Tuesday's one-wicket victory brought some redemption for the West Indies after a series of humiliating defeats and restored captain Brian Lara to hero status. It also sparked celebrations throughout the Caribbean lasting well into yesterday. Fans organised a celebratory motorcade to escort the triumphant team from its Bridgetown hotel to the airport as they headed for Antigua for the fourth match, starting Saturday.

Barbadian radio called for a National holiday. One caller suggested that Lara deserved a BMW for his masterful, match-winning 153 not out. Another said first innings century-maker Sherwin Campbell should receive a plot of land.

West Indies manager Clive Lloyd, a former captain, called Lara's innings `genius.' ``You dream of watching these kinds of innings,'' he said. The international press backed thatassessment. `The greatest Test ever played?' asked a London Evening Standard headline. `Test of the century' trumpeted the Barbados Daily Nation.

`Lara releases another blockbuster,' cried The Indian Express in Mumbai.``What can be said for certain is that no one who was present at Barbados, whether spectator or player, will ever forget hour after hour of incredible, nerve-knotting action,'' wrote The Standard's David Lloyd.

``Lara epic attains a titanic ending,'' said The Melbourne Age.

Before the series, many cricket fans through the Caribbean called for Lara to be stripped of his captaincy after a 5-0 defeat in South Africa. But Lara's 213 in Windies' Jamaica win, and his epic stand Tuesday gave the Islands, for the moment at least, a sweet taste of their past glory days as champions.