West Indies v Australia, Third Test Match
Despite rating the Kensington pitch as the slowest and flattest he had come across in almost two decades of international cricket, Waugh managed to wring out of it his 30th Test century, another Test win - his 36th as captain, equalling the record held by Clive Lloyd - and yet another series success, his tenth in charge. It also restored Waugh's Australians to the top of the ICC Test championship, whose reputation, rather than Australia's, had been badly dented when they were deposed by South Africa in January.
Lara, his opposite number, would not have such happy memories of Barbados 2003. He again found his health the subject of speculation and controversy after he was reported to be suffering from a mystery virus on the second day, his 34th birthday, and was too ill next morning to bat at his usual No. 4. The confusion was heightened by initial suggestions he might have contracted chicken-pox, though this was never confirmed.
Nor was there any confirmation that Lara was fevered and delirious at the toss, but it is hard to conjure any other explanation why - at 2-0 down and armed with the greenest of seam attacks who, all told, had nine previous caps - he invited the world's most relentless batting team to put on their pads. It was, at best, an act of pure negativity which fitted West Indies' publicly stated aim of being hell-bent on a draw. Waugh, meanwhile, welcomed McGrath back into the side in place of Hogg. McGrath, who had missed the first two Tests to be with his sick wife in Australia, had a quiet return, and went wicketless for the first time in 26 Tests.
Lara appeared to rely on Waugh to set up the game with a couple of sporting declarations, as he had in Trinidad, but as Waugh wryly noted during the match: "my generosity is not going to go that far, especially on this pitch". Lara's benevolence at the toss, however, was gratefully received. Every Australian bar MacGill made a start, Waugh and Ponting made hundreds and the entire line-up made a mockery of the revamped West Indian attack. They plundered 605 for nine before declaring. Neither debutant had an entirely happy introduction to Test cricket: Tino Best, a fiery seam bowler from Barbados, had figures of none for 99, while Omari Banks, an off-spinner from the Leewards, did take three wickets, though at a cost of 204. West Indies' disarray was best illustrated by Sarwan, briefly acting-captain while Lara was confined to his sick bed. He admitted it was not until prompted by Gayle that he remembered it had become his duty to set the field.
The fact that Lara, batting at No. 8 because of ill health, came in not long after tea on the third day suggested even a draw was a forlorn hope. It became less likely still when Lara was dismissed, shortly before stumps, to another howler of an lbw decision, umpire Venkat missing a big inside edge.
When the West Indies innings finished early on the fourth day 277 behind, Waugh had little option but to enforce the follow-on if his bowlers were to have enough time to capture ten wickets on the featherbed. West Indies started the final day just 90 adrift with seven wickets in hand and, as so often, much rested on Lara, now apparently restored to health, and on Sarwan, who had together taken their stand to 93. But both Onwards and upwards: Stuart MacGill snatches the wicket of Ramnaresh Sarwan, and Australia are soon 3-0 up in the series.
fell during the first few minutes, Sarwan to another strange leg-before call from Venkat first ball of the day. The rest was attritional but the result inevitable: MacGill took five for 75, giving him nine in the match.
Even in the midst of a third hefty defeat, however, Caribbean cricket fans had something to cheer. By removing Langer with the first ball of Australia's second innings - they needed eight runs to win - Lawson became the first West Indian to take a Test hat-trick on home soil. His name was barely out of the headlines in the coming week.
Man of the Match: S. C. G. MacGill.