Ridley Jacobs, Mahendra Nagamootoo and Ramnaresh Sarwan scored half-centuries, but West Indies were still heading for a 5-0 Test series whitewash by Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. Australia were set 173 to win the fifth and final Test after West Indies were dismissed for 352 following the brave middle order fightback. By the close, Australia had reached 44 for two, needing 129 more runs on the final day to complete the whitewash - their first over the West Indies - and stretch their record winning Test run to 15.
After starting the fourth day at 98 for 1, needing another 82 runs to make Australia bat a second time, West Indies looked to be heading towards another miserable defeat when they lost three wickets in the first half hour to slump to 112 for 4.
With West Indies still 26 behind at 154 for 5, the Australians seemed to be closing in on for their first series whitewash against West Indies but were foiled by a middle-order recovery.
Following scores of 0,0,2,1 and 0 in his previous innings this series, Sarwan made a timely return to form to score a determined 51 and share in an 85-run stand with Jacobs for the sixth wicket.
Jacobs held the middle-order together with a well-crafted 62, including nine boundaries.
Scoreboard
West Indies first innings 272 (S MacGill 7 for 104)
Australia first innings 452 (S Waugh 103)
West Indies second innings (overnight 98-1)
S Campbell c Gilchrist b Gillespie - 54 W Hinds b McGrath - 46 J Adams lbw b McGrath - 5 B Lara c Gilchrist b Miller - 28 M Samuels lbw b Gillespie - 0 R Sarwan c Gilchrist b McGrath - 51 R Jacobs lbw b M Waugh - 62 M Nagamootoo c Hayden b Miller - 68 N McLean c M Waugh b Miller - 15 C Stuart lbw b Miller - 4 C Walsh not out - 1
Extras (b-5 lb-10 nb-3) - 18 Total (116.5 overs) 352 Fall of wickets: 1-98 2-112 3-112 4-112 5-154 6-239 7-317 8-347 9-351 10-352. Bowling: McGrath 24-4-80-3 (nb-2), Miller 32.5-3-102-4, MacGill 30-7-88-0, Gillespie 21-557-2 (nb-1), M Waugh 9-3-10-1.
Australia Second innings
M Slater not out - 18 M Hayden lbw Stuart - 5 J Langer lbw Walsh - 10 M Waugh not out - 3
Extras - 8 Total (for 2)
