When West Indies successfully chased 418 to win amidst several on-field dramas

When West Indies successfully chased 418 to win amidst several on-field dramas

On May 13, 2003, West Indies pulled off a heist, against all odds, over Steve Waugh’s invincible line-up. Although the result didn’t alter the outcome of the series, it produced moments that will forever be etched in the memories of players and viewers alike. Karthik Parimal reviews the dramatic Test that saw West Indies register their largest successful run-chase.

“Then, having been set 418 to win, the wallowing genetic gifts of the Windies batsmen all came to life in unison and swamped us with a collective brilliance that must have made their supporters question what had transpired during the previous nine straight hidings they’d suffered against Australia” – Steve Waugh

It was a Test that, in many ways, was a dead rubber. However, what transpired during the course of the game looked anything but lifeless. Having lost nine straight times to Australia, including the previous three Tests of the 2003 series, the West Indians staged a comeback that left many a follower awestruck. Not only did their willows match the prowess of the Australians, they gave back, in equal proportions, the verbal barrage dished out by the visitors. The controversies dulled the charm of the Test, one during which the hosts registered their largest successful run-chase in 1,645 games.

When Australia toured West Indies in 1998-99, the contest was riveting, for despite not being a force they once were, the latter fought till the end to square the series. Five years on, they were, without any doubt, a frail unit, and seldom managed to stand up to a formidable opposition. They were duly trounced in the first three Tests, at Guyana, Trinidad and Barbados respectively. With a dented morale, West Indies’ weary bunch travelled to Antigua, the venue of the fourth Test, showing little signs that suggested a reversal of tide. The only bright spot was that Ricky Ponting — the hosts’ tormentor-in-chief thus far— was ruled out owing to a viral infection.

Jermaine Lawson’s tainted spell

Considering the placid wicket on display, Steve Waugh unflinchingly opted to bat first. But, they were bamboozled from an unexpected quarter. Jermaine Lawson, with his tearaway pace, delivered his career-best figures of seven for 78 to bundle Australia out for 240. Justin Langer and Waugh toiled to 42 and 41 respectively, with Martin Love, Adam Gilchrist and Andy Bichel chipping in with starts. Lawson’s happiness was, nonetheless, short-lived. His bowling action, already under the scanner, came to the forefront yet again and it was soon learnt that he had been reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC). The damage was done with the ball, though, and there was no expunging that. It was now up to the West Indian batsmen to build on this good start.

However, apart from Brian Lara, none could thwart the charge of the Australian attack, led by Brett Lee, Bichel and a distracted Glenn McGrath. West Indies, too, mustered 240, leaving nothing to choose between the two sides.

A Matthew Hayden blitzkrieg and Mervyn Dillon show

In the second innings, Australian openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer began in a characteristic manner. The duo played attacking shots, taking advantage of the fact that Lawson was restricted from bowling; the rest were hardly a force. They coasted to yet another double-century partnership and, after Langer fell for a Nelson, Hayden continued with the onslaught, unleashing his repertoire of strokes — sweeps, pulls, hooks and cuts — before being run-out for a meticulously-made 177. His innings encompassed 22 hits to the fence and three sixes.

Having seen West Indies’ lack of fight on earlier counts, the Australians stepped off the gas for a brief moment, which enabled Mervyn Dillon to make inroads and take four quick wickets. From 330 for three, the visitors slipped to 417 all out. The target set was still a daunting one — 418 — and one expected Australia to soon complete their first clean sweep in the Caribbean islands. But, what followed was unanticipated.

The dramatic chase

West Indies’ reply commenced sans any action. The extra-cautious start by Chris Gayle and Devon Smith did little to put them on the track, and once Darren Ganga departed, they were precariously placed at 74 for three. From here, fortunes flipped. Lara went berserk, perhaps aggravated by the constant chirping of the Australian fielders.

At one point, Waugh, standing at short cover, expressed his displeasure at Lara when the latter refused to budge for what he felt was a clear case of caught-behind (albeit it duly being denied by the umpire). “Told you so, you only walk when it suits you,” blurted Waugh. To which Lara, screamingly, replied “Shut Up!” The two played out the conversation in a loop for the next 10 seconds, and at one point Lara walked towards Waugh and stood inches away from him, challenging him to “get it on right now!” This forced umpire David Shepherd to reprimand both players before play resumed. This incident, though, was soon reduced to a sideshow.

Ramnaresh Sarwan plundered the bowling from the outset and kept applying pressure even after Lara’s innings of 60 came to an abrupt end. His partner, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, dropped anchor at the other end, and it was during this phase that the Australians were, for the first time in the series, fiercely challenged. McGrath was preferred ahead of Bichel to create a breakthrough, although Waugh was well aware that the former wasn’t in the best frame of mind, for he had recently learnt of his wife’s cancer and had to miss the first two Tests to fly back home. Nevertheless, Waugh stated in his autobiography, Out of My Comfort Zone, that it was a move that was based more on past miracles rather than the medium-pace he was currently delivering. “Glenn had been picked on reputation and not his fitness or state of mind, and this contributed to a substandard performance that, when delivered by an all-time great with exceedingly high expectations who was extremely stressed by his wife’s health problems, meant a time bomb was ticking,” Waugh wrote.

McGrath began to taunt Sarwan and words were lobbed back and forth. Then, after another unsuccessful over, the bowler, regrettably, posed the following question to Sarwan: ‘What does Lara’s c*ck taste like?’ to which the young batsman quickly replied ‘Why don’t you ask your wife?’

“Well, the dog was off the leash, launching a machine-gun offensive that essentially had nothing to do with Sarwan, who was merely the vehicle for Glenn to vent his spleen,” recalls Waugh in his book. A horrendous altercation followed, with a few of the Australian players siding with McGrath, as Sarwan remaining unmoved. It took the umpires and a few of the players to separate the two, but the incident had left a sour taste.

Skipper Waugh drew flak from the head honchos after the day’s play for not reacting swiftly enough.

Although McGrath apologised, it did little to repair Australia’s tarnished image.

Sarwan and Chanderpaul were unflustered and continued to collect runs at will. They both notched centuries, smashing 34 boundaries and a six between them. Although the former succumbed to Lee at 105, Chanderpaul stayed put at stumps on the fourth day as West Indies needed 47 on the last with four wickets in hand.

When the southpaw’s wicket fell early on the final morning, the Australians would have sniffed blood, but Omari Banks and Vasbert Drakes put on a stoic show to take West Indies home by three wickets. The crowd’s joy knew no bounds as the home side chased down a record total with three wickets to spare. The series belonged to the visitors, but the clean sweep remained elusive.

It was indeed a Test to remember.

Brief Scores:

Australia 240 (Justin Langer 42, Steve Waugh 41; Jermaine Lawson 7 for 78) and 417 (Matthew Hayden 177, Justin Langer 111; Mervyn Dillon 4 for 112) lost to West Indies 240 (Brian Lara 68; Andy Bichel 3 for 52, Brett Lee 3 for 72) and 418 for 7 (Ramnaresh Sarwan 105, Shivnarine Chanderpaul 104, Brian Lara 60; Brett Lee 4 for 63) by 3 wickets.

(Karthik Parimal, Correspondent with CricketCountry, is a cricket aficionado and a worshipper of the game. He idolises Steve Waugh and can give up anything, absolutely anything, just to watch a Kumar Sangakkara cover drive. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/karthik_parimal )