Mark Waugh scores century; West Indies tottering

By Malcolm Conn

PERTH, DEC. 2. Mark Waugh ignored illegal bookie allegations and his own poor international performances to save his Test career and further demoralise the West Indies with a century on the second day of the second Test in Perth on Saturday.

The 35-year-old was the mainstay of a patchy batting performance, scoring 119 as Australia consolidated its push towards a record 12th successive Test victories and its first in Perth against the West Indies from six attempts.

Steve Waugh declared seven overs before stumps with Australia at 396 for eight, a lead of 200.

It was enough time for the West Indies to lose two wickets, further compounding its miserable tour.

Sherwin Campbell was caught by Jason Gillespie at fine gully for four driving just 12 balls into the innings and night watchman Mervyn Dillon was given out caught behind by umpire Peter Parker off Glenn McGrath for three. It may or may not have been out.

By stumps the West Indies was 16 for two, still needing a further 183 to avoid a second successive innings defeat.

Waugh has been under enormous pressure on two fronts this summer as he attempted to resurrect a career which had fallen markedly under the captaincy of his brother Steve.

This was just his second hundred since Steve Waugh took over the leadership from Mark Taylor 19 Tests and almost two years ago.

The other was an even hundred against Pakistan in the opening Test of last summer in Brisbane.

Once with an average in the mid 40s, it has steadily fallen as Waugh managed an average of just 30 under Steve's captaincy.

Mark Waugh's problems were compounded when he was last month named by illegal Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta as having received $20,000 during a six a side tournament in Hong Kong in 1993 for supply information.

These allegations are different to the circumstances surrounding his once secret fine by the Australian Cricket Board for taking $4,000 for selling information to an illegal bookmaker during a 1994 tour of Sri Lanka.

``There has been a few distractions but I'm just trying to enjoy my cricket,'' Waugh said after play. ``It's a great time for Australian cricket. We are on the verge of breaking a world record.''

Waugh's century was his 18th in Test cricket and 75th at first class level, taking him to second place on the list of Australians.

Not surprisingly, Sir Donald Bradman is at the top of the table with 117 from 338 matches. Mark Waugh's 75 hundreds have come in 504, with 21 scored while he was playing county cricket for Essex. Greg Chappell made 74 hundreds from 542 games.

Waugh was out late in the day backing away to cut a short, wide delivery from an increasingly wayward Mervyn Dillon. Struggling to reach the ball, he trashed it towards cover, where West Indian captain Jimmy Adams put up his right hand and pulled in a marvellous catch.

Waugh batted a tick over four and-a-half hours, faced 175 balls and hit 12 fours. Two came in one over from Nixon McLean to bring up three figures. He sliced a short ball over second slip then cut a similar delivery square.

The West Indian fielding was as ragged as Australia's had been on day one. Both sides dropped four catches.

Waugh was one of those who benefited when he was 21. He slapped a short, wide ball to Daren Ganga at backward point, who missed the hot chance.

The greatest beneficiary was Matthew Hayden. Resuming on a confident 46, Hayden was missed at 53 and 58 before dragging a drive against Marlon Black into his stumps on 69.

Walsh injured

Courtney Walsh was sent to hospital for a precautionary x-ray on the ring finger of his right hand after Hayden's first opportunity, a low caught and bowled, went down.

The second culprit was Black, who made a mess of attempting to catch a skied hook on the fine leg boundary from Dillon.

Night watchman Jason Gillespie hung around for 23 then Steve Waugh came out to join brother Mark and signalled his intentions from the outset. Steve's first three scoring shots were boundaries.

Not moving freely because of a slight tear at the top of his left hamstring, Steve Waugh reached 26 before he was caught by Sherwin Campbell at second slip off Walsh.

Waugh is in doubt for the third Test in Adelaide, beginning in 12 days, but is expected to lead Australia in the field today.

Ricky Ponting played all over a full delivery from Black and was bowled for five then wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist once again batted aggressively to change the complexion of the game with a relatively quick half-century.

He was also given a life, on 43, when Black missed a catch above his head at mid-on from a miscued pull.

Gilchrist's 50 came in 77 balls and included seven boundaries.

Brett Lee then made a mockery of a tiring attack for the second time in as many Tests, smashing an unbeaten 41 as he and Stuart MacGill (19 not out) added a breezy 48 for the ninth wicket.

The signal for Steve Waugh to declare was a mighty shot by Lee over long off from Dillon, a shot he also played in Brisbane.Lee now leads the tour batting averages with 102 runs for just once out.

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