Australia's Matthew Hayden (left) shakes hands with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, captain of the West Indies, after reaching his century during the third day of the first Test in Brisbane, yesterday. - Reuters
BRISBANE, Australia, CMC:
AUSTRALIA WERE at their most ruthless and remorseless, the West Indies at their most ordinary and uninspiring, as the hosts played their outclassed opponents almost completely out of the first Test by the end of the third day yesterday morning (Jamaica time).
Champion legspinner Shane Warne swept away the last four West Indies wickets in a rain-delayed morning session to finish with five for 48, only his second haul of five or more wickets in an innings against the Caribbean side.
Skittled for just 210 and trailing by a daunting 225 runs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul's men then spent the rest of the day chasing leather around the Gabba with Ricky Ponting's second century of the match and Matthew Hayden's third hundred in as many Tests leading the assault.
DELIGHTED FANS
Ponting followed up his 149 on the opening day with an unbeaten 104 becoming the 13th Australian to score separate centuries in the same Test while Hayden delighted his home supporters with an innings of 118, the pair putting on 187 for the second wicket against a bowling attack that lacked penetration but was not helped by more lapses in the field.
DISPIRITED TEAM
By the time fading light ended play to the obvious relief of a dispirited West Indies team, Australia were 283 for two, an overall lead of 508 with two days left in the match.
There was little to gladden the hearts of the few West Indians at the ground, including former captain and fast bowler Courtney Walsh, with the tourists surrendering meekly with the bat and then conspiring against their own efforts in the field.
Denesh Ramdin again underlined his youthful promise with an unbeaten 37, but the 20-year-old was a helpless spectator at the non-striker's end when Warne weaved his magic against tail-enders ill-equipped technically and mentally to offer any resistance.
SCOREBOARD
Australia first innings 435
West Indies first innings
(Resumed at 182-6)
D. Ramdin not out 37
D. Powell c Gilchrist b Warne 4
F. Edwards b Warne 2
C. Collymore c Clarke b Warne 0
J. Lawson lbw Warne 0
Extras: (lb-7 nb-3 w-1) 11
Total: (all out, 77 overs) 210
Fall: 1-20 2-74 3-134 4-149 5-161 6-174 7-187 8-204 9-210 10-210
Bowling: McGrath 22-3-72-4, Lee 15-4-59-1 (nb-3 w-1), Bracken 10-4-23-0, Warne 28-9-48-5, Clarke 2-1-1-0.
Australia second innings
M. Hussey c Collymore b Gayle 29
M. Hayden c Sarwan b Gayle 118
R. Ponting not out 104
M. Clarke not out 14
Extras (b-6 lb-3 nb-8 w-1) 1 8
Total: (for two wkts, 66 overs) 283
Fall: 1-71 2-258
Bowling: Edwards 5-0-27-0, Powell 5-1-24-0, Lawson 6-0-47-0 (nb-7 w-1), Collymore 11-0-56-0, Gayle 27-4-74-2, Samuels 12-1-46-0 (nb-1).
