McGrath spoils WI good work

McGrath spoils WI good work
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

Sydney, January 4: Glenn McGrath bowled Wavell Hinds with the second-last ball of the day to prevent a looming West Indies opening century partnership on the third day of the fifth and final Test today.

At the close of the third day, the West Indies had whittled away at the 180-run innings deficit to be 98 for one and trail Australia by 82 runs.

Just when the tourists were about to see out stumps at the Sydney Cricket Ground, McGrath struck, Hinds lifting his bat and offering no shot to be bowled for 46.

Up until then 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.

The West Indies will resume on the fourth day tomorrow setting their sights on building on their promising start to score 350-plus and put the heat back on Australia in the final innings.

Australia’s spin twins, Colin Miller and Stuart MacGill, expected to unravel he tourists’ batting on the conducive SCG pitch, had few chances of dislodging the opening pair.

Australian skipper Steve Waugh signalled his intentions when he brought on his blue-rinse offspinner Miller in the second over of the innings in anticipation of immediate turn.

Campbell, who bounced back to form with his 79 in the first innings after a dire series, was unbeaten on 45. Australia prolonged their first innings through lusty hitting by tailenders Miller and Glenn McGrath, who put on 42 runs for the last wicket before McGrath was run out on the throw of Colin Stuart going for a second run. Miller crashed two sixes and a boundary in his unbeaten 37 while McGrath chipped in with 13.

Australia were dismissed for 452 off 135.4 overs.

Lara sought treatment from the team trainer for split webbing in his hand in taking the stinging catch. Australian captain Steve Waugh, 82 overnight, completed his century to join Test greats Greg Chappell, Sachin Tendulkar and Viv Richards on 24 Test hundreds behind leader Sunil Gavaskar on 34. Waugh, who was man-of-the-match for his unbeaten 121 inst week’s fourth Melbourne Test, was out for 103 shortly before lunch in bizarre circumstances.

He kicked at a wide delivery outside his legstump from spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo only for the ball to ricochet off his left pad and onto his stumps.Waugh faced 238 balls and batted for 300 minutes. He hit nine fours and a six. Ricky Ponting lasted nine balls before he was out on his overnight score of 51. Stuart, generating lively pace, trapped him leg before wicket.

Scoreboard
West Indies 1st innings 272
Australia 1st Innings
M Slater c Samuels b Nagamootoo 96
M Hayden c Lara b Walsh 3
J Langer c Jacobs b McLean 20
M Waugh run out 22
S Waugh b Nagamootoo 103
R Ponting lbw b Stuart 51
A Gilchrist c Lara b Stuart 87
J Gillespie c Hinds b Nagamootoo 2
C Miller not out 37
S MacGill run out 1
G McGrath run out 13
Extras: (1B, 5lb, 11nb) 17
Total (all out, 135.4 overs) 452
Fall of Wickets: 1-17, 2-55, 3-109, 4-157, 5-289, 6-360,7-374, 8-408, 9-410.
Bowling: C Walsh 25-4-74-1, C Stuart 23-4-81-2,M Nagamootoo 35-3-119-3, Nixon McLean 20-2-81-1, J Adams 16.4-2-54-0, Marlon Samuels 16-5-37-0.
West Indies 2nd innings
Campbell batting 45
W Hinds b McGrath 46
Extras: (6 lb, 1 nb) 7
Total: (1 wkt, 38.5 overs) 98
Bowling: McGrath 8.5-2-26-1, Miller 9-0-22-0, MacGill 15-5-26-0, Gillespie 6-2-18-0.