Australia pace bowler Glenn McGrath took the final West Indies wicket yesterday - the fifth day of the fourth and final Test in St John's, Antigua - to clinch the match for the tourists, who drew a dramatic series 2-2 and retained the Frank Worrell Trophy they have held since 1995.
The 29-year-old, who finished with a staggering 30 wickets for the series, had Corey Collymore caught by Stuart McGill in the slips to end some dogged resistance by the home side, who were all out for 211 - losing by 176 runs.
Adrian Griffith (27), who had gone off with an injured elbow during Tuesday's afternoon session following a blow by McGrath, proved the main obstacle to the rampant Aussies after Jimmy Adams and Ridley Jacobs had departed before lunch.
Playing in only his third Test, the Barbados left-hander hit his first half-century, including five boundaries, off 201 balls in 257 minutes, before his resistance ended when he failed to play a stroke at McGill and umpire Steve Bucknor adjudged him leg before.
Griffith and Collymore, making his Test debut, had put on just 16 runs, but it took 12 overs to break their partnership. It then took only two more to get rid of Curtly Ambrose; he was clean bowled trying to hoik McGill, to become his third victim of the session. Nehemiah Perry holed out to Michael Slater for 26.
Australia's success in the morning session had come from a surprising source in part-time bowler Greg Blewett, when he dismissed Jacobs just before lunch.
Australia, who had set the West Indies a national record fourth-innings target of 388 to win, had made an early breakthrough when wicket-keeper Ian Healy superbly stumped Adams off Colin "Funky" Miller to show that, despite a poor series with the bat, Healy retains his sharpness behind the stumps.
Blewett, who had taken the prize scalp of Carl Hooper on the fourth day, produced a beautiful ball to trap Jacobs, who was the only West Indies player to come out with any credit from the South African tour. He registered his delight by going down on one knee and whirling his arms in the air.
McGrath has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute after spitting following the last ball of Tuesday's play.
Match referee Raman Subba Row announced his decision after West Indian captain Brian Lara complained that McGrath spat at Adrian Griffith before the players left the field at stumps.
Subba Row said that video footage showed McGrath spitting in the direction of Griffith.
It is not the first time that McGrath has been involved in controversy during the series. He got into a slanging and pushing match with Lara at the end of the third Test last week.
McGrath was also found guilty under section five of the International Cricket Council's Code of Conduct for using abusive language against England last December and was given a suspended, four-month sentence. He will have to pay both fines if he is found guilty of this most recent charge.
