Australia v West Indies

At Perth, December 12, 13, 14, 16. West Indies won by an innings and 87 runs. This was one of the most remarkable Test Matches which can ever have been played and was a complete reversal of the First in Brisbane.

The West Indies batsmen and their fast bowlers found that the fastest pitch they came across in Australia exactly suited their methods and just as everything had failed in the First Test now everything came off.

The two strongest memories of the match will always be Fredericks's 169 and Roberts's fast bowling, but Ian Chappell's 156 and Lloyd's 149 were scarcely less memorable. This match came as a sharp reminder that when everything is going right for them there is no side on earth which could stop the West Indies.

Walker came into the Australian side for Jenner, the leg spinner, and McCosker opened with Turner, Redpath dropping down to number five. The West Indies omitted Greenidge who had made a pair at Brisbane, and Inshan Ali and brought in their two all-rounders, Julien and Boyce, both of whom had been surprisingly short of form.

It looked a good toss for Australia to win, but Roberts soon sent back both openers. Julien and Boyce benefited from the pace and bounce, and Australia lost half their wickets for 189.

Meanwhile, Ian Chappell, who had come in during the first over, was batting superbly. He had just a little luck early on but was soon timing the ball beautifully as he hooked, pulled and drove. He was well supported by Gilmour later on and their stand of 88 came in only sixty-five minutes. Chappell's hundred took four and a half hours and it was one of the best innings that even he can have played, for he held the Australian batting together on his own.

The next morning Holding finished off the innings in his second over with the second new ball when with the first, second and seventh balls of the over he bowled Chappell, Thomson and Mallett.

The West Indies had ninety minutes batting before lunch and, remarkably, Julien came out to open with Fredericks. Fredericks began by hooking Lillee's second ball for 6 off the edge although from then on he never made any sort of mistake. Runs came at a bewildering pace as he hooked and drove and cut at Thomson and Lillee. It was thrilling batting and the Australians could only stand and watch.

Julien had a lot of luck as he flashed and missed, but when in the tenth over he fended Gilmour into the gully, 91 runs had already been scored. At lunch after only 14 overs the West Indies were an incredible 130 for one.

Fredericks went on and on through the afternoon as one astonishing stroke was followed by the next. His hundred came in one hour, fifty-six minutes off 71 balls with one 6 and eighteen 4's and when soon after tea he drove at Lillee and was caught at slip he had made 169 out of 258.

Soon after that Kallicharran, who was batting well, hooked at Lillee and the ball flew off the edge and broke his nose. The Australian fielding had grown careless and before the end of the day Lloyd had been dropped twice and Murray once.

The next day these two took their stand to 164 in two and a half hours. Murray's 50 had been exciting, and Lloyd produced his own special display of pyrotechnics which if not quite matching Fredericks' was very impressive. His 149 took three hours, thirty-eight minutes and he hit one 6 and twenty-two 4's. Later, Kallicharran, who continued his innings, and Boyce played some good strokes.

The West Indies had a lead of 256 and when in a wonderful spell of controlled fast bowling Roberts took four wickets before the close, the match was as good as over. Greg Chappell and Marsh continued their resistance for a while the next morning before Roberts dismissed them both and the last six wickets put on only another 65 runs. Roberts finished with seven for 54.

It had been a match which had expressed vividly the full joy and exuberance of West Indies cricket and when compared to what went on before and afterwards its inconsistency as well.