Stuart 'macs' West Indians' day

Considering that they have so far lost all but one of their first-class matches on tour, including four Tests, the West Indian camp must have been rapt with its strong batting performance this morning during the fifth and final Test of the summer.

Then along came Stuart MacGill to "mac" their day, with seven wickets wreaking havoc in the tourists' tents and serving up a timely reminder to Australian selectors picking players for the upcoming Indian tour.

Having been dropped for last week's Fourth Test on the basis of a disappointing performance in Adelaide (when the tourists made their only other total exceeding two hundred in the series) in the Third Test in mid-December, the twenty-nine-year-old was determined to do well here on his home ground. Also in the back of his mind was the fact that Andy Bichel, who bowled so well last week in Melbourne, was relegated to drinks duties to make room for him.

"Bowling at the SCG - people talk about it being a spinners' paradise - (means) there may even be a little of extra pressure. Because you sort of feel obliged to take wickets. The other thing is that, having come in to replace Andy Bichel who got five wickets the last Test, you almost feel, out of respect for him, that you've got to do a good job. Otherwise you'd be letting him down," he said.

And a good job he did. By the end of the day, MacGill had 7/92 off his thirty-five overs. His two Tests at the Sydney Cricket Ground have now yielded an amazing nineteen wickets for 199 runs at an average of just 10.47. In his only other Test here, MacGill had taken 12/107 against England in 1999, including a career-best haul of 7/50.

MacGill's performance today proved once again that he is worthy enough to be considered Shane Warne's challenger, and not just his deputy. With Warne making a comeback to interstate cricket today in Perth, the contest is heating up for the leg spinning spot on the plane to India.

Asked about it after play today, however, MacGill sidestepped the topic with all the guile of his fine bowling.

"In the back of my mind, I always hoped that Shane and I would be playing Test cricket together. I don't really mind who's up the other end as long as they bowl really well because it makes my job a lot easier and if it's Colin (Miller) or Shane (Warne) or McGrath or Gillespie, it doesn't really bother me. That was my thinking early but I guess now I've come to terms with the fact that it doesn't matter who you're bowling with as long as we're working together in a good partnership," he said.

And in the ultimate sporting tradition, MacGill gave an answer equivalent to footballers taking the game week by week.

"There's still another innings to go and, you know, even though I'd be keen to get on that tour, I'd be pretty keen to win this Test match too," he said.

Prior to all of this measured talking, MacGill produced a lot of measured bowling out in the middle, removing both the openers and breaking a 147-run stand, before going on to claim Marlon Samuels (28), Ramnaresh Sarwan (0) and Ridley Jacobs (12). The most enjoyable of his victims, though, must surely have been West Indian star Brian Lara (35), who punished the bowler severely during his 182 run innings in Adelaide.

"I mentioned after the Adelaide game that I didn't think I bowled particularly well in that match. But I also said that, (with) him being such a good batsman, you have got to expect that they hit good balls for four. So you don't want to read too much into it, particularly seeing as there's a second innings," he said.