Australia set to retain Frank Worrell Trophy

Australia survived some anxious moments to ease themselves into a winning position against the West Indies on the fourth day of the third cricket Test at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on Monday.

Set a victory target of 130 after bundling out the tourists for a second innings 141, Australia went to stumps with 98 for four - needing just another 32 runs - and well poised to extend to 13 their world record sequence of Test victories.

Not out batsmen Justin Langer (43) and Damien Martyn (18) will pad up Tuesday aiming to secure for Australia the win which will give them an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, ensuring they retain the Frank Worrell Trophy.

Australia were in deep trouble at various stages of their second innings, but again displayed that resilience under pressure which makes them the best Test side in the world.

The home country were struggling with 27 for three in the 10th over and again with 48 for four in the 15th over before Langer and Martyn came together in a crucial fifth-wicket liaison which turned the game.

They did not find it easy against a much more spirited West Indies' outfit, but showed much character in adding 50 in 82 minutes off 124 balls.

There were early dramas in the Australian second innings as paceman Mervyn Dillon removed Michael Slater for one and veteran speedster Courtney Walsh ousted Matthew Hayden (14).

Dillon weighed in again to send back Mark Waugh for five, as Australia teetered on the edge with 27 for three.

The first first three dismissals were all the result of catches by wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs.

Hayden was ruled out only after field umpires Steve Davis (Australia) and Srinivas Venkataraghavan (India) had sought confirmation from third (TV) umpire Daryl Harper (Australia) that the ball had carried to Jacobs.

Walsh struck again to trap vice-captain Ricky Ponting lbw for 11, leaving Australia again in disarray with 48 for four before Langer and Martyn came together to stage their rescue act.

Veteran off-spinner Colin Miller, who made his Test debut only two years ago, destroyed the West Indies' second innings with a beautiful exhibition of turn and flight on a helpful pitch.

Miller, 37 early next year, snapped up 5-32 after snaring 5-81 in the first innings to complete a Test 10-wicket match haul for the first time.

The West Indies were all out shortly before tea after losing eight wickets in less than a session.

The tourists collapsed dramatically in the second session after appearing to be reasonably well placed at lunch with 82 for two, holding an overall lead of 70.

Miller was well supported by champion paceman Glenn McGrath, who captured 3-27.

The delicately poised game swung strongly Australia's way soon after lunch when the home team snapped up the vital wickets of champion left-hander Brian Lara (39) and improving opener Daren (Daren) Ganga (32).

Both were trapped by the persistent Miller, who troubled all the batsmen on the wearing pitch. The prized wicket of Lara, who made a classic 182 in the first innings, came when the threatening left-hander had added only five to his lunch score.

Miller produced a ball which bounced and turned sharply, and Lara succeeded only in popping up a simple catch to Justin Langer, at forward short leg.

Before lunch, Lara had hammered the Australian attack again, racing to 34 in 41 minutes from 32 balls, helped by three fours and a massive six.

Ganga fell lbw to Miller when the bowler earned a verdict from neutral umpire Srinivas Venkataraghavan, from India. That gave Miller his 50th wicket in his 15th Test.

The procession continued with leg-spinner Stuart MacGill ousting Marlon Samuels (three) and Miller snapping up skipper Jimmy Adams (15) and Nixon McLean (0) and wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs (two)

McGrath mopped up the tail by dismissing Mervyn Dillon (19) and Courtney Walsh (0) in quick succession.

Scoreboard

West Indies (1st innings): 391 (B. C. Lara 182, J. C. Adams 49, M. Samuels 35; C. R. Miller 5-81, J. N. Gillespie 5-89).

Australia (1st innings): (overnight 403 for nine)

M. J. Slater c sub (Sarwan) b Samuels 83
M. L. Hayden run out 58
J. L. Langer c Lara b Samuels 6
M. E. Waugh lbw Dillon 63
J. N. Gillespie lbw Walsh 4
R. T. Ponting c Jacobs b Walsh 92
D. R. Martyn not out 46
A. C. Gilchrist c Jacobs b McLean 9
S. C. G. MacGill c Jacobs b Dillon 6
C. R. Miller c Campbell b McLean 1
G. D. McGrath b Dillon 1
Extras: (b5,lb13,w5,nb11) 34
Total (all out, 127.4 overs) 403
Fall of wickets: 1-156, 2-160, 3-169, 4-187, 5-310, 6-369, 7-386, 8-397, 9-398, 10-403.
Bowling: C. A. Walsh 32-7-73-2 (5nb,3w), M. I. Black 18-1-75-0 (4nb), M. Dillon 24.4-2-84-3 (2w), N. A. M. McLean 21-1-69-2 (1nb), J. C. Adams 13-2-35-0 (1nb), M. Samuels 19-6-49-2.

West Indies (2nd innings):

S. L. Campbell c Gilchrist b McGrath 8
D. Ganga lbw Miller 32
W. W. Hinds c Martyn b MacGill 9
B. C. Lara c Langer b Miller 39
J. C. Adams c Martyn b Miller 15
M. Samuels c Hayden b MacGill 3
R. D. Jacobs c Ponting b Miller 2
N. A. M. McLean c Hayden b Miller 0
M. Dillon lbw McGrath 19
M. Black not out 3
C. A. Walsh c Gilchrist b McGrath 0
Extras (nb1, b6, lb3, w1) 11
Total: (all out, 51.5 overs) 141
Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-36, 3-87, 4-96, 5-109, 6-109, 7-109, 8-116, 9-137, 10-141.
Bowling: G. D.McGrath 9.5-1-27-3 (1nb), J. N. Gillespie 13-5-18-0, S. C. G. MacGill 12-2-55-2 (1w), C. R. Miller 17-6-32-5.

Australia (2nd innings):

M. L. Hayden c Jacobs b Walsh 14
M. J. Slater c Jacobs Dillon 1
J. L. Langer not out 43
M. E. Waugh c Jacobs b Dillon 5
R. T. Ponting lbw Walsh 11
D. R. Martyn not out 18
Extras (b3, nb3) 6
Total: (4 wkts, 35 overs) 98
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-22, 3-27, 4-48
Bowling: C. A. Walsh 10-3-28-2, M. Dillon 8-2-22-2, M. Samuels 6-1-17-0, N. A. M. McLean 5-1-9-0, J. C. Adams 3-0-7-0, M. I. Black 3-0-12-0 (3nb).

Mail Cricket Editor