23 May, 2008
Punter leads Aussie charge

A sublime century from Ricky Ponting allowed Australia to take a firm grip against West Indies on day one of the opening Test in Kingston.

The captain struck 158 as the tourists recovered from the loss of two early wickets to reach 4-301 at stumps.

Ponting was the only batsman to fall in the final session, much to the relief of the hosts, who had toiled throughout the day but with little reward.

His knock formed the backbone of Australia's innings, which also saw half-centuries from Michael Hussey (56) and Brad Hodge (53 not out).

Ponting enjoyed a lengthy spell at the crease after the visitors had got off to a shaky start when Windies paceman Fidel Edwards removed openers Simon Katich and Phil Jaques early in the morning session.

The match marks the first Test for Australia since the retirement of wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

Brad Haddin was given his chance behind the stumps in place of Gilchrist, while Katich and Hodge were drafted in for absent pair Michael Clarke and Matthew Hayden.

In the Windies line-up, Ramnaresh Sarwan resumed the captaincy in place of the injured Chris Gayle, while Amit Jaggernauth was handed his Test debut after Jerome Taylor suffered a back injury.

Ponting won the toss and elected to bat with Katich and Jaques the first men at the crease.

Katich had shone with bat and ball in Australia's only warm-up game, a three-day contest with a Jamaica Select XI which ended in a rain-affected draw.

But he failed to deliver at Sabina Park and managed just 12 runs before edging Edwards to Darren Sammy at backward point.

Jaques then followed four overs later for nine, trapped leg before by Edwards while trying to poke the ball to leg side.

That left Australia struggling on 2-37, but Ponting brought some stability to the side and looked at ease against the Windies' attack.

The touring captain had posted an unbeaten 44 at lunch while Hussey made a laborious task of his innings, crawling to 14 from 65 balls as Australia ended the session on 2-87.

The third-wicket pairing then continued to frustrate the hosts into the afternoon session, with Ponting leading the way and Hussey providing the back-up.

It took less than four overs for Ponting to bring up his half-century with a single off Sammy - his score coming off 65 balls and including six fours.

The hundred partnership followed, with the Windies unable to break the stand, while Hussey reached his fifty in the 47th over with a boundary.

It had been a long time coming for the left-hander, who needed 133 balls to achieve the mark.

He was walking back to the pavilion two overs later though as Jaggernauth claimed his first Test wicket when Hussey edged his delivery to Dwayne Bravo at first slip to end the third-wicket stand of 137.

Ponting was just four runs short of his century at tea with Hodge sitting on eight as the tourists reached 3-189.

And the captain soon brought up his 35th Test ton, including 10 fours, hitting Jaggernauth through midwicket for two in the 56th over.

Jaggernauth thought he had claimed his second wicket two balls later in the shape of Hodge, but wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin failed to hold onto the catch.

The let-off spurred Australia on as Ponting and Hodge also formed a solid hundred partnership, despite several vociferous appeals from the Windies players.

The hosts finally got the breakthrough they had been searching for with Ponting the man to fall. The skipper pulled at a Bravo delivery which was snatched out of the air by a diving Brenton Parchment at square leg.

Hodge responded by reaching his fifty in the following over, and he and Mitchell Johnson (one not out) saw the tourists through to stumps as Australia laid the foundations for an imposing first-innings total.

Australia 1st Innings
Jaques lbw b Edwards 9
Katich c Sammy b Edwards 12
Ponting c Parchment b Bravo 158
Hussey c Bravo b Jaggernauth 56
Hodge not out 53
Johnson not out 1
Extras (lb 7, nb 1) 12
Total 301 (4 wickets; 87 overs)

To bat: Symonds, Haddin, Lee, Johnson, Clark, MacGill

Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Katich, 3.4 ov), 2-37 (Jaques, 7.3 ov), 3-174 (Hussey, 49.6 ov) 4-293 (Ponting, 84.1 ov)

Bowling
Powell 20-2-69-0
Edwards 14-0-56-2
Sammy 17-2-45-0 (1nb)
Bravo 16-4-47-1 (1nb)
Jaggernauth 20-0-74-1

24 May, 2008
Clark rattles Windies

West Indies trail Australia by 316 runs at the close of play on day two of the first Test after Stuart Clark ripped through their top order.

