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Rediff.com  » Cricket » Australia on course for series sweep

Australia on course for series sweep

November 28, 2005 14:58 IST
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Australia were on course to complete a 3-0 series sweep against the West Indies after a controversial fourth day's play in the third and final test on Monday.

The Australians ended the day on 76 for two, needing a further 106 runs for victory with a full day to go at the Adelaide Oval.

They were set 182 to win after leg spinner Shane Warne and fast bowler Brett Lee combined to dismiss the tourists for 204 just after tea.

Warne, turning the ball at alarming angles, took 6-80 while Lee grabbed 4-46. However, television replays suggested at least three West Indian batsmen were wrongly given out while Warne was reported for dissent over an appeal that was turned down the previous day.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was given out lbw to Lee by New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden on Monday when he was struck on the toe by a full toss that was clearly drifting down the leg-side.

Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar gave Dwayne Smith out for a duck, lbw to Warne, when he got an inside edge on to his pads, then Denesh Ramdin was given out for 28 after he had hit the ball on to the ground before it brushed his gloves and was caught behind.

The tourists had looked to be in deep trouble when they slumped to 106-7 in the morning session as bad luck conspired against them before all rounder Dwayne Bravo scored a defiant 64 to lead his team's brave fightback.

Paceman Corey Collymore then gave the West Indies more cause for optimism when he dismissed opener Justin Langer for 20 then Australian captain Ricky Ponting for three prior before another decision from Dar went against them.

Sarwan appeared to have captured Matthew Hayden's wicket on 17 when the opener nicked a catch behind that rebounded off Ramdin into the hands of Devon Smith only to see the appeal turned down.

WARNE TORMENTS

Hayden survived and went on to finish the day unbeaten on 38 with Brad Hodge 10 not out and Australia inching closer to a third straight victory after wins in Brisbane and Hobart.

Despite the controversy, Warne still succeeded in tormenting the West Indians to complete his 34th five-wicket haul in tests and break Dennis Lillee's record for the most test wickets at Adelaide Oval.

The master wrist-spinner and world record holder for test wickets also closed to within one wicket of Lillee's 1981 world record of 85 in a calendar year. Warne seems certain to break that with Australia due to play two more tests this year against South Africa.

Warne dismissed nightwatchman Daren Powell, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Smith in the morning session then Ramdin after lunch.

Lara (17), playing possibly his last test on Australian soil, made 226 in the first innings to break Allan Border's world record for the most test runs and left the field to a standing ovation, stopping twice before he reached the gate to raise his bat and acknowledge the crowd's applause.

Lee got Sarwan with his first delivery of the day then dismissed Bravo and Fidel Edwards to complete the innings.

Bravo, who made a century in the second test in Hobart and took six wickets in Australia's first innings in Adelaide, batted for almost three hours and struck 10 boundaries off 126 balls before he was bowled by Lee.

Langer and Hayden put on 51 for the first Australian wicket before Langer was caught in the slips by Dwayne Smith off Collymore, who also found the edge to get rid of Ponting, with Sarwan safely holding the catch.

Scorecard

West Indies (1st innings): 405 (B. Lara 226)

Australia (1st innings): 428 (M. Hussey 133no, J. Langer 99, R. Ponting 56; D. Bravo 6-84).

West Indies (2nd innings): (Overnight: 68-2)
 W. Hinds st Gilchrist b Warne 15
 D. Smith c Ponting b Lee 0
 R. Sarwan lbw b Lee 62
 D. Powell b Warne 2
 B. Lara c Hayden b Warne 17
 S. Chanderpaul c Hodge b Warne 4
 D. Bravo b Lee 64
 D. Smith lbw b Warne 0
 D. Ramdin c Gilchrist b Warne 28
 F. Edwards c Warne b Lee 9
 C. Collymore not out 1
 Extras: (lb-2) 2
 Total: (all out, 81 overs) 204

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-60, 3-72, 4-96, 5-96, 6-106, 7-106, 8-160, 9-203, 10-204.

Bowling: G. McGrath 18-8-25-0, B. Lee 17-5-46-4, A. Symonds 2-0-9-0, S. Warne 33-9-80-6, S. MacGill 11-2-42-0.

Australia (2nd innings): (Target: 182 runs)
 J. Langer c D.R. Smith b Collymore 20
 M. Hayden not out 38
 R. Ponting c Sarwan b Collymore 3
 B. Hodge not out 10
 Extras: (nb-4, w-1) 5
 Total: (for 2 wickets, 28 overs) 76

Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-55

To bat: M. Hussey, A. Symonds, A. Gilchrist, S. Warne, B. Lee, S. MacGill, G. McGrath, N. Bracken. 

Bowling: F. Edwards 5-1-23-0 (nb-3 w-1), D. Powell 6-0-15-0, C. Collymore 10-2-27-2 (nb-1), R. Sarwan 7-2 -11-0.

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