Aussies v. Windies - Third Test

[Donny]

The Ponting/Lehmann stand has reached 100 in 203 balls. 2/251.

Ponting is in superlative form with 117 & 42 n.o. in the first Test, 206 and 45 in the second and closing in on another century in this one. He already has 500 runs for the series.

The score is now 2/257 as Lehmann registers his 50.

Ponting is now on strike on 99. Dot. Single. That's it !! His 17th. Test hundred. 177 balls. 7 fours and a six. 2/261. He's averaging 170 for the series and his overall Test average is now over 50.

[Donny]

Lol, Assasin. I had the same sort of reaction about Tino.

I suppose they had to blood this bloke at some time but I can think of a better time than against the most attacking openers since Greenidge/Haynes !!

After 1 over, he had gone for 10 and after 10 it was 0/60 but he did stick to his task. I imagine Michael Holding, Ian Bishop etc. etc. will be tutoring this young quick fairly soon.

Omari Banks also impressed after a 10 run first over. For a 20 year old, he shows excellent potential but the best bowler on the opening day was Chris Gayle who bowled 20 overs for only 47 runs.

[Donny]

Ricky Ponting now has the 4th. best ever conversion rate of 50s to 100s.

His 17/17 is behind only Bradman, Hayden and Azhuruddin.

[HAL]

Where did he get it?

[Donny]

Ponting leads Australian charge
Wisden Bulletin by Steven Lynch - 1 May 2003


It was another hard day at the office for Brian Lara and his not-so-merry men, as Australia romped to 320 for the loss of only three wickets by the close of the first day's play in the third Test at Bridgetown. Ricky Ponting, with his third hundred in as many Tests, led the way as the Aussies made significant progress towards a victory that would win them back the ICC Test Championship mace.

After 117 at Georgetown and a scintillating 206 at Port-of-Spain, Ponting made 113 here. He has toned down his attacking instincts a little – although he couldn't resist swivelling to smash a long-hop from Tino Best into the stands – and now looks the complete batsman. To this inexperienced West Indian attack, at any rate, his bat must look as broad as Bradman's, and his straight-drives are as succulent. Ponting cracked seven fours and that six in what was his 17th Test century.

Ponting had one let-off, at 88, when Shivnarine Chanderpaul dropped a straightforward head-high gully catch off a Best full-toss. But otherwise he was majestic, and faced 204 balls in exactly five hours at the crease before a misjudgment late in the day found him short of the crease as Best winged in a sidearm throw from third man (292 for 3).

Ponting put on 141 with Darren Lehmann, who added another big score to his own hundred in the previous Test. He reached 50 with his fifth four, punched through the covers off Omari Banks, the 20-year-old offspinner who today became the first Test cricketer to emerge from the tiny Leeward Island of Anguilla. Late on Lehmann played arguably the shot of the day, launching himself at a shortish one from Lawson and blasting it through the covers. He finished the day with 89, in sight of his second Test century.

Lara will now be regretting his decision to put Australia in on a sedate pitch that offered a little early movement. But it might have paid off: Justin Langer edged the first ball of the match, from Jermaine Lawson, through the slips. Ramnaresh Sarwan dived across from third slip, but couldn't latch on.

In fact Langer had a charmed life on his way to 78. He was dropped again at 4, when Lawson shelled a simple caught-and-bowled, and survived a run-out at 68 when Carlton Baugh fumbled Lawson's throw and demolished the stumps without ball in hand. That was it, though: in the next over Langer skyed Banks's loopy offspin to Chanderpaul at cover (151 for 2).

The only other wicket to go down was that of Matthew Hayden, who muscled to 27 before he edged an awayswinger in Vasbert Drakes's first over. Chris Gayle, restored to the side after missing two matches while the West Indian board ummed and aahed about his availability, clung on at first slip after a juggle (43 for 1).

That was the only breakthrough on a morning in which West Indies managed only 24 overs but conceded 113 runs. Best, complete with go-faster white stripes on his cheeks and a whirligig action, spent too much of his debut glaring and posturing and not enough time concentrating, while Lawson was also ragged. The bowlers did better after lunch, conceding only 84 in 29 overs up to tea. Banks, after a nervous start (his first over went for 10), settled down and hinted at a promising future. But overall it was tidy rather than threatening, and the one-wicket-a-session pattern continued after tea, even though Lara claimed the new ball as soon as Ponting was out.

