An unbeaten 87 by Matthew Hayden led the way for Australia, as they clinched a seven-wicket win in the third Test at Adelaide to seal the series 3-0
The Bulletin by S Rajesh29-Nov-2005
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Matthew Hayden: the rich vein of form continues © Getty Images
An unbeaten 87 by Matthew Hayden led the way for Australia as they clinched a seven-wicket win in the third Test at Adelaide to seal the series 3-0. Requiring a further 106 on the last day, Australia achieved the target in the fourth over after lunch, with Michael Hussey keeping Hayden company on an unbeaten 30.Australia only lost one wicket on the fifth day, but it was hardly a walk in the park for them, as West Indies showed plenty of spirit in the field. There was constant chatter among the players – enough for Billy Bowden to step in and ask them to tone it down – the bowlers kept Australia on a tight leash most of the time, and the fielding was exemplary. A thigh injury meant that Dwayne Bravo – West Indies’ bowling hero in the first innings – didn’t send down a single delivery, but the rest of the cast rose to it. Only five fours were scored in the first 90 minutes before Hayden decided to step it up, walking across his stumps and flicking the fast bowlers quite imperiously for a couple of fours to get the score moving.Shivnarine Chanderpaul began the day with Fidel Edwards and Corey Collymore, but quickly opted for the more accurate Daren Powell in place of Edwards. The move was a good one, as Powell kept it in the right channels, and was soon rewarded with the wicket of Brad Hodge, who never found the fluency he had shown on his debut at Hobart.Michael Hussey, the first-innings centurion, came in next and found run-scoring equally tough. The pitch had slowed down fractionally, making it difficult for both batsmen to drive on the up, and with hardly any half-volleys or short ones on offer, runs came off nudges and glides. Lucky to survive an appeal for a slip catch last evening, Hayden had more good fortune when he inside-edged a drive off Collymore perilously close to his off stump, but he rode his luck well, and by the end was batting with his usual fluency and aggression. The low target denied him his fifth century in successive Tests, but Hayden has clearly regained his form and his hunger, averaging 96 in his last five Tests.Despite their 32nd loss in their last 42 overseas matches, West Indies had plenty of positives to take away from this game. Bravo shone with both bat and ball, confirming the potential as a high-quality allrounder, Denesh Ramdin’s glovework was clean – except for the one blemish when he spilled Adam Gilchrist – and his batting extremely competent, and the fast bowlers showed signs of putting it together. This match, though, will ultimately be remembered for Brian Lara’s heroics – he became the highest run-getter in Tests, and is now the only batsman to score three double-centuries in defeats; no other batsman even has two. Fittingly, he was named Man of the Match and was given the honour of leading the players off the field.Brad Hodge c Dwayne Smith b Powell 23 (3 for 110)
