It ended a five-match whitewash in South Africa, and a humiliating first Test defeat in Trinidad where Australia bowled them out for their lowest score, 51.

``We had to put that 51 total behind us,'' said Lara who was under pressure after being named captain for only the first two Tests.

``We got the guys together and worked on their confidence and it really paid off in this particular match,'' he added.

Australian skipper Steve Waugh paid tribute to the winners. ``It was a great performance by the West Indies. Brian Lara was superb while we missed a couple of half-chances on the second day and that cost us,'' he said.

But he refused to be overawed.

``We're certainly not in a Lara daze, he's played well in one innings,'' Waugh said.

``We all know he's a great player when he's switched on buthe's a chance of nicking a ball like anyone else and he's proved that -- we've just got to get the ball back in the corridor next Test and put the pressure back on him.''

True, Lara had gone 15 Tests and almost two years without a century.

``I think it can go down as the most important innings,'' Lara said. ``That second day was very important for West Indies cricket. We've been through a disastrous time.

``The main thing is that I always learn -- whatever happens to me I learn from it and I don't get down and feel demoralised,'' he added.

But he warned there was a lot to do. ``I would love this win to be the turning point, but I am not going to get carried away as we still have two Test matches left against one of the best attacks in the world,'' he said.

Lara, unanimous Man of the Match, said Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh were the real heroes.

``I told Nehemiah `even though you got five wickets I really look at Curtly and Courtney and the sort of effort they gave in South Africa,' " Larasaid.

``They put us in so many commanding positions and our batters just did not capitalise.''

``This particular Test, as far as I'm concerned, has got to be for those guys who toiled for so long and so hard without success.''

Ambrose took only 1-28 in the second innings but Lara said the big Antiguan was hungry again.

``There was this hunger on his face, he had a 10 or 11-over spell and he smelled victory,'' Lara said.

Lara made a point of thanking the Jamaican crowd for their support. With West Indies cricket at a low ebb, it had been feared Lara would be in for a rough reception in Jamaica, where he has met with criticism since replacing local hero Walsh as skipper last season.

Before the Kingston clash it had even been suggested that Guyanese batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul would replace Lara as captain for the third Test.

With the series levelled and after Lara's major part in the second Test triumph a change of captaincy would now be unthinkable. Waugh admitted the Australians would have toredefine their approach and hinted he would field a full-strength line-up in the next tour match in Antigua.