MacGill takes seven wickets to send West Indies spinning

Stuart MacGill put the West Indies into a spin when he snared 7-92, undermining a record opening partnership on the first day of fifth cricket Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground Tuesday.

The New South Wales legspinner, for so long designated Shane Warne's understudy, bowled Australia back into contention to send the West Indians tumbling from 210 for four to be 256 for nine at the close.

Colin Stuart and Courtney Walsh, playing in his last Test, had both yet to score. The West Indies, who had already conceded the series after losing the opening four Tests, began the day positively with Sherwin Campbell and Wavell Hinds combining in a record 147-run opening stand.

MacGill broke the partnership, dismissing Campbell for 79 and following up with the wicket of Hinds for 70 in his next over. MacGill, bidding for a place on next month's tour to India, then took the prized wicket of Brian Lara when Mark Waugh took a wonderfully instinctive catch at slip.

Lara had looked in ominous touch, hitting four fours in his 35 off 73 balls, but then Waugh snapped up the edge perilously with his fingers. MacGill snared Lara's wicket in the second innings of the second Perth Test for 17 and he struck again in the same over when he had Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw for a duck -- his third duck of the series.

The tourists were 210 for five when in-form wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs came to the crease. Marlon Samuels, who made a huge impression in his first two Tests in Adelaide and Melbourne, became MacGill's fifth wicket, albeit in doubftul circumstances for 28.

The ball hit Samuels' pad reared up and appeared to roll off his shoulder to Justin Langer fielding close in. The 19-year-old Jamaican stood his ground as Australian umpire Darrell Hair gave him out.

The wickets kept tumbling for MacGill. He had Jacobs stumped by Adam Gilchrist for 12 and next ball Nixon McLean was unlucky to be given out lbw to a leg break. Colin Stuart saw off the hat-trick ball.

The SCG is a happy hunting ground for MacGill's legspin -- he captured match figures of 12-107 against England here two years ago. In contrast to their chaotic starts throughout the series, Campbell and Hinds gave the tourists the ideal start.

On the way Campbell and Hinds established the highest West Indies opening partnership in Australia, eclipsing the previous best of 135 by the great Caribbean opening pair, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, in Brisbane in 1988-89.

Vice-captain Campbell's marvellous innings came to an end when he was deceived by a dipping legspinner and was caught and bowled by MacGill for 79 -- more than his other eight innings scores combined in the series. The 30-year-old Barbados right-hander was at the crease for 185 minutes, faced 162 balls and hit nine boundaries. Campbell had some luck along the way in his refreshing return to batting confidence.

He gave Jason Gillespie a tough caught-and-bowled chance on six and would have been run out had Justin Langer's throw hit the stumps when he was on 18 nearing the first hour. Hinds was out in MacGill's next over when he was bowled for 70, leaving the tourists 152 for two. He occupied the crease for 193 minutes and hit seven fours.

It was his highest Test score against Australia following on from his 50 in the first innings of the second Perth Test. Glenn McGrath, wicketless in the fourth Melbourne Test for the first time in 58 Tests, trapped Jimmy Adams lbw for 10. The West Indies skipper promoted himself in the batting order to No.3 following a hamstring injury which put opener Daren Ganga out of the Test.

Scoreboard

West Indies (1st innings):

S.L. Campbell c and b MacGill 79
W.W. Hinds b MacGill 70
J.C. Adams lbw b McGrath 10
B.C. Lara c M. Waugh b MacGill 35
M.N. Samuels c Langer b MacGill 28
R.R. Sarwan lbw b MacGill 0
R.D. Jacobs stpd Gilchrist b MacGill 12
M.V. Nagamootoo c Slater b Miller 12
N.A. McLean lbw b MacGill 0
C.E. Stuart not out 0
C.A. Walsh not out 0
Extras (lb4, b4, nb2) 10
Total (9 wkts, 98 overs) 256
Fall of wkts: 1-147, 2-152, 3-174, 4-210, 5-210, 6-235, 7-240, 8-240, 9-252
Bowling: McGrath 19-7-43-1, Gillespie 16-4-44-0 (2nb), MacGill 35-11-92-7, Miller 28-7-69-1
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (Rsa), Darrell Hair (Aus)

Mail Cricket Editor