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Another heavy WI Test defeat looms

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By Keith Holder

Call it optimism against the odds.

Despite losing the first Test against Australia by 164 runs in Perth, outgoing West Indies head coach Phil Simmons was still upbeat about winning the second and final match in Adelaide.

Well, that was prior to the start. Now after the second day’s play, Simmons will have to pray for a miracle to avoid another heavy defeat.

Responding to a first innings total of 511 for seven declared in the day and night pink-ball Test, West Indies were struggling on 102 for four. And as a reminder, Australia boast of a ten-in-ten record in day and night Tests.

The loss in Perth was the first in six matches for West Indies this year, but surely Simmons knows that it was always going to be tough to beat Australia in Australia, especially based on their record in the last 25 years.

One expects Simmons will have much more to say at the end of this match but what he said on the eve created some interest.

“I (feel) good, from the point of view that every time I come out and every time I’m part of West Indies, I give everything I can give, Simmons said. “I will give all for the next six days and let’s hope we can come out with a win, so I finish on a high.

“We’ve lost one Test in a year, and it’s shown in the way we’ve played – especially the series against England where we had to fight for a few games then come out on top in the last – that some progress has been made. For me the joy is seeing people improve.”

It was perhaps a case of Simmons becoming emotional in his farewell series after two stints as head coach. History shows that not since 1996 to 1997 have West Indies won a Test match “Down Under”, losing the series 3-2.

In fact, their last series win on Australian soil was 2 to 1, coming from behind, in a five-match series in 1992 to 1993 under the captaincy of Richie Richardson. Simmons played in that series and recorded his only century in 26 Tests. Australia were captained by Allan Border. (See summarised scores of that series later in the column).

Prior to the current series, in 15 Test series in Australia – the first was in 1930 to 1931 – West Indies have won only four, while losing 10 with one drawn. They played 66 matches with West Indies winning 18, losing 37, one was tied and 10 drawn.

The statistics show: 1930 to 1931 (5 Tests) Australia won 4-1; 1951 to 1952 (5 Tests) Australia won 4-1; 1960 to 1961 (5 Tests) Australia won 2-1; 1968 to 1969 (5 Tests) Australia won 3-1; 1975 t0 1976 (6 Tests) Australia won 5-1; 1979 to 1980 (3 Tests) West Indies won 2-0; 1981 to 1982 (3 Tests) Series drawn 1-1; 1984 to 1985 (5 Tests) West Indies won 3-1; 1988 to 1989 (5 Tests) West Indies won 3-1; 1992 to 1993 (5 Tests) West Indies won 2-1; 1996 to 1997 (5 Tests) Australia won 3-2; 2000 to 2001 (5 Tests) Australia won 5-0; 2005 to 2006 (3 Tests) Australia won 3-0; 2009 to 2010 (3 Tests) Australia won 2-0; 2015 to 16 (3 Tests) Australia won 2-0.

Summarised scores of the 1992/93 series:

1st Test, Brisbane, November 27-December 1st. Match drawn.

Australia 293 (112.1 overs) (Allan Border 73, David Boon 48, Mark Waugh 39, Damien Martyn 36, Greg Matthews 30, Ian Healy 17, Steve Waugh 10, Merv Hughes 10; Carl Hooper 4-75, Ian Bishop 2-51, Curtly Ambrose 2-53) and 308 (120.2 overs) (David Boon 111, Mark Waugh 60, Mark Taylor 34, Steve Waugh 20, Ian Healy 18, Allan Border 17, Craig McDermott 16 not out, Damien Martyn 15; Curtly Ambrose 5-66, Ian Bishop 2-58, Courtney Walsh 2-64).

West Indies 371 (124.3 overs) (Keith Arthurton 157 not out, Brian Lara 58, Carl Hooper 47, Phil Simmons 27, Richie Richardson 17, Courtney Walsh 17, David Williams 15; Bruce Reid 5-112, Merv Hughes 2-58) and 133/8 (65 overs) (Richie Richardson 66, Carl Hooper 32, Ian Bishop 16 not out; Craig McDermott 4-35, Bruce Reid 2-39).

Toss: Australia.

Player Of The Match: David Boon.