Having bowled the tourists out for 431 midway through the second session, the hosts found closing down the total tough going and were 3-115 at stumps in Kingston.

Clark's deadly pace and accuracy restricted the Windies and he ended the day with figures of 3-18 off eight overs.

He made the breakthrough by dismissing Devon Smith for 32, and Brenton Parchment (nine) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (seven) fell victim soon after.

Runako Morton (23 not out) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (25no) remain unbeaten overnight and will need to build on a promising partnership if the Windies are to get anywhere near Australia's total.

Earlier in the day, the tourists made just 130 for the last six wickets after failing to fully capitalise on their commanding overnight position.

Having started the day on 4-301, Brad Hodge (67) was caught behind off an in-form Fidel Edwards and no batsman was able to stay long with Andrew Symonds, who ground out an unbeaten 70.

Brad Haddin's departure for 11 when he bottom-edged Darren Sammy behind to Denesh Ramdin sparked a low-order collapse, with Brett Lee (four), Clark (three) and Stuart MacGill (two) all falling cheaply.

In reply, Smith and Parchment put on 47 for the first wicket before the former played on to his stumps off Clark in the 15th over.

It was a blow for the Windies as Smith had looked the far more likely of the opening pair to post a good knock.

Parchment took seven overs to get off the mark and struggled to hit the ball off the square.

He appeared unable to read the line of the bowlers and had several play-and-misses even before Lee sent him firmly on the back foot after hitting him on the helmet with an aggressive bouncer.

Sarwan offered little support and was in for just three overs before attempting to cut Clark but top-edged to Haddin for seven.

Parchement eventually fell for a dismal nine off 60 balls when Clark lured him into a forward prod which edged behind to Haddin to leave the Windies on 3-68.

Morton and Chanderpaul steadied the ship and the latter brought up 100 runs for the hosts by clipping Mitchell Johnson through square leg for four, having guided another four past gully the previous ball.

The runs dried up towards the end of the day as the pair ensured no further wickets were lost before close of play.

Earlier, Hodge had just started to find some rhythm when he became the Windies' first victim of the day, nicking a Fidel Edwards delivery to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, who dived to his right to take a sharp one-handed catch.

Johnson struggled to contend with the pace and accuracy of Daren Powell and Edwards and eventually succumbed when he misjudged the length of a Sammy delivery and spooned it up to Powell at mid-on.

Haddin followed and the tail added few runs before the tourists were all out for 431.

25 May, 2008
Windies hit back hard

Australia's top order has been torn apart late on Day 3 as the West Indies turned the opening Test of the series on its head.

The tourists are 4-17 at stumps - an overall lead of 136 - after a gutsy knock from skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul led the West Indies to a first-innings total of 312.

Brad Hodge (0) and nightwatchman Mitchell Johnson (4) will attempt to launch a rescue mission against the fired-up pace attack of the home side on Day 4.

Chanderpaul recovered from a sickening blow to the head to record a remarkable century.

Chanderpaul wore the ball on the bottom of the helmet as he turned his back on a bouncer from Brett Lee and, after collapsing immediately to the ground, appeared to be briefly unconscious

He got to his feet, though, and struck the 14 runs he needed to reach his 18th Test century.

He was eventually last man out for 118 as the Windies were all out behind by 119.

And the drama did not end there as the home attack produced its finest spell of the match to have the Sabina Park crowd on their feet.

Phil Jaques (four) edged Fidel Edwards through to Dinesh Ramdin in the second over and the prize wicket of Ricky Ponting (five) followed in the next over, as Dwayne Bravo held a good low catch off Daren Powell.

Simon Katich (one) was third to go, trapped plumb in front by a full Edwards delivery.

And the wickets kept coming when Mike Hussey (one) played all around a full one from Powell which disturbed the left-hander's stumps.

Earlier, the Windies resumed on 3-115 and a sedate morning session came to life when Stuart MacGill was introduced after drinks.

Runako Morton struck two fours off the spinner's second over of the spell, the second a trademark straight drive to bring up his half-century and the hundred partnership with Chanderpaul, before dispatching the leg-spinner for six over mid-on.

Chanderpaul brought up his 50 in more understated fashion with a leg-side single in the following over.