West Indies made five changes from the team that lost in Port-of-Spain. Banks and Best (whose middle name, la Bertram, is one of Test cricket's more memorable monickers) won their first caps and Lawson returned after chickenpox, replacing Merv Dillon, Pedro Collins and David Bernard in a much-changed attack. Chanderpaul returned after injury and Gayle after his board-imposed exile, in place of Marlon Samuels and Wavell Hinds. Baugh retained the keeper's gloves after Ridley Jacobs failed a late fitness test on the leg injury he suffered in the first game of the series.

Australia made only one change, but it was a significant one: Glenn McGrath returned in place of Brad Hogg. It meant the Australian batting order, with Andy Bichel at No. 7, looked more fragile than usual – but Ponting made sure that that was just an illusion.

[Donny]

Being unashamedly happy for Darren Lehmann and his recent successes, I present the following figures.

Before this series, he had a Test batting average of 27 from 8 Tests. He scored 6 in the first Test after which he put himself on notice, publicly stating the second Test was his last chance.

He scored 160 and 66. In so doing, he bumped his average up to 39. Overnight, in this Test, he's 89 n.o. To achieve the lofty heights of a 50 batting average - the benchmark of top performers in today's Test cricket - he would need to score 143 n.o. or be dismissed for 193.

Go Dazza !!

[HAL]

What happened after this series he had a Test batting average of 27 from 8 Tests ?

[JLC]

Can someone please analyse the bowling credentials of this West Indian team. Is it true that this bowling attack has 9 test mataches experience between them?? I think a few of the Pura Cup teams bowling attacks would give the Aussies a bigger challenge. Hopefully Hayden can cash in with some big scores as well

I shudder to think what Lara would do to that attack if batting against them.....lol

jlc

[Donny]

One of our cricket forum regulars recently asked me what had happened to JLC after Australia fluked their World Cup win.

I was a bit puzzled as well as he had been a daily contributer over the summer and during the lead up to the WC.

What would we have done without his finely crafted critiques of the Aussie selectors for daring to select such hacks as Martyn, Bevan, Hogg, Bichel and particularly Symonds and Lehmann to defend the WC ??

So I set about trying to attract him back. Last night, as Boof was scratching around during his 89 n.o. - and anyway, how the hell did they allow him to bat using both pads and batting gloves and helmet against this attack !?!? - I thought of a way.

Dare to suggest he may soon have an average higher than Steve Waugh !! Yeah, that should do it.

Welcome back, m8. We've all missed you.

[Northern Pie]

Um can someone please remind Brian Lara that on a Birthday you are supposed to receive presents..not give them....

Happy Birthday champ.....

Cheers

[Donny]

Well, m8, Shep just gave him one. Lol.

[Donny]

Waugh and Gilchrist added 111 before Gilly was caught on the boundary for 65.

Waugh and Bichel added 122. Bic's knock was a beauty. 71 from 71 balls.

Waugh brought up his 30th. century (115) for Australia.

Dizzy hit 2 mighty sixes and looked dismayed when his skipper declared leaving him stranded on 19. Lol.

Australia made 9/605 in 154.3 overs.

Lawson took 3/132, Banks, 3/204 and Drakes, 2/85.

[JLC]

Sorry i must have been watching a different game to everyone else. I have already seen a West Indies player turn his back on a skied ball as he was too scared of the ball hitting him.....lol One ball has gone through the players legs for four. As one commentator put it "this is the highest level of cricket in the world and you dont expect to see these things happen". Embarrassment to the West Indies was another thing that was mentioned.

Lara captaining this West Indies team must feel like Buckley when he first became captain of Collingwood. However i dont think we were as embarrassing as this West Indian team.

The word "attack" should hardly be used to describe this West Indian bowling line up.......lol lol

jlc

[Northern Pie]

It still takes a very very good side to give a lesser quality side an absolute thumping....and that is what Australia are...an excellent side.

Cheers

[Donny]

Waugh passes Bradman's record on day of toil for Windies
Andrew Miller - 2 May 2003


Close West Indies 89 for 0 (Smith 34*, Gayle 47*) trail Australia 605 for 9 (Waugh 115, Ponting 113, Lehmann 96) by 516 runs

Like a pinch of salt in a culinary masterpiece, Steve Waugh's grit is used sparingly by the Australians these days. But when he gets his opportunity, his flavour invariably floods through. Today, asked to bat for only the second time in the series, he nudged and nurdled – and occasionally sparkled – to his 30th Test century, one more than the great Sir Don Bradman. By the time Australia declared on an insurmountable 605 for 9, West Indies had been humiliated on the ground they once called their fortress.

