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Australia's Ricky Ponting (left) and Brad Haddin (right) celebrate the wicket of the West Indies' Ramnaresh Sarwan for 11, in the third test match at the WACA ground in Perth, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
It seems paradoxical that West Indies captain Chris Gayle won both the Man of the Match awards in the Adelaide and Perth Tests and Player of the Series award, yet was severely criticized before the tour commenced for being ‘against Test cricket’.
But the same ‘anti-Test cricket man’ went a long way in reviving interest in Test cricket this summer by two contrasting knocks in Adelaide and Perth.
The series which ended yesterday was not exactly a replica of the thrilling 1960-61 series. But the final two days of the second and third Tests produced exciting cricket with result in doubt until the last day.
Before this series started, the interest from the Australian public was lukewarm, especially after the Windies lost the first Test in Brisbane by an innings and 65 runs in three days.
Critics labelled the side as among the worst ever to tour Australia in decades.
Gayle was especially disappointing with his lack-lustre batting on the Gabba. The only positive for the tourists was teenager Adrian Barath who scored a valiant 104.
This was their darkest hour before the dawn.
Despite losing their strike bowler Jerome Taylor in the next two Tests and batsmen Barath and Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the final Test, the visitors improved dramatically.
And it was their much-maligned skipper who lifted them to unexpected heights. Gayle hit two glorious centuries in consecutive innings in Adelaide and Perth and the ugly ducklings were soon transformed into swinging swans.
When heaping praises on Gayle we must not forget Dwayne Bravo who was here, there and everywhere scoring a century in the first innings in Adelaide, taking spectacular catches and bowling accurately.
He was also supported by Australia-born Brendan Nash and the Windies took a 12-run lead into the second innings of the second Test. The small-statured quickie Kemar Roach and the tall aggressive spinner Suleiman Benn bowled with waspish venom.
Suddenly, realising that they could level the series 1-all, Gayle played a dogged un-Gayle-like innings, an unbeaten 165 off 285 balls and carried his bat.
Mitchell Johnson bowled with fire to take eight wickets in the match. At one stage Australia was struggling to save the Test, being 5-139 chasing 330. But Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin steadied the ship and drew the match.
The Perth Test was a thriller all the way and will be remembered for the 72-ball century by Gayle (with 9 fours and 6 spectacular sixes) in the first innings and a 128 run stand between Narsingh Deonarine and Nash in the second when chasing an unlikely 359 for a win.
They came close but were thwarted by the ebullient Doug Bollinger bowling superbly.
Unfortunately, this Test will also be remembered for the on-field altercations involving Benn, Johnson and Haddin. The authorities should take serious steps to stop aggro on the field. They are not children and should behave like responsible adults. No use pointing fingers and bats at each other.
The Review system failed again, especially off the final ball of the final Test which gave Australia a 2-0 victory and the Frank Worrell Trophy.
Australia was clearly superior in the first Test but the honours were shared in the next two.
Despite a few disputes, Test cricket was the real winner in the series. We witnessed engrossing performances in Adelaide and Perth.
Bring on the Pakistanis in the Boxing Day Test on the MCG.