West Indies v Australia

At Bridgetown, March 17, 18, 19. West Indies won by nine wickets, their fast bowlers again causing problems for the Australian batsmen who failed their side.

Lloyd again sent Australia in after winning the toss, but when they went to lunch at 104 for one on the opening day, his decision was open to question. At that point the left-handers Wood and Yallop were batting competently and Lloyd had already introduced spin.

But once Wood was l.b.w. to Croft in the second over after lunch, offering no shot, the frailty of the batting was exposed. Wickets fell so quickly that the score was 161 for seven twenty-five minutes before tea.

Yallop, who created a piece of history by being the first batsman to appear in a Test match wearing a protective helmet, batted steadily for two and a half hours before being spectacularly caught behind square leg by Austin.

The Australian spirit was revived by Yardley's unorthodox but effective aggression which earned him 74 off the 48 deliveries he faced - scored out of 101 added while he was at the wicket. He cut and hooked Garner for two 6s, was struck on the body by the same bowler, and eventually yorked by him.

West Indies were left an hour and a quarter's batting before stumps and, in that time, Thomson produced a memorable spell of speed and hostility during which he discomforted all the batsmen and dismissed Greenidge, Richards, and Kallicharran, three of the finest of contemporary players.

Greenidge was caught at slip off the glove; Richards at long leg off a top-edged hook; Kallicharran at short leg off the glove. In between, all were struck by balls which climbed steeply off the pitch.

Richards enlivened affairs by engaging in a stirring duel with his rampant Australian adversary. Dropped off Thomson from a mistimed hook before he had scored, Richards decided on an all-out counter-offensive. He hooked him for 6 and 4, lifted him overhead for another 4, and appeared to have won the day with 19 off a nine-ball over when Thomson snared him with the last ball.

Thomson's exertions caused him to strain a leg muscle and he was able to bowl only three overs at the start of the second day before he retired for treatment. In his absence the cricket lacked the excitement of the first evening, although Australia did well to contain the potentially explosive West Indies' batting.

Haynes passed his second successive half-century, adding 83 with Lloyd, who scored 42. The West Indies' captain was below his best and was twice dropped in his hour and fifty-five minutes at the crease. It was left to the reliable Murray, with help from Austin and Parry, to secure a lead of 38 for West Indies.

Thomson returned to take the last three wickets and finish with six for 77, the best figures by an Australian in a Test at Kensington Oval.

It had been a close contest until then, but now West Indies took a firm grip, in the final session of the second day dismissing five Australian batsmen for 96. Darling, Yallop, and Rixon - sent in as night-watchman - were caught either by the'keeper or first slip; Serjeant and Cosier perished to unwise hook shots.

Only Wood, calm and collected, withstood the West Indies' fast bowlers, and when he was narrowly run out by Richard's direct throw to the bowler's end in the third over of the third day, the match was as good as over. Yardley again hit vigorously for 43 in just over an hour, but Australia were all out before lunch.

West Indies, left with only 141 to extend their lead in the series, did it in style, Greenidge and Haynes, both Barbadians, entertaining a large crowd with stylish strokeplay. Haynes fell with victory 10 runs away; Greenidge was not out 80 when he made the winning hit. Between them, the pair hit three 6s and sixteen 4s. It was the first definite result in four Tests between the teams on the ground.