da fezbet： Adelaide-The renewed optimism was, after all, an illusion
da aviator aposta： Tony Cozier19-Dec-2000Adelaide-The renewed optimism was, after all, an illusion.Prompted by the equality of the first three days, it rapidly disappeared inAdelaide’s crystal clear sunshine yesterday as another batting meltdown led tothe third successive loss for the series early on the final day.After 35 minutes on the final day (Monday night Caribbean time), Australia hadduly retained the Frank Worrell Trophy that has been theirs since 1995, a trophyhighly regarded by past andpresent players.The fact that the match actually entered the fifth day, and that Australia hadto bat again for the first time in the three Tests and lost five wicketsreaching their puny target of 130, was little consolation for what was the WestIndies’ 16th defeat in their last 18 overseas Tests. It is a numbing statistic.The winning run was struck down to third man by Damien Martyn, who ended 37 notout, after his 46 not out in the first innings. Stand-in captain Adam Gilchristwas with Martyn at the close on ten not out off five balls.To be truthful, hope for a revival, following the capitulations in the first twoTests by an innings in three days, was based entirely on Brian Lara’s dazzlingreturn to the form that makes him the most devastating of contemporary batsmen.Without Lara’s first innings 182, the West Indies would have been in a familiarmess. He contributed exactly half the runs from the bat and not another manpassed 50.Australia were held to a minimal lead of 12 when Merv Dillon knocked over GlennMcGrath’s off-stump with the fourth ball of the fourth morning.But, based on irrefutable evidence, another West Indian batting collapse wasalways possible on a worn and cracked pitch, all but certain without anothermajor contribution from Lara.The left-hander rattled up 39 off 38 balls and that was enough to top-score in atotal of 141. It was the 19th time in their last 18 overseas Tests they havebeen dismissed under 200, a reality that precisely explains their abysmalrecord.The West Indies have won matches from similar hopelessness before, more recentlywhen bowling out Zimbabwe for 63 in Port-of-Spain when all they needed was 99.Merv Dillon, combining lively pace with control he has often previously lacked,and Courtney Walsh, created a few flutters with four wickets before the deficithad been reduced todouble-figures.Chance of miracleAt 48 for four, there was a clear chance of another miracle but the captaindidn’t seem to believe.Dillon produced two leg-cutters to account for Michael Slater and Mark Waugh,defending and edging catches to Ridley Jacobs.The reliable Jacobs was in the action again at the opposite end, gathering in adeflection from Matthew Hayden so low to the ground it needed televisionconfirmation it had carried, off Walsh who soon had first innings topscorerRicky Ponting lbw.The difference in attitude between the teams now became conspicuous.The West Indies should have been scenting an unlikely turnaround. Instead,captain Adams lacked conviction and retained defensive field placings to theWest Australian pair, Justin Langer, out in single figures in his previous threeinnings, and Damien Martyn.With no one breathing down their necks, they pulled Australia round by adding 50by close of Day 4.The West Indies began their second innings with a minimal deficit of 12 afterDillon knocked over Glenn McGrath’s off-stump with the fourth ball of the day.Then all hopes rested on Lara.The left-hander entered at 36 for two after Sherwin Campbell again fell toMcGrath and Damien Martyn’s incredible leaping catch at extra-cover accountedfor Wavell Hinds off Stuart MacGill’s full toss.Lara proceeded to rattle up 39 off 38 balls. He once more took a liking to theleg-spin of MacGill who he took for 17 in an over that yielded 20 in all and,while he and the solid opener Daren Ganga were together in a partnership of 51,anything was possible.Miller’s fourth ball after lunch just about settled the matter. Lara proddeduncertainly forward to it and walked away even as Langer gathered the reboundfrom bat and pad at shortleg.West Indies resistance went with him as eight wickets tumbled for 58, five toMiller for 24 from 12 overs that brought his match figures to 10 for 113.Several West Indians demonstrated lack of patience and technique against theturning ball.Concerted appealGanga, lbw on the front foot for his highest Test score, 32, was his 50th Testwicket.It was doubly satisfying in that Miller and all the nearby Australians were soconvinced he had been caught behind two runs earlier that they theatricallyremonstrated at umpire Venkataraghavan’s refusal of the concerted appeal.Television replays did refute Venkat’s verdict but the Australians could wellfind themselves in match referee A.C. Smith’s report book for their carry-on,especially as it involved captain Gilchrist.Smith already had to warn MacGill to be “most careful in future” aftertelevision cameras showed him forcibly barging into West Indies substituteRamnaresh Sarwan on the steps to the dressing room after his dismissal on thethird day.There are ugly images that do not befit a champion team. What does is theirgeneral competence. They identified weakness and exploited them.Hinds clobbered a full toss into the covers, Samuels’ inexperience was revealedwhen he drove at the line of MacGill’s leg-break and edged to slip.Adams’ loose drive off Miller presented a catch to cover, Nixon McLean andRidley Jacobs could not cope with Miller’s accurate off-spin and fell to closecatches playing across the line and only robust strokes by Dillon at the end,scoring 19 off 28 balls, set Australia as many as 130.They might not have got them had West Indies’ resources been better distributedon the field.
