Australia v West Indies - Fifth Test

Sydney Cricket Ground

AUS: WM Woodfull, AR Morris, DG Bradman, GS Chappell, SJ McCabe, *R Benaud, +IA Healy, AK Davidson, RR Lindwall, DK Lillee, WJ O'Reilly.
WI: CG Greenidge, DL Haynes, EdeC Weekes, IVA Richards, CH Lloyd, *GStA Sobers, +PJL Dujon, MD Marshall, J Garner, CEL Ambrose, LR Gibbs.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: CJ Egar & LP Rowan

A hard fought series now reached its climax, and the 'Showdown at the SCG' would determine whether Australia maintained their number one status in the ATG world or whether West Indies could complete a come from behind victory that would rank them with the big guns once again. Garry Sobers won a vital toss and elected to bat on what looked a good wicket, but under heavy early morning cloud it was Australia that got off to a dream start.

With only 6 runs on the board, both Haynes and Weekes were back in the pavilion having respectively hooked and fended catches off Ray Lindwall bouncers, but Greenidge and Richards counter-attacked with characteristic ferocity and by lunch the tourists were 103-2, with Greenidge in particular in punishing form. O'Reilly and Lillee were simply hit out of the attack, and when Richards lofted Benaud's first ball for six to raise his fifty - in all, Benaud's first over went for 16 - the gauntlet had well and truly been thrown.

The West Indies have run into some irresistible form after a disastrous start to the tour, and now it seemed that there was no stopping them. Richards eventually went for 85, bowled off the inside edge to give the struggling Benaud a most fortunate wicket, but he had added an even 200 with Greenidge, and even with rain lopping 14 overs off the day West Indies ended day one on a commanding 321-4. Greenidge had given Lindwall a deserved third wicket, but only after he had posted a brutal 152 from just 200 balls, his first hundred for 17 Tests, and on day two it was more of the same for Australia.

Lloyd and Sobers added 165 for the fifth wicket, and whilst their strokeplay was not quite in the class of Greenidge and Richards the previous day, it was every bit as clinical. O'Reilly bowled with more control and shouted himself hoarse with unsuccessful appeal after unsuccessful appeal, but Australia's attack appeared somewhat toothless, allowing Sobers to stroke a chanceless 93 and Lloyd to swat a career high 154, an innings that must now cement his place in the side for some time to come. Once Lloyd went the innings folded quickly, with Lillee picking up four of the last five wickets to finish with figures that flattered him, but West Indies' total of 547 had put them in complete control of their own destiny, and it was now down to their bowlers to finish off the ailing Aussies.

Thus far the game was following a similar pattern to the fourth Test in Melbourne, and just as they did at the MCG Australia now played the role of the punch drunk boxer who couldn't get off the ropes. Marshall and Garner reduced Australia to a pitiful 141-9 on the third afternoon, and it was only an innings-high partnership of 72 for the tenth wicket between the admirable Healy (72) and O'Reilly (26*) that gave the innings any semblance of credibility. Australia were 213 all out and Sobers enforced the follow-on for the second match in succession, with West Indies a whopping 334 runs to the good.

Australia put up a little more resistance second time round, and at 162-3 with both Morris and Chappell having posted their first fifties of the series, there looked an outside chance that they might be able to save the game. However, Sobers popped up to dismiss both batsmen after a stand of 106, and the slide began once again. Healy stood defiant for the second time in the match, carving an unbeaten 75 to ensure that he top scored in both innings, but when O'Reilly was yorked by Garner fifteen minutes before lunch on the final day it was all over, and West Indies had completed their second successive innings victory to take the series 2-1.

It was Australia's first ever defeat in a home series, and one was left to wonder whether Richie Benaud's reign as skipper might now end up being a very short one indeed. Australia's next engagement is their defence of the Ashes in England, and the Mother Country must now be favourites to capture the Urn for the first time in ATG history. As for West Indies, they rallied superbly after a horror start to the tour, and they thoroughly deserved their series victory. Viv Richards was undoubtedly the stand-out, but their all-round showing simply outclassed Australia in every department, and Garry Sobers now leads a team that looks capable of challenging for the top spot once again after a long time in the wilderness.

Scores
WI 1st Inns 547 (Lloyd 154, Greenidge 152, Sobers 93, Richards 85; Lillee 4-108)
AUS 1st Inns 213 (Healy 72, Bradman 54; Garner 4-35, Marshall 4-53)
AUS 2nd Inns 330 (Healy 75, Morris 69, Chappell 65, McCabe 40; Marshall 4-82)

WEST INDIES WON BY AN INNINGS & 4 RUNS

Man of the Match: CG Greenidge