Waugh delighted with Australian victory

“We played great cricket and we deserve this. It takes a lot of effort. The great thing about this side is that everyone contributed and it’s great to be a part of a team that’s doing these things.”

Waugh said the West Indies had proven to be tough opponents after losing the first two Tests by an innings and the series was a lot harder than the 5-0 result suggested. “The West Indies played well in the last three Tests and really pushed us,” said Waugh, who was named as the outstanding batsmen of the series after scoring centuries in Melbourne and Sydney.

"I thought they came back really well in this Test match and I think they’ll be a better team for this experience. They batted really well in the second innings but we expected that and from our point of view I thought we stayed calm and relaxed.”

Opening batsman Michael Slater, who was named man of the match after scores of 96 and 86 not out, said Australia’s players were determined to keep their winning streak going as long as possible. “There are no dead rubbers any more,” he said. “There’s a passion and pride in this team to continue what we’re doing.”

West Indian captain Jimmy Adams conceded that his team had again been outclassed but he was proud of the way his players fought back. The tourists looked to be heading for another heavy defeat when they collapsed to 154-4 in their second innings, still 26 short of making Australia bat a second time. But then Mahendra Nagamootoo, Ridley Jacobs and Ramnaresh Sarwan all scored half centuries to lift them to 352 and set Australia an awkward target of 173 to win.

“The last game did show a few good signs. A lot of people thought we’d roll over and die and we deserve credit for the way we played and taking the game into a fifth day,” Adams said. “The fellows did seem more relaxed and I think it showed in the way we played. We were in a situation where the fellows had nothing to lose. We didn’t play as well as we wanted but credit should go to the Australians.

“They have won 15 matches in a row and lifted the game to a new level.”

Veteran West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh said the difference between the teams was the way they approached each match. “They had a lot more confidence than our guys,” he said. “In terms of ability and talent we’ve got it as well but they’re mentally and possibly physically tougher.” (Reuters)