31 May, 2008
Katich ton puts Aussies in control

Simon Katich hit an unbeaten century as Australia moved into a strong position on the first day of the second Test against West Indies - but it was Ricky Ponting who stole the limelight in Antigua.

Ponting hit 65 to become just the seventh man in history to pass 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

He started the day 61 runs short of the landmark but passed it with a cover drive off the bowling of Ramnaresh Sarwan shortly after the tea interval.

Ponting joins an illustrious group of batsmen, which includes two other Australians, Allan Border and Steve Waugh, to have reached the 10,000-run plateau.

The list is headed by West Indian Brian Lara, who amassed 11,953 runs in his Test career.

His achievement capped a fine day for the tourists who went into the match 1-0 up in the best-of-three series.

Opener Katich led from the front, making 113 not out before bad light brought an end to proceedings with Australia on 259 for three.

The sole wicket to fall in the morning session was that of Phil Jaques, who went for 17 after falling victim to a beautiful delivery from Dwayne Bravo.

Right-armer Bravo got one to nip back and trapped Jaques leg before wicket with television replays showing the ball was destined to hit middle stump.

The dismissal brought Ponting to the crease alongside Katich and the pair prospered, putting on 136 for the second wicket.

Ponting went shortly after reaching 10,000 runs - a moment which was greeted with a brief wave of the bat to the sparse crowd.

The Tasmanian may have suffered from a momentary lapse in concentration as he chased a slower ball from Jerome Taylor and edged into the waiting hands of Xavier Marshall at second slip.

Mike Hussey missed out, making 10 before mis-timing a pull straight to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid-wicket off the bowling of Darren Sammy.

But Michael Clarke looked in great touch as he made a rapid 38 not out before the close.

Clarke was also at the crease to share the moment when his New South Wales team-mate Katich got to three figures with an on-drive wide of mid-on.

Stumps Day 1

Australia 1st innings

Jaques lbw b Bravo 17
Katich not out 113
Ponting c Marshall b Taylor 65
Hussey c Chanderpaul b Sammy 10
Clarke not out 38
Extras 16 (lb 4, w 5, nb 7)
Total 259 (3 wickets; 82 overs)

FoW: 1-36 (Jaques, 14.3 ov), 2-172 (Ponting, 52.6 ov), 3-199 (Hussey, 65.2 ov)

Bowling
Powell 17-3-54-0
Edwards 18-3-55-0 (1nb)
Taylor 15-3-43-1 (4nb, 1w)
Bravo 15-1-56-1 (2nb)
Sammy 12-1-31-1
Sarwan 5-0-16-0

1 June, 2008
Brilliant bats do the job

Australia's batsmen have put the tourists in a strong position at the close of play on day two against the West Indies in Antigua.

Michael Clarke hit a century to guide Australia to an imposing 479 first-innings total and then claimed two wickets to give the hosts a mountain to climb.

West Indies finished the day 3-125, having lost opener Devon Smith in the 10th over and Xavier Marshall (53) and Runako Morton (two) in quick succession to trail by 354 runs at the close of play.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (32) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (five) remain unbeaten at the crease overnight and will be required to significantly build on their partnership if the Windies are to avoid going 2-0 down in the series, with one Test remaining.

Clarke was earlier in sparkling form with the bat and led the tourists to a declaration on 7-479 at tea.

Simon Katich (113) failed to add to his overnight total and was back in the dressing room in the third over of the day, but Clarke and Brett Lee, who chipped in with 65 not out in the second session, put Australia firmly in the ascendency.

With Australia starting the day on 3-259, West Indies made an early breakthrough when Katich was caught behind off Jerome Taylor, but any joy at the early wicket was tempered by Clarke's exquisite strokeplay.

He picked up where he left off and reached his second consecutive Test century with a superb on-drive to the boundary off Daren Powell.

Andrew Symonds added 18 off 19 balls before tickling Fidel Edwards down the leg side into the gloves of Denesh Ramdin before lunch.

Brad Haddin (33) formed a 64-run partnership with Clarke but was dismissed with the third ball after lunch when he was fooled by Taylor's slower ball and chipped up to Morton for a simple catch at mid-on.

