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Aus vs WI: The close encounters
Mohandas Menon |
May 14, 2003 11:20 IST
When Vasbert Drakes cut leg-spinner Stuart MacGill to the backward point fence he set off wild celebrations in the St John's ground in Antigua and all around the Caribbean Islands.
Despite having lost the Test series 1-3 to Australia, West Indies broke a 27-year old world record en route to a scintillating win.
The West Indies score of 418-7 eclipsed Test cricket's previous highest winning fourth innings run chase - the 4-406 scored by India against the West Indies in Trinidad in 1975-76.
Mohandas Menon takes a closer look at the cliffhanger Test matches between the two sides.
Close Test matches between WI & Aus in terms of runs margin
(Runs) | winner | loser | Tst | Month | Year | Venue |
| 1 | WI | Aus | 4th | Jan | 1993 | Adelaide |
| 30 | WI | Aus | 5th | Feb | 1931 | Sydney |
| 44 | Aus | WI | 3rd | Mar | 1973 | Port-of-Spain |
Close Test matches between WI & Aus in terms of wkts margin
| (Wkts) | winner | loser | Tst | Month | Year | Venue |
| 1 | Aus | WI | 4th | Jan | 1952 | Melbourne |
| 1 | WI | Aus | 3rd | Mar | 1999 | Bridgetown |
| 2 | Aus | WI | 5th | Feb | 1961 | Melbourne |
| 3 | Aus | WI | 1st | Nov | 1951 | Brisbane |
| 3 | Aus | WI | 3rd | Apr | 1978 | Georgetown |
| 3 | WI | Aus | 4th | May | 2003 | St John's |
Tie match
| Team | vs | Tst | Month | Year | Venue |
| Australia | West Indies | 1st | Dec | 1960 | Brisbane |
Highest fourth innings totals (over 200 runs) to win a Test between WI-Aus
| Score | winner | loser | Tst | Month | Year | Venue |
| 7/418 | WI | Aus | 4th | May | 2003 | St John's |
| 7/362 | Aus | WI | 3rd | Apr | 1978 | Georgetown |
| 9/311 | WI | Aus | 3rd | Mar | 1999 | Bridgetown |
| 9/260 | Aus | WI | 4th | Jan | 1952 | Melbourne |
| 8/258 | Aus | WI | 5th | Feb | 1961 | Melbourne |
| 5/239 | WI | Aus | 3rd | Feb | 1982 | Adelaide |
| 7/236 | Aus | WI | 1st | Nov | 1951 | Brisbane |
| 4/233 | WI | Aus | 3rd | Dec | 1951 | Adelaide |
| 2/219 | Aus | WI | 1st | Jan | 1976 | Brisbane |
Highest fourth innings totals in Tests
| Total | For | vs | Target | Result | Test | Series | Venue |
| 654-5 | England | South Africa | 695 | Draw | 5th | 1938-39 | Durban |
| 451 | New Zealand | England | 549 | Lost | 1st | 2001-02 | Christchurch |
| 445 | India | Australia | 492 | Lost | 5th | 1977-78 | Adelaide |
| 440 | New Zealand | England | 478 | Lost | 1st | 1973 | Nottingham |
| 429-8 | India | England | 437 | Draw | 4th | 1979 | The Oval |
| 423-7 | South Africa | England | 450 | Draw | 5th | 1947 | The Oval |
| 418-7 | West Indies | Australia | 417 | Won | 4th | 2002-03 | St John's |
| 417 | England | Australia | 462 | Lost | 1st | 1976-77 | Melbourne |
| 411 | England | Australia | 604 | Lost | 1st | 1924-25 | Sydney |
| 408-5 | West Indies | England | 835 | Draw | 4th | 1929-30 | Kingston |
| 406-4 | India | West Indies | 402 | Won | 3rd | 1975-76 | Port-of-Spain |
| 404-3 | Australia | England | 403 | Won | 4th | 1948 | Leeds |
| 402 | Australia | England | 505 | Lost | 5th | 1981 | Manchester |
West Indies' Test record
Since last 4 yrs
Played 45, won 11, lost 24, drawn 10 (%Win 24.44)
Since last 1 yr
Played 14, won 5, lost 6, drawn 3 (%Win 35.71)