McGrath makes Windies crumble

BRISBANE, NOVEMBER 24: Brett Leeacirc;euro;trade;s free-spirited hitting and demon strike bowler Glenn McGrath on Friday left Australia...

BRISBANE, NOVEMBER 24: Brett Leeacirc;euro;trade;s free-spirited hitting and demon strike bowler Glenn McGrath on Friday left Australia poised to win the first Test against the West Indies inside three days.

Fast bowler Lee clubbed seven boundaries, a five and a straight-hit six in his highest Test score of 62 not out off 80 balls to be the unlikely topscorer of Australiaacirc;euro;trade;s first innings of 332.

That gave the rampant Australians a formidable 250-run lead over the tourists with three scheduled days still to play and fine weather forecast.

McGrath, who captured 6-17 in the West Indiesacirc;euro;trade; abysmal first innings of 82, further weakened the Caribbean teamacirc;euro;trade;s resolve by taking the demoralising wickets of leading batsmen opener Sherwin Campbell and Brian Lara in the 13 overs left to stumps.

It was the 12th time McGrath had captured Laraacirc;euro;trade;s prize wicket in Tests and took the bowleracirc;euro;trade;s total Test haul to 296.

At the close, first innings topscorer Darren Ganga was not out eight with Shivnarine Chanderpaul on seven and the West Indies 25 for two trailling by 225 runs.

Campbell lasted just four balls before McGrath had him caught behind for a duck and Lara extravagantly attempted to hook the Australian spearhead only to dolly a catch to the waiting wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist for four.

The West Indies were groggy at 10 for two.

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The last rites are expected to be carried out during the third day on Saturday with the West Indies going through a crisis of confidence after plummeting to their fifth sub-one hundred total in two years in Thursdayacirc;euro;trade;s diabolical first innings.

Victory will give Australia their 11th consecutive Test win, which would equal the West Indiesacirc;euro;trade; record set back in 1984.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 82
AUSTRALIA 1st Innings: Overnight 107 for 1: Michael Slater c Campbell b Black 54, Matthew Hayden run out 44, Andrew Bichel c Jacobs b Black 8, Justin Langer c Jacobs b Black 3, Mark Waugh c and b Dillon 24, Steve Waugh c Campbell b Dillon 41, Ricky Ponting c Jacobs b Black 20, Adam Gilchrist c Jacobs b Dillon 48, Brett Lee Not Out 62, Stuart MacGill run out 19, Glenn McGrath b Walsh 0 Extras: lb-5, nb-4 9 TOTAL: all out, 114.4 overs 332
Fall of wkts: 1-101, 2-111, 3-112, 4-117, 5-179, 6-186,7-220, 8-281, 9-331

Bowling: Walsh 31.4-7-78-1, Black 28-5-83-4, Dillon 25-8-79-3, McLean 25-5-79-0, Adams 5-2-8-0.

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WEST INDIES 2nd Innings: Sherwin Campbell c Gilchrist b McGrath 0, Daren Ganga batting 8, Brian c Gilchrist b McGrath 4, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul batting 7 Extras: b-4, lb-1, nb-1 6 TOTAL: for 2 wkts, 13 overs 25
Fall of wkts:1-0, 2-10

Bowling: McGrath 5-3-7-2, Lee 4-2-12-0, MacGill 2-1-1-0, Bichel 2-2-0-0