Aussies back as world No. 1

BRIDGETOWN: Australia reg-ained top spot in the world Test cricket rankings from South Africa after beating the West Indies by nine wickets before tea on the last day of the Third Test yesterday. Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill claimed five for 75 to seal the victory.

The win gave Australia a 3-0 lead in the four-match series with previous victories by nine wickets in Guyana, and 118 runs in Trinidad and Tobago. Australia will become the first team to sweep the West Indies in the Caribbean if they win the Fourth Test, which begins on Friday in Antigua. The West Indies, 187 for three overnight, were bowled out for 284 in their second innings, leaving the visitors just eight runs to win. Fast bowler Jermaine Lawson completed a rare hat-trick by trapping Justin Langer plumb leg before wicket with the first ball of the run chase. The 21-year-old had ended the Australian first innings by bowling Brett Lee and MacGill off consecutive balls. But Australia cruised to victory off just 15 deliveries with Matthew Hayden (2) and Darren Lehmann (4) together.

The result provided captain Steve Waugh with his 36th victory in his 48th Test, drawing him level with former West Indies great Clive Lloyd (36 wins in 74 matches) as Test cricket’s most successful captain. “It was a great Test match for us, one of the hardest Test matches we ever had,” the 37-year-old Waugh said after the win. “I think 18 hours in a row in the field is a tremendous effort.” “I’ve got a pretty good side. That certainly helps as a captain,” Waugh added. “The wins I have are the team’s wins so it’s a credit to all the players I’ve played with. “It’s nice to have that record and to draw alongside Clive Lloyd is a great thrill.” Waugh passed a number of landmarks during the match. He overtook Sir Don Bradman as Australia’s leading century-maker with his 30th in the first innings and also leapt into second on the list of Test cricket’s leading run-getters.

MacGill set Australia’s winning tone with the first ball of the day, claiming Ramnaresh Sarwan leg before wicket for a top score of 58. Sarwan appeared unlucky to being called out by umpire Srinivas Venkataraghavan. Lara perished eight runs later at 195 for five as Andy Bichel gained a more authentic leg before wicket verdict from umpire David Shepherd as the batsman missed an on-drive. The West Indies captain added just one to his overnight 41. Australia sensed a quick kill and took the second new ball at 218 for five. But Omari Banks and Shivnarine Chanderpaul added 61 for the fifth wicket in contrasting fashion to raise West Indian hopes. Banks blasted four fluent boundaries in 32 off 74 balls. Left-hander Chanderpaul was less flashy in compiling a boundary-free 21 off 92 deliveries.

The pair went to lunch unbeaten at 250 for five but the innings soon subsided after the interval. MacGill again provided the breakthrough as Banks snicked a drive to Matthew Hayden at first slip. Once Gillespie claimed Chanderpaul four balls later to an edged cut through to wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, the result was never in doubt. Vasbert Drakes and Tino Best both fell for ducks to give MacGill his sixth five-wicket haul in 22 tests. The 32-year-old from New South Wales grabbed match figures of nine for 182 to earn the “Man of the Match” award. Drakes was bowled when the ball skidded through low to hit his off stump as he padded up while Best pulled a long hop googly to midwicket.

Wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh and Lawson, a fellow Jamaican, avoided the innings defeat in a stand of 19 for the last wicket. However, Baugh eventually fell for 18 when he was sent back too late by his partner and Jason Gillespie’s swift return to Gilchrist from backward point found him well short. Lawson ensured there would be some joy for the West Indies in claiming his hat-trick. The pacer joins Wes Hall (vs. Pakistan, Lahore, 1958-59), Lance Gibbs (vs. Australia, Adelaide, 1960-61) and Courtney Walsh (vs. Australia, Perth, 1988-89) as West Indians to have achieved the rare feat.