MacGill mows down West Indies

By Malcolm Conn

SYDNEY, JAN.2.Stuart MacGill has further extended the growing gap between himself and Shane Warne with an outstanding display of leg-spin bowling which allowed Australia to reclaim the opening day of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

As Warne stepped up his return from injury with a one- day game for Victoria against Western Australia in Perth last night, MacGill had already taken 7-92 from 35 overs to reduce the West Indies from 0-147 to 9-256 by stumps. It further widened the gulf in recent performances between these two brilliant spinners, giving an indication of how hard Warne must now work to reclaim a place which for most of the past decade went unchallenged.

Since MacGill debuted alongside Warne in Adelaide almost three years ago Warne has 66 wickets in 21 matches at an average of almost 37 and a strike rate of more than 75 balls per wicket. Over the same period MacGill has 75 wickets from 16 matches at under 24 apiece and a strike rate better than 50. After play MacGill said his idea was not to be competing with Warne for one spot but playing cricket in the same side, although that proved a failure in the Caribbean two years ago when Warne was rushed back after a serious shoulder operation and had to be dropped for the last Test.

It was an important confidence booster for Australia's current leading spinner in the last Test before what should be a defining tour of India that begins next month. Along the way he took the match-turning wicket of Brian Lara (35), brilliantly caught driving by a diving Mark Waugh at slip to take a 2-1 lead in their personal battle.

``My heart skipped a beat just then,'' MacGill confessed as he saw the ball lodge in the very end of Waugh's left middle and index fingers. ``You like to pick up class batsmen when you get the opportunity because they can make you pay.'' MacGill has now claimed Lara's wicket twice this summer. The first time he bowled the brilliant but erratic left-hander for 17 during the second innings of the second Test in Perth. However MacGill remained cautious because Lara will have the opportunity of batting again later in the match.

``I'm not reading too much into it,'' MacGill said of the dismissal. ``There is still a second innings.'' It was a marvellous fightback by MacGill, who was slogged by Lara during a frustrating third Test in Adelaide then made 12th man for the last match in Melbourne, where Andy Bichel took five wickets in the West Indies first innings. Now reincluded on his favourite, barren surface at Bichel's expense, MacGill bowled beautifully long before he claimed his first wicket midway through his 16th over - Sherwin Campbell caught and bowled driving back for 79.

The West Indies vice-captain's next best Test score on tour was just 18 and previous highest opening partnership in the series only 45. So well did Campbell and Hinds play on a wicket which was always going to be at its best about the time Jimmy Adams won the toss and decided to bat, that they overtook the previous best opening partnership for the West Indies of 135 made by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes in Brisbane 12 years ago. By the time MacGill took his seventh wicket, Nixon McLean controversially leg before wicket first ball, this series had set a new record for ducks - 27. This passed the 26 made in a six- match series between Australia and England during World Series Cricket in 1978-79.

Despite the West Indies' good start, Steve Waugh stuck steadfastly to his attacking game plan as Australia strive for a 5-0 clean sweep and 15th consecutive victory. This just a day after the Australian skipper lay down the challenge for captains around the world to more attacking cricket, claiming Australia was the only country which played for a win from ball one. Everyone else played not to lose he said.

Australia wheeled through 98 overs, eight more than the minimum, with spinners MacGill and Colin Miller bowling 63 overs between them. The second new ball had been due 18 overs earlier but was ignored. It was such a pleasure to see so much compelling cricket in one day yet still have stumps drawn on schedule at 6 p.m. Twice in Melbourne rain and poor over rates, particularly from the West Indies, meant play finished at 7.19 p.m. Only rain, and plenty of it, can prevent a result in this match. After just one day the wicket is already beginning to turn and play tricks. It was always going to be the case, forcing the West Indies to abandon its time-honoured four fast bowlers and play leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo in just his second Test.

The only wicket MacGill failed to take on Tuesday was West Indies skipper Jimmy Adams, who moved up to number three after the withdrawal of opening batsman Daren Sarwan through injury. Adams was leg before wicket to Glenn McGrath for 10 to a ball which may or may not have pitched outside leg stump but certainly would have bowled the left hander.

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