McGrath wrath rocks WI

BRIDGETOWN, March 28: Australian ace fast bowler Glenn McGrath struck twice in the first hour as the West Indies continued to struggle on...

BRIDGETOWN, March 28: Australian ace fast bowler Glenn McGrath struck twice in the first hour as the West Indies continued to struggle on the third day of the third Cable and Wireless Test here today.

By lunch, the home team stretched its uncertain 80 for four overnight to 151 for six, still 140 runs from avoiding the follow on. Australia, led by captain Steve Waugh8217;s 199 and Ricky Ponting8217;s 104, totalled 490 in their first innings.

West Indies were revived in the last hour of the morning by an unbroken seventh wicket partnership of 53 between resolute opener Sherwin Campbell and the forthright wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs.Campbell, who resumed on 23, was undefeated 43 156b, 2215;4 at the break in just under four hours8217; batting. Left-hander jacobs was more enterprising in reaching 32 with four fours off 67 balls.

The 29-year-old McGrath, who took two wickets yesterday, returned to take two more in the first hour. He first removed the dangerous Carl Hooper for 25 44b, 54m, 5215;4, edging a catch to ShaneWarne at first slip.Next over, McGrath accounted for Jimmy Adams for a duck8217;. His pace colleague Jason Gillespie was unlucky not to add to his wicket of the crucial Brian Lara on the previous innings.

WAUGH MISSES DOUBLE TON BY A WHISKER: Earlier on Saturday, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting extended their century partnership to a record-breaking 281, batting confidently through the day8217;s first three hours. Their stand was the highest for any country for fifth wicket against the West Indies, passing the 220 posted by fellow Australians Ron Archer and Keith Miller in Kingston, in 1955.

Tasmanian Ponting spent just under an hour in the 90s on either side of lunch before reaching his third Test century off 285 balls, in 367 minutes with nine fours. The 24-year-old celebrated his achievement with another boundary off Nehemiah Perry but was dismissed with the next ball.Steve Waugh was then on 196 and he moved to within one of his second Test double century when Perry accounted for himtoo.

Scoreboard

Australia 1st innings; overnight 322-4: Michael Slater c Lara b Ambrose 23, Matthew Elliott c Jacobs b Walsh 9, Justin Langer b Hooper 51, Mark Waugh b Ambrose 0, Steve Waugh lbw b Perry 199, Ricky Ponting c Hooper b Perry 104, Ian Healy lbw b Walsh 0, Shane Warne c Lara b Perry 13, Jason Gillespie not out 23, Stuart MacGill run out Ambrose 17, Glenn McGrath c Joseph b Hooper 3; Extras: b4, lb10, nb34 48. Total: all out in 153.4 overs 490

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Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-36, 3-36, 4-144, 5-425, 6-427, 7-429, 8-446, 9-483

Bowling: Ambrose 31.3-7-93-2 nb13, Walsh 38-8-121-2 nb14, Perry 33-5-102-3, Collins 35.3-7-110-0 nb7, Hooper 15.4-4-50-2

West Indies 1st innings;overnight 80-4: Sherwin Campbell batting 43, Adrian Griffith run out 0, Dave Joseph lbw b McGrath 26, Pedro Collins lbw b McGrath 0, Brian Lara c Healy b Gillespie 8, Carl Hooper c Warne b McGrath 25, Jimmy Adams c M Waugh b McGrath 0, Ridley Jacobs batting 32; Extras: lb2, nb15 17. Total: for six wkts, 55overs 151

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-50, 3-50, 4-64, 5-98, 6-98

Bowling: McGrath 18-2-64-4, Gillespie 18-9-29-1, Warne 10-2-38-0, MacGill 9-2-19-0.