Morton, though, attempted one shot too many off MacGill and fell to a good leaping catch from Stuart Clark at mid-on, leaving his side 4-197 at the interval.

Bravo joined Chanderpaul at the crease and brought about an increase in the run rate after lunch.
Bravo, who spent most of this month representing the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, showed signs of still being in Twenty20 mode as he smashed MacGill for a six and a four in the third over after the interval - and he repeated the trick off the leg-spinner's next over.

When the 50 partnership came up, Bravo had contributed 36 and Australia took the new ball soon after.

But it was Bravo's attacking instincts which were to prove his undoing as, with the score on 260, he attempted a drive off a wide Lee delivery and edged a comfortable catch through to first slip Katich.

Bravo was four short of a half-century and his wicket was the first of three in 19 balls for the addition of only three runs.

Ramdin immediately looked uncomfortable before feathering Lee through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for nought and Darren Sammy was equally ineffective in six fewer balls, flicking a simple catch to Jaques off Mitchell Johnson.

An inswinging yorker from Lee was too good for Powell (three) as the Windies' collapsed to 8-268 at tea.

In the third over after the interval, though, Chanderpaul crumpled to the ground after being struck and the whole of Sabina Park feared the worst.

Remarkably, though, the batsman continued and did so in style.

He resumed slowly, before a boundary off Lee took him to 95 and he eventually reached his hundred with a drive for two off Clark, receiving a well-earned standing ovation in the process.

Stumps Day 3
Australia 1st innings 431
West Indies 1st innings
Smith b Clark 32
Parchment c Haddin b Clark 9
Sarwan c Haddin b Clark 7
Morton c Clark b MacGill 67
Chanderpaul c Hussey b MacGill 118
Bravo c Katich b Lee 46
Ramdin c Haddin b Lee 0
Sammy c Jaques b Johnson 0
Powell b Lee 3
Edwards c Haddin b Johnson 1
Jaggernauth not out 0
Extras 29 (b 2, lb 10, w 3, nb 14)
Total 312 (all out; 106 overs)
FoW: 1-47 (Smith, 14.6 ov), 2-62 (Sarwan, 18.2 ov), 3-68 (Parchment, 20.3 ov), 4-196 (Morton, 62.3 ov), 5-260 (Bravo, 84.3 ov), 6-262 (Ramdin, 86.4 ov), 7-263 (Sammy, 87.3 ov), 8-268 (Powell, 90.5 ov), 9-298 (Edwards, 102.5 ov), 10-312 (Chanderpaul, 105.6 ov)

Bowling
Lee 28-7-63-3 (9nb, 1w)
Johnson 26-6-63-2 (4nb, 1w)
Clark 19-2-59-3 (1w)
MacGill 22-2-100-2
Symonds 11-4-15-0

Australia 2nd innings
Jacques c Ramdin b Edwards 4
Katich lbw b Edwards 1
Ponting c Bravo b Powell 5
Hussey b Powell 1
Johnson not out 4
Hodge not out 0
Extras 2 (lb 1, nb 1)
Total 17 (4 wickets; 10 overs)
FoW: 1-5 (Jaques, 1.4 ov), 2-10 (Ponting, 2.6 ov), 3-12 (Katich, 7.4 ov), 4-12 (Hussey, 8.3 ov)

Bowling
Powell 5-4-4-2
Edwards 5-1-12-2 (1nb)

26 May, 2008
Windies on track for upset

West Indies will enter the final day of a gripping first Test against Australia needing 241 more runs to win and nine wickets in hand after another tense day of Test cricket in Kingston.

The Windies reached 1-46 in their second innings, chasing a victory target of 287, before taking the light early in the evening session of the fourth day at Sabina Park.

Brenton Parchment (15) was the only West Indian to fall, drawing his bat away too late from a Stuart Clark delivery with Brad Haddin making no mistake behind the stumps.

Australia was restricted to 167 all out in its second innings, with Dwayne Bravo claiming 4-47 including the vital wicket of Andrew Symonds.

All-rounder Symonds was the only player to offer any resistance, but his dismissal for 79 signalled the beginning of the end for the tourists.

Brad Hodge (27) and Brad Haddin (23) were the only other Australians to reach double figures on yet another gripping day of cricket.