Though Devon Smith and Chris Gayle clawed back a modicum of West Indian pride in a tricky final session, the day belonged exclusively to Waugh. After resuming on his overnight 7, Waugh went to tea on 93 not out, and reached his century within four overs of the resumption. He added 124 for the sixth wicket with Andy Bichel, who reached his first fifty in Tests, as Australia posted their highest total of the series. In the process, Waugh overtook Sunil Gavaskar as Test cricket's second-highest run-scorer, and had even inched his average back towards that personally-satisfying 50 mark – it now stands at 49.65.

To watch Waugh bat is to be reminded of a bygone era in Australian cricket, a time when they were made to graft for every run and sweat for every victory. Compared to the millionaires at the top of Australia's order, Waugh can look painfully awkward at the crease – and had Ramnaresh Sarwan taken a tough chance at short-midwicket when Waugh was 11, his place would have no doubt come under renewed scrutiny.

But Waugh survived, unlike the unfortunate Darren Lehmann, who was deceived by low bounce and adjudged lbw for 96 in the second over of the day. It was a duff decision from umpire Shepherd – the ball pitched outside leg and would have missed off as well – but it was due reward for Drakes, who bowled with intelligence and discipline, and was the pick of the West Indian attack. A subdued Adam Gilchrist joined Waugh, and the pair set about milking the bowling as Australia at first struggled to emulate their effortless dominance of day one. A tight session of bowling was the best birthday present that Brian Lara, 34 today, could have wished for. But after being serenaded by the crowd – and doffing his cap in gratitude – Lara left the field with 20 minutes of the first session remaining, apparently with a touch of `flu, and the wheels came off the West Indian effort.

Lara could only look on in concern as the frantic figure of Tino Best was flailed over midwicket for a four and two sixes in consecutive deliveries, as Gilchrist finally extracted full value for his strokes. Shortly after lunch, Gilchrist crashed to yet another fifty – his 24th in 42 Tests – and looked odds-on to crash many more. But with the score on 444 for 4, and with Shepherd hopping around dementedly at square-leg, Gilchrist misjudged a well-flighted delivery from Banks and was well caught on the midwicket boundary by Smith. It was a relief for Smith, who had missed a clear-cut run-out chance only a few overs earlier.

Gilchrist's dismissal sparked Waugh into a higher gear, although he was himself fortunate to survive on 55, when Sarwan charged round the midwicket boundary, but just failed to grasp a lofted sweep-slog off Banks. That very shot took him past Gavaskar's tally of 10,122 Test runs, into second spot on the all-time run-scorers list.

Bichel, with scores of 48, 4, 49 and 39 in his previous four Test innings, not to mention a World-Cup average of 117, celebrated his promotion to No. 7 and acceptance as a Test-class allrounder, by thumping Banks straight back over his head for four. He did offer one chance, a tough return catch to Lawson on 12, but the ball soared straight over his shoulder for four. It was to become a familiar pattern. Bichel went to tea on 45 not out with a series of arrow-straight slogs, and brought up his maiden Test fifty straight after tea with a driven single off Banks.

With his eyes on a second Test century in four innings, Waugh was dropped down the leg-side by Carlton Baugh on 85, but, after reaching the break on 93, few doubted he would reach his hundred. Sure enough, Lawson drifted one onto his pads, and Waugh clipped him emphatically to the fine-leg boundary. With the hundred in the bag and cramp setting in, Waugh heaved a brace of merry boundaries, but swung once too often across the line at Lawson and was bowled for 115. Moments earlier, Bichel had slapped a Banks full-toss to Lara at short-midwicket for a magnificent run-a-ball 71.

Though they started the day brightly, West Indies had faded badly in the Barbados sun amid an all-too-familiar spate of dropped catches and fumbled fielding. The denouement of the innings was an embarrassment, as Australia's tail flogged sixes at will. The worst offender was Smith, on the midwicket boundary, who turned his back on a Jason Gillespie slog, only for the ball to plop for four, metres from his left hand. Gillespie celebrated his reprieve with a six, and brought up the 600 with another, as Banks, on debut, was cracked for 204 runs in 40 overs.

West Indies were left to bat out 23 overs of the day, and with Glenn McGrath restored to the side after a spell of compassionate leave, nothing seemed more certain than a late flurry of wickets to compound a miserable day. But Gayle and Smith batted with increasing assurance on a pancake of a wicket to reach the close on 89 for 0. Gayle, with a point or two to prove after his puzzling omission for the first two Tests, stood tall and drove handsomely for his 47, while Smith bounced back strongly after his pair in Trinidad, closing on 34. They remained more than 500 runs adrift however, and with three days of this match remaining, they are already struggling to stay afloat.