2nd Test, Melbourne, December 26-30. Australia won by 139 runs.

Australia 395 (153 overs) (Mark Waugh 112, Allan Border 110, David Boon 46, Steve Waugh 38, Ian Healy 24, Craig McDermott 17, Mark Taylor 13; Courtney Walsh 4-91, Curtly Ambrose 3-70, Ian Bishop 3-84) and 196 (91.4 overs) (Damien Martyn 67, Mark Taylor 42, Mark Waugh 16, Merv Hughes 15, Mike Whitney 13, David Boon 11; Ian Bishop 3-45, Phil Simmons 2-34, Courtney Walsh 2-42, Curtly Ambrose 2-57).

West Indies 233 (85.1 overs) (Keith Arthurton 71, Brian Lara 52, Jimmy Adams 47, Richie Richardson 15; Craig McDermott 4-66, Merv Hughes 3-51) and 219 (71.2 overs) (Phil Simmons 110, Richie Richardson 52, Jimmy Adams 16, Keith Arthurton 13; Shane Warne 7-52).

Toss: Australia.

Player Of the Match: Shane Warne.

3rd Test, Sydney, January 2-6. Match drawn.

Australia 503/9 declared (171.4 overs) (Steve Waugh 100, Greg Matthews 79, David Boon 76, Allan Border 74, Mark Waugh 57, Ian Healy 36 not out, Mark Taylor 20, Merv Hughes 17, Shane Warne 14; Carl Hooper 3-137, Curtly Ambrose 2-87, Ian Bishop 2-87) and 117/0 (47 overs) (David Boon 63 not out, Mark Taylor 46 not out).

West Indies 606 (184.4 overs) (Brian Lara 277, Richie Richardson 109, Jimmy Adams 77 not out, Keith Arthurton 47, Desmond Haynes 22, Carl Hooper 21, Curtly Ambrose 16, Junior Murray 11; Merv Hughes 3-76, Greg Matthews 2-169).

Toss: Australia.

Player Of the Match: Brian Lara.

4th Test, Adelaide, January 23-26. West Indies won by 1 run.

West Indies 252 (67.3 overs) (Brian Lara 52, Junior Murray 49, Phil Simmons 46, Desmond Haynes 45, Kenny Benjamin 15, Ian Bishop 13; Merv Hughes 5-64, Tim May 2-41) and 146 (41.5 overs) (Richie Richardson 72, Carl Hooper 25, Desmond Haynes 11, Phil Simmons 10; Tim May 5-9, Craig McDermott 3-66).

Australia 213 (75.2 overs) (Merv Hughes 43, Steve Waugh 42, David Boon 39, Justin Langer 20, Allan Border 19, Craig McDermott 14; Curtly Ambrose 6-74, Carl Hooper 2-25) and 184 (79 overs) (Justin Langer 54, Tim May 42 not out, Mark Waugh 26, Craig McDermott 18; Curtly Ambrose 4-46, Courtney Walsh 3-44, Ian Bishop 2-41).

Toss: West Indies.

Player Of the Match: Curtly Ambrose.

5th Test, Perth, January 30-February 1. West Indies won by an innings and 25 runs.

Australia 119 (47.2 overs) (David Boon 44, Steve Waugh 13, Damien Martyn 13, Shane Warne 13, Justin Langer 10; Curtly Ambrose 7-25, Ian Bishop 2-17) and 178 (57 overs) (David Boon 52, Damien Martyn 31, Ian Healy 27, Merv Hughes 22, Mark Waugh 21; Ian Bishop 6-40, Curtly Ambrose 2-54).

West Indies 322 (90.4 overs) (Phil Simmons 80, Keith Arthurton 77, Richie Richardson 47, Junior Murray 37, Desmond Haynes 24, Brian Lara 16; Merv Hughes 4-71, Craig McDermott 3-85, Mark Waugh 2-21).

Toss: Australia.

Player Of The Match: Curtly Ambrose.

Player Of The Series: Curtly Ambrose.

Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (rebranded Elite in 2012) Championship for four decades and provides statistics and stories for the BCA website (www.barbadoscricket.org). Email: Keithfholder@gmail.com

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