Cricket: Waugh returns with gritty performance

MELBOURNE - Australian captain Steve Waugh returned to the test arena to lead his team out of trouble on the opening day of the fourth cricket test against the West Indies here yesterday.

Australia's specialist batsmen failed to take the initiative in the first two sessions and were in trouble at 178 for five at tea. However Waugh, who missed the third test with a buttock strain, showed there is no better batsman in a crisis by reaching 98 and steering Australia to 295 for seven at stumps after an absorbing day before a 73,000-strong Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd.

The first two sessions were encouraging for the West Indians, who have already lost the series by dropping the first three tests.

In the morning, West Indies veteran Courtney Walsh claimed his 491st test victim when he had Matthew Hayden caught behind by a diving wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs for 13. Then fellow opener Michael Slater, having been dropped at second slip off Mervyn Dillon on nine, departed for 30, skying an attempted pull shot off Nixon McLean. The pull shot also undid Justin Langer for 31 when he swiped at a delivery from debutant Colin Stuart only to provide an edge to Jacobs.

Mark Waugh fended a lifting delivery from Dillon to be caught at gully and Ricky Ponting fell into a well-set trap, hooking to be caught at deep backward square leg immediately after West Indian captain Jimmy Adams had put the fielder back there.

Adam Gilchrist shared a 61-run sixth-wicket stand with his captain before becoming Stuart's second victim, and leaving Australia sagging at 225 for seven.

But Waugh found an unlikely ally in Jason Gillespie and the pair turned the innings around with a spirited 70-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Just before the end, Walsh had Gillespie, on 13, caught behind off a big edge to Jacobs, but umpire Simon Taufel ruled in the batsman's favour, to the West Indies consternation.

The Australian captain faced 183 balls and hit 12 fours in his innings. He will be particularly keen for another two runs this morning to bring up his 23rd test hundred, as he already has nine test innings between 90 and 99.

The wickets were shared about, with two apiece for Dillon, Stuart and McLean, and one for Walsh.

Meanwhile Shane Warne yesterday indicated he wanted to play for at least another few years after he was officially recognised as Australian cricket's most successful test wicket-taker.

Before the start of the Boxing Day test, Warne was presented with the ball he used to take his 356th wicket, against New Zealand in Auckland in March, which pushed him past Dennis Lillee's Australian record.

AUSTRALIA

First Innings
Total for 7 wkts (90 overs) 295

Fall: 1/41, 2/47, 3/101, 4/105, 5/149, 6/210, 7/225.

Bowling: C. Walsh 22-3-38-1 (10nb), M. Dillon 17-2-68-2 (2nb), N. McLean 19-4-60-2, C. Stuart 14-4-50-2 (5nb), M. Samuels 14-0-56-0, J. Adams 4-0-19-0.