thursday. "This start is very significant for us. We are looking to get the team back on a good footing. The England tour ended badly and Kenya did not go too well, either. "We need to be competitive, so even a good performance in a festival game is a boost. Losing is not something we want to experience. "Campbell did what was asked and batted through the innings, so that went well, too. "

Campbell and Daren Ganga (43, with six fours and a six, from 52 balls) gave the West Indies a heartening 87-run start before Campbell and Lara hammered an exhillarating 163 for the second wicket. Ganga, 21, making his first senior visit to Australia, impressed with crisp shots in front of the wicket.

 Lara to play in the tour opener

Perth, Nov 7: West Indies superstar Brian Lara, who has been named in the CBI report for receiving money from bookmakers, has been selected to take the field in the tourists' opening clash of their Australian tour on Tuesday. Lara, 31, was included in the squad to take on an Australian Cricket Board Chairman's XI in a limited-overs game at Lilac Hill Park, Caversham, near here.

The Windies team also includes young star batsmen 20-year old Ramnaresh Sarwan and 21-year-old Daren Ganga. Ganga will open with vice-captain Sherwin Campbell. Young pace hopes 25-year-old Marlon Black and 20-year-old Kerry Jeremy will also have their first workouts in Australian conditions. Lara has batted at length in the Perth nets over the past two days, but there were doubts about his fitness. He still has some soreness - a legacy of a hamstring problem in England. But Dujon said he was delighted Lara was prepared to turn out in the tour-opening clash. "The more match practice he gets, the better his mental condition will be, especially if he gets a couple of hundreds behind him," Dujon said.

His fitness has been a major concern, and he has to work harder to keep in shape for the demands of international competition. He was noticeably more generously proportioned during the England tour, but has shed a few kilograms recently. "He has trimmed down a bit since England and is getting into trim now," Dujon said. "I believe he is getting somewhere near where he wants to be."