Clarke eventually fell to Powell attempting a pull which top-edged to Marshall at mid-wicket, but Lee continued to rack up the runs and brought up Australia's 400 by cutting Powell's long-hop for four.

He and Mitchell Johnson were fortunate the Windies' fielding was below par, as the pair were both dropped by Edwards and Dwayne Bravo respectively, with Darren Sammy the unlucky bowler.

Lee reached his 50 with an entertaining slog for six before Australia confirmed their declaration during the interval.

In reply, Smith made little impact before he flayed at a short, wide Mitchell Johnson delivery and was sharply caught by Symonds at mid-on.
Marshall enjoyed more success and hit eight fours in his 69-ball innings but had a lapse in concentration when he left a Clarke delivery, only for the ball to hit him flush on the back pad in line with middle stump.

The Windies needed Morton to steady the ship but he was dismissed in the same over attempting to smash one over midwicket but succeeding only in thick-edging to Katich at short midwicket.

Australia 1st innings
Jacques lbw b Bravo 17
Katich c Ramdin b Taylor 113
Ponting c Marshall b Taylor 65
Hussey c Chanderpaul b Sammy 10
Clarke c Marshall b Powell 110
Symonds c Ramdin b Edwards 18
Haddin c Morton b Taylor 33
Lee not out 63
Johnson not out 29
Extras 21 (lb 7, w 5, nb 9)
Total 479 (7 wickets (Dec); 136 overs)
FoW: 1-36 (Jaques, 14.3 ov), 2-172 (Ponting, 52.6 ov), 3-199 (Hussey, 65.2 ov), 4-271 (Katich, 84.5 ov), 5-296 (Symonds, 91.3 ov), 6-360 (Haddin, 109.3 ov), 7-414 (Clarke, 126.5 ov)

Bowling
Powell 29-3-101-1 (2nb)
Edwards 28-6-98-1 (1nb)
Taylor 27-5-95-3 (4nb, 1w)
Bravo 24-4-80-1 (2nb)
Sammy 21-2-71-1
Sarwan 7-0-27-0


West Indies 1st innings
Smith c Symonds b Johnson 16
Marshall lbw b Clarke 53
Sarwan not out 32
Morton c Katich b Clarke 2
Chanderpaul not out 5
Extras 17 (b 7, lb 8, w 1, nb 1)
Total 125 (3 wickets; 35 overs)
FoW: 1-55 (Smith, 9.2 ov), 2-103 (Marshall, 26.1 ov), 3-105 (Morton, 26.6 ov)

Bowling
Lee 7-4-20-0 (1nb, 1w)
Johnson 8-1-33-1
Clark 6-0-19-0
MacGill 7-0-31-0
Clarke 7-4-7-2

2 June, 2008

Rain and half-centuries to Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul frustrated Australia's bid for victory in the second Test against West Indies in Antigua on Sunday.

Just 36 overs were possible on the third day after the opening two sessions were washed out.

At stumps, the Windies had moved to 4-255, a deficit of 224 runs, with Chanderpaul unbeaten on 55 and Dwayne Bravo on 29.

The Australians claimed just the one wicket on Sunday, that of captain Sarwan for 65.

Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, who announced during the lunch break his international retirement effective at the end of this Test, claimed the wicket.

Deceived by a combination of flight and turn, Sarwan was caught one-handed by Michael Clarke at first slip.

Chanderpaul, who made a courageous century in the first Test, continued to deny Australia.

The left-hander batted patiently and will again be the key wicket in the Windies line-up.

He and Bravo, who swung MacGill for two sixes, contributed an invaluable 73-run stand.

The Windies must win the second Test if they are to have any hope of regaining the Frank Worrell Trophy.