Resuming on an overnight total of 4-17, Ricky Ponting's team suffered a setback when they lost nightwatchman Mitchell Johnson with just one run added to its second-innings total.

Daren Powell made the breakthrough to add to the key scalps of Ponting and Mike Hussey on Saturday.

Johnson, on four, got an edge on the delivery outside off stump and Denesh Ramdin took a simple catch behind the stumps.

That brought Symonds to the crease at 5-18 and he looked in determined mood following his fine 70 not out in the first innings.

Hodge posted a dogged 27 from 54 balls before he fell to Bravo, an outside edge again doing the damage as Ramdin took another catch - this time after a stunning dive to his right.

Australia reached 6-93 to establish an overall lead of 212 by lunch, and Symonds continued his impressive knock in the second session to further extend that advantage.

Haddin became Bravo's second victim when he found Runako Morton at short cover and Brett Lee contributed nine before being snapped up by Ramdin after getting an outside edge to Fidel Edwards.

Symonds went in the following over, brilliantly held by Darren Sammy at mid-on despite a collision with team-mate Morton off the bowling of Bravo.

Bravo then finished things off when he had Stuart MacGill caught at point by Morton for nought.

The Windies, in reply, are 1-22 in the final session of the penultimate day.

Australia first innings 431
West Indies first innings 312
Australia seconnd innings
P Jaques c Ramdin b Edwards 4
S Katich LBW Edwards 1
R Ponting c Bravo b Powell 5
M Hussey b Powell 1
M Johnson c Ramdin b Powell 4
B Hodge c Ramdin b Bravo 27
A Symonds c Sammy b Bravo 79
B Haddin c Morton b Bravo 23
B Lee c Ramdin b Edwards 9
S Clark not out 1
S MacGill c Morton b Bravo 0
Extras (b 2, lb 10, nb 1) 13
Total (all out; 56.5 overs) 167
FoW: 1-5 (Jaques, 1.4 ov), 2-10 (Ponting, 2.6 ov), 3-12 (Katich, 7.4 ov), 4-12 (Hussey, 8.3 ov), 5-18 (Johnson, 10.5 ov), 6-70 (Hodge, 27.1 ov), 7-144 (Haddin, 47.5 ov), 8-162 (Lee, 55.6 ov), 9-166 (Symonds, 56.3 ov), 10-167 (MacGill, 56.5 ov)

Bowling
Powell 15-5-36-4
F Edwards 16-3-40-3
D Bravo 18.5-3-47-4
A Jaggernauth 3-0-22-0
D Sammy 4-0-10-0

West Indies second innings
D Smith not out 19
B Parchment c Haddin b Clark 15
R Sarwan not out 8
Extras (b 4) 4
Total (1 wicket; 18 overs) 46
FoW: 1-22 (Parchment, 7.3 ov)

Bowling
B Lee 6-0-24-0
S Clark 7-3-11-1
M Johnson 3-0-6-0
S MacGill 2-1-1-0

27 May, 2008
Clark sinks Windies

A five-wicket haul by paceman Stuart Clark has propelled Australia to a 95-run victory over the West Indies in the first Test at Sabina Park.

Resuming on the final day with the score on 1-46 in pursuit of 287 for victory, the Windies had the odds stacked against them as early as the second over of the day when Ramnaresh Sarwan departed.

No batsman from the home side was able to stymie a relentless onslaught from man of the match Stuart Clark, whose figures of 5-32 represented his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket, as the home side was dismissed for 191.

For the second time in the Test Clark destroyed the Windies' top order, again claiming the first three wickets of the innings.

At one stage bowling unchanged for two hours with Brett Lee, who claimed the key wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Clark eliminated any possibility the home side would become the first team in nine years to defeat Australia in the opening Test of a series.

Deriving plenty of movement in the air, he removed Sarwan (12) and Devon Smith (28) in his first and third overs of the day and also grabbed the important scalp of Dwayne Bravo.

Any hope for a revival evaporated when Chanderpaul, the Windies' hero in the first innings with a courageous century, was caught and bowled by Lee for 11.

Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (36) and Darren Sammy (35) provided the only resistance for the Windies, adding 67 for the seventh wicket but a direct hit from Stuart MacGill at mid-on ended their stand.

MacGill then cleaned up the tail, securing the final two wickets.

The second Test starts in Antigua on Saturday.