Australia v West Indies - Second Test

The WACA Ground, Perth

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

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: AR Crafter & RC Bailhache

With Bill Woodfull installed as captain in Richie Benaud's absence, the Australian XI travelled across country to Perth 1-0 up in the series, and they were able to include both Don Bradman and Dennis Lillee in the starting line-up after their recent injury lay-offs. West Indies called up Clive Lloyd to replace Everton Weekes (ankle), and it was Lloyd who dominated proceedings as the tourists' batting finally sparked into life over the course of the first two days.

Proceedings initially began well for Australia as Lindwall and Lillee reduced West Indies to 22-3 on a typically hard and fast wicket at the WACA, but Viv Richards led a bold counter attack that saw 172 runs added in the next two and a half hours. He raised his 50 by striking Bill O'Reilly for his fourth six, and was finally out for 96 when Allan Border held a good low catch at midwicket off Lillee. Richards hit ten fours and five sixes in all, and his cavalier approach was continued by Lloyd and Sobers throughout a rain shortened evening session on the first day and then into the second morning.

Sobers was eventually caught on the boundary for a hard hit 70, but Lloyd powered to his first ATG century, eventually racking up 140 before Lillee took out his middle stump shortly before lunch on day two. Lillee went on to complete what was incredibly his first ATG five wicket haul in his 29th Test, and the tourists' innings eventually closed on 400 shortly before tea on day two. Australia endured a tough evening session, losing Bradman caught behind for 41 when he gloved a rising delivery from Marshall and almost losing Chappell to a blow on the head from Garner, and it was only thanks to yet another gutsy knock from Allan Border and three dropped catches from West Indies that Australia eventually avoided the follow-on.

Border stood firm for an undefeated 96, having been dropped by Greenidge when on 48, and his seventh wicket partnership of 80 with Davidson (30) helped pushed Australia to a total of 291 and a deficit of 109. Garner took 4-50 on recall and Marshall bowled superbly for his 3-71, and as day three drew to a close it was now down to the West Indian batsmen to score quickly again in order to allow enough time to bowl out Australia on the final day.

And score quickly they did, racking up a total of 313-5 off just 76 overs before Sobers declared with a lead of 422 half an hour before tea on the fourth day. Haynes contributed 42 and Kanhai returned to some form with 66, but it was Richards, with an unbeaten 140 to go with his first innings 96, who dominated the innings, his runs coming from just 137 balls and including eleven fours and five sixes. He simply thrived on a track that still retained much of its pace, and although there were a few streaky shots between fifty and a hundred, it was a most dominating innings. O'Reilly eventually picked up three wickets but had been largely ineffectual after his successful return to the side in Brisbane, and Australia now faced the prospect of holding out for over four sessions in order to maintain their series lead.

Morris failed once again, and when Bradman was harshly adjudged caught behind off Ambrose by umpire Crafter for just 6, Australia were in deep trouble. By drinks on the final morning the innings had slid to 105-6 courtesy of Marshall and Ambrose, but first Test hero Stan McCabe was still there, and he wasn't going to give up without a fight. Alan Davidson became a willing ally, and the pair took Australia through to lunch without further loss, although Davidson should have departed almost immediately, surviving three huge shouts for caught behind off Marshall before he had scored, with only umpire Crafter knowing why he turned down the second of those appeals.

It was Lance Gibbs' turn to tie Davidson in knots after the break, but again umpire Crafter was unwilling to play ball, and when Dujon missed a clear stumping opportunity with Davidson on 22, one wondered whether it might just be Australia's day. McCabe stood unflustered through all the drama at the other end, and the pair somehow reached tea still unparted, much to West Indies' great consternation. The score was 168-6 at this stage, compiled over all of 89 overs, and the tourists now had a further 37 overs in which to pick up the four wickets they needed to level the series. The new ball came and went, and McCabe eventually crawled to the slowest 50 in ATG history after 359 minutes and 241 balls at the wicket.

Davidson finally departed with 25 overs left, bowled by Garner for 41, but his 76 run partnership with McCabe had lasted twelve minutes short of four hours, and with Lindwall hanging in for a further 90 minutes for 12, Australia were eventually able to pull off a miraculous escape. McCabe finished undefeated on 59 out of a total of 210-8, having batted for 478 minutes and 327 deliveries, and one of the most riveting Test matches of all had ended in a draw. It had been a game of contrasts, with West Indies posting their runs at a rate exceeding four an over before Australia's defensive marathon on the last day, and the teams will now reconvene in Adelaide with all still to play for over the second half of the series.

Scores
WI 1st Inns 400 (Lloyd 140, Richards 96, Sobers 70; Lillee 5-111)
AUS 1st Inns 291 (Border 96*, Chappell 44, Bradman 41; Garner 4-50)
WI 2nd Inns 313-5 dec. (Richards 140*, Kanhai 66, Haynes 42)
AUS 2nd Inns 210-8 (McCabe 59*, Woodfull 41, Davidson 41)

MATCH DRAWN


Man of the Match: IVA Richards & SJ McCabe