West Indies v, Australia, 2nd Test, Day 3, Stumps

Australia 1st innings 479
West Indies 1st innings
Smith c Symonds b Johnson 16
Marshall lbw b Clarke 53
Sarwan c Clarke b MacGill 65
Morton c Katich b Clarke 2
Chanderpaul not out 55
Bravo not out 29
Extras (b 9, lb 13, w 2, nb 11) 35
Total 255 (4 wickets; 71 overs)
To bat: Ramdin, Sammy, Powell, Edwards, Taylor
FoW: 1-55 (Smith, 9.2 ov), 2-103 (Marshall, 26.1 ov), 3-105 (Morton, 26.6 ov), 4-182 (Sarwan, 53.6 ov)

Bowling
Lee 15-5-48-0 (3nb, 1w)
Johnson 16-3-54-1
Clark 14-0-39-0
MacGill 16-1-82-1 (8nb, 1w)
Clarke 8-4-8-2
Symonds 2-1-2-0

3 June, 2008

A five-wicket haul from Brett Lee has Australia in the driving seat at stumps on day four of the second Test against West Indies.

The match had been meandering towards a draw with overnight pair Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo carefully negotiating the first hour before Lee broke the game open with three wickets in four balls.

That sparked a total collapse as West Indies lost its final six wickets inside an hour to be dismissed for 352 and still trailing by 127 runs, despite a century from Chanderpaul.

At stumps, the tourists reached 6-244 in reply to hold a 371-run advantage with one day remaining.

Opener Phil Jaques - joined by Mike Hussey (40) at the head of the order in place of the injured Simon Katich - was the top-scorer for Australia with 76.

Andrew Symonds is 43 not out and will resume the innings on Wednesday morning (AEST) if captain Ricky Ponting deems it necessary.

West Indies began the day knowing it needed victory in order to keep the series alive.

Overnight pair Chanderpaul and Bravo looked untroubled for the best part of the morning session to extend their stand for the fifth wicket to 132 before Bravo became the first of Lee's victims.

The all-rounder had reached 45 when he was adjudged caught behind down the leg side by umpire Russell Tiffin, although replays suggested the ball had deflected off his thigh guard.

Lee struck again the next delivery when late swing with the old ball trapped Denesh Ramdin on the crease, although again the decision looked dubious with the ball hitting the wicketkeeper outside the line of off stump.

New batsman Darren Sammy successfully negotiated the hat-trick ball and then in the next over Chanderpaul brought up his 19th Test century with a clubbed blow through the leg side from Symonds.

But Sammy was soon on his way when Lee was the beneficiary of another dubious LBW decision, although what was certain was the Australia paceman was getting the old ball to move considerably to fool the batsman.

It took his own piece of craft to remove Jerome Taylor, for a quick-fire 20 - the tail-ender misjudged a slower ball and was bowled.

Lee then took his fifth wicket of the morning trapping Daren Powell lbw without scoring, before Mitchell Johnson completed the innings when he had Fidel Edwards caught behind to become the fourth batsman of the innings to fall without scoring.

That left Chanderpaul unbeaten on 107, his fourth Test century against the Australians.

The tourists began their reply at the start of the afternoon session with Hussey opening the batting in place of Katich, who was still recovering from a blow he took while posting a century in the opening innings.

And Hussey enjoyed a steady partnership with Jaques as Australia looked to build a substantial lead.

The pair put on 74 for the opening wicket before Bravo interrupted the flow with a delivery which Hussey edged to wicket-keeper Ramdin.

Ponting contributed 38 before he was dismissed LBW by Taylor and vice-captin Michael Clarke followed his skipper back to the sheds when he was caught short of his ground on 10.

Brad Haddin scored seven before Edwards grabbed his first victim and the whippy quick removed Lee (four) with what proved the final ball of the day.

West Indies v, Australia, Jamaica 2nd Test, Day 4
Australia 1st innings, 479 (7 wickets; 136 overs)
West Indies 1st innings
D Smith c Symonds b Johnson 16
X Marshall lbw b Clarke 53
R Sarwan c Clarke b MacGill 65
R Morton c Katich b Clarke 2
S Chanderpaul not out 107
D Bravo c Haddin b Lee 45
D Ramdin lbw b Lee 0
D Sammy lbw b Lee 0
J Taylor b Lee 20
D Powell lbw b Lee 0
F Edwards c Haddin b Johnson 0
Extras (b 17, lb 13, w 2, nb 12) 44
Total (all out; 107 overs) 352
FoW: 1-55 (Smith, 9.2 ov), 2-103 (Marshall, 26.1 ov), 3-105 (Morton, 26.6 ov), 4-182 (Sarwan, 53.6 ov), 5-314 (Bravo, 95.4 ov), 6-314 (Ramdin, 95.5 ov), 7-318 (Sammy, 97.1 ov), 8-341 (Taylor, 103.2 ov), 9-341 (Powell, 103.4 ov), 10-352 (Edwards, 106.6 ov)

