The West Indies have to defy Test cricket history to prevent Australia from capturing an unprecedented Caribbean series clean sweep in the fourth Test here at the Recreation Ground.
Brian Lara’s team face the herculean task of scoring 418 runs for an improbable victory or bat out a minimum 203 overs to force a draw against the strongest bowling attack in world cricket.
The Australians were bowled out for 417 on Sunday, losing nine wickets for 175 after a 242-run opening stand between Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer. Both teams scored 240 in the first innings.
When failing light stopped play with five balls left on the third day, the West Indies had made a secure start and were 47 without loss with Devon Smith not out 21 and Chris Gayle on 19. They trailed Australia by 370 runs with two day’s play remaining.
The West Indies have never endured the indignity of a 4-0 series whitewash in 73 year’s of cricket in the Caribbean, but they have to create Test history to win here. No team has scored more than 406 to win a Test in the final innings.
The highest successful run chase in an Antiguan Test was the West Indies’s 216 for nine against Pakistan three years ago.
The third day was highlighted by Hayden and Langer’s fifth double-century opening partnership, passing the four scored by great West Indian opening pair Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.
It was the left-handed pair’s highest opening partnership in 36 innings batting together, surpassing their previous best of 224 against New Zealand in Brisbane in November 2001.
Hayden batted for almost six hours for his 177 – his 14th Test hundred and second of the series – while Langer’s 161-ball knock finished on 111 when he was caught by Brian Lara off spinner Chris Gayle 45 minutes before lunch.
The little left-hander hit 17 boundaries and a six for his 15th Test hundred and third against the West Indies.
But wickets tumbled regularly once Langer was out as the West Indian bowlers toiled away without their first-innings destroyer Jermaine Lawson, who was off field all day with back strain, leaving the majority of the work to Mervyn Dillon and spinner Omari Banks.
Dillon claimed 4-112 off 29 overs to lead the West Indies defence.
When the opening partnership was broken, skipper Steve Waugh promoted power-hitting Adam Gilchrist to number three in the batting order to up the run-rate, but the move failed when he was out for six.
He edged Banks off the shoulder of wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs into the hands of substitute fielder Marlon Samuels at second slip.
Martin Love looked uncomfortable during his 15 minute stay and was out on the last ball before lunch for two, well caught at leg-slip by Samuels off Banks.
After Australia went to lunch at 285 for three, Dillon bowled Darren Lehmann for 14, had Andy Bichel caught at second slip for a duck and picked up Brett Lee for 18 when he played over the slips cordon to be caught at third man.
Hayden’s epic near-six hour innings ended when he was run out by a direct throw from the gully by substitute fielder Carlton Baugh for 177.
Hayden’s hundred came off 158 balls in 349 minutes with 22 fours and three sixes.
Vasbert Drakes got Jason Gillespie for five, edging to Lara at slip, and Dillon removed MacGill for a duck, with Lara taking another catch behind the wicket.
No.11 Glenn McGrath stayed with skipper Waugh with the pair adding 29 for the last wicket, before McGrath fell to Drakes for 14.
Waugh, 38 next month and playing what was expected to be his last innings in the Caribbean, remained unbeaten on 45 off 70 balls. -Sapa-AFP