Aussies complete royal sweep
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

Sydney, January 6 : Michael Slater smashed 86 to steer Australia to a six-wicket victory over the West Indies in the fifth cricket Test here on Saturday to clinch a 5-0 series clean sweep and their 15th consecutive Test win.

Set 173 runs for victory, the Australians lost Mark and Steve Waugh along the way to complete a comprehensive victory.

Slater, who threw away a certain century in the first innings when he lashed out and was caught for 96, dictated the scoring and partnered Steve Waugh to a decisive 102-run fourth wicket partnership in 101 minutes to take control.

Man-of-the-match Slater faced 129 balls in 189 minutes and hit 11 boundaries. Ricky Ponting hit the winning boundary off Marlon Samuels to remain 14 not out in Australia’s 174-4.

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.

It was the West Indies’ 18th defeat in their last 20 Tests away from the Caribbean.

Glenn McGrath, who took 21 wickets in the series, was named player-of-the-series.

The West Indies’ 38-year-old world record wicket-taker Courtney Walsh was feted for playing his final Test in Australia and was given a standing ovation by the crowd.

The Australians recovered from the loss of Mark Waugh’s wicket in the second over through Slater and Steve Waugh’s century stand.

At lunch, Australia were just 19 runs from victory on 154-4 with Slater in full flow.Skipper Steve Waugh, a first innings centurion, was out just before lunch ending another determined knock when judged lbw to Marlon Samuels for 38.

On Waugh’s departure, Australia needed 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.

Steve Waugh ran out to the middle, so much so that he reached the batting square before his brother had reached the players’ gate on his way back to the dressing room.

The early wicket put extra pressure on the usually uninhibited Michael Slater to tailor his game to the occasion and wait for the over-pitched ball for treatment.Slater offered McLean a difficult caught and bowled chance when he was on 25 and Australia 59-3 but McLean was taken out of the attack when he conceded eight runs and a couple of no-balls.

Legspinner Mahendra Nagamootoo’s introduction to the attack just before the first hour drinks proved expensive with Slater pulling his first loosener for four and a total of seven coming off the over.

Courtney Walsh thought he got the prized wicket of Waugh when a delivery shaved his bat to the keeper Ridley Jacobs, but as the West Indies team celebrated Australian umpire Darrell Hair was unmoved.

Australia completed the first hour at 86 for three and 87 runs from victory. Scorecard
West Indies (1st Innings): 272
Australia (1st Innings): 452
West Indies (2nd Innings): 352
Australia (2nd Innings) M Slater not out 86, M Hayden lbw b Stuart 5, J Langer lbw b Walsh 10, M Waugh c Adams b McLean 3, S Waugh lbw b Samuels 38, R Ponting not out 14; Extras: (b3, lb7, w1, nb7) 18 Total (for 4 wickets in 44.5 overs) 174
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-38, 3-46, 4-148.
Bowling: Walsh 15-5-35-1, Stuart 7-0-40-1, McLean 8-1-35-1, Nagamootoo 9-1-28-0, Samuels 5.5-0-26-1.

Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.