Bowling
B Lee 21-7-59-5
M Johnson 24-5-72-2
S Clark 14-0-39-0
S MacGill 21-1-107-1
M Clarke 15-7-20-2
A Symonds 12-3-25-0

Australia 2nd innings
Jaques c Ramdin b Taylor 76
Hussey c Ramdin b Bravo 40
Ponting lbw b Taylor 38
Clarke run out (Chanderpaul) 10
Symonds not out 43
Haddin lbw b Edwards 7
Lee c Ramdin b Edwards 4
Extras (b 8, lb 6, w 3, nb 9) 26
Total 244 (6 wickets; 61.5 overs)
FoW: 1-74 (Hussey, 27.6 ov), 2-163 (Jaques, 45.2 ov), 3-178 (Ponting, 47.3 ov), 4-186 (Clarke, 50.6 ov), 5-222 (Haddin, 57.1 ov), 6-244 (Lee, 61.5 ov)

Bowling
Powell 13-3-47-0
Edwards 7.5-1-28-2
Taylor 12-0-33-2
Sammy 12-1-45-0
Bravo 14-1-59-1
Sarwan 3-0-18-0

4 June, 2008

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramanaresh Sarwan were the heroes for the West Indies as the home side saved the second Test against Australia in Antigua.

Set 372 for victory after Australia declared overnight, the Windies made it to 5-266 when play was called off five overs early by both captains.

It was a dogged effort by the West Indies, who were forced to survive to new-ball blitzes against the Australian attack.

It would not have done so if not for a captain's century from Sarwan, who made 128, and yet another defiant contribution from the red-hot Chanderpaul.

Chanderpaul, who made an unbeaten 77 to go with an unconquered 107 in the first innings to earn man-of-the-match honours, has amassed 313 runs from the first two matches of the series.

Australia fancied its chances of taking an unassailable 2-0 lead to Barbados when it reduced the Windies to 2-19 in just the 12th over of the day.

A victory still looked on the cards in the final session once an outstanding 143-run stand between Sarwan and Chanderpaul was halted by the second new ball.

Of the five wickets to fall on the final day, four were attained while the ball was still relatively new.

And again, it was Brett Lee and Stuart Clark who were the most dangerous of the Australian bowlers although the retiring Stuart MacGill, who was chaired off the ground in his final Test, and Mitchell Johnson had their best day of the series.

Lee removed Devon Smith in the fifth over with a short ball which the Windies opener steered to Michael Hussey at gully.

Clark grabbed the wicket of Xavier Marshall, who was caught behind by Brad Haddin.

An Australia victory became the most likely result when Runako Morton was trapped plumb in front by Lee shortly before lunch.

But Chanderpaul and Sarwan had other ideas. The pair, who five years ago helped the Windies overhaul a record 418 for victory against Australia at the nearby Antigua Recreation Ground, were again rock solid.

Sarwan batted early in his innings like a man intent on pursuing another unlikely victory rather than just surviving.

He raced to 50 off only 68 balls but once Morton departed defence became the name of his game.

Almost stumped on 92 off MacGill's bowling when given the benefit of the doubt by inconclusive TV replays, Sarwan registered his 11th Test ton when he swept the veteran leg-spinner for a boundary.

Sarwan's dismissal, caught at gully by Hussey after fending a searing lifter from Johnson on the first delivery with the second new ball, set up a tense finish.

Dwayne Bravo wasted 13 deliveries before a leading edge off Lee saw him depart for just one.

Ramdin was lucky not to feather his second ball to a hungry cordon but was otherwise a dependable partner for Chanderpaul.