The month of March marked the 20-year anniversary of the Australian cricket team’s famous 1995 tour of the West Indies.
The series started with an ODI on March 8 and ended in celebration for the Aussies on Wednesday, May 3 (after a quaint rest day on the Tuesday), with the West Indies’ undefeated run of 29 series coming to an end at the hands of Mark Taylor and his men.
This victory has often been seen as the passing of the title of ‘Test Champions’, and Australia’s subsequent decade of dominance seemed to confirm that.
The series is often heralded as one of the greatest of all time and it is fitting to remember it 20 years on and just prior to Australia’s return to the Caribbean.
Australia’s touring squad included a number of future batting champions such as Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, however neither featured in the series, with the Australians preferring the experience of Taylor, Michael Slater, David Boon and Steve and Mark Waugh.
The build-up to the Test series could not have gone worse for Australia. They lost the ODI series 4-1 and then their two premier seamers went down to injury; Damien ‘Bowloligist’ Fleming and current Australian bowling coach and notoriously poor tourer, Craig McDermott.
As a result, current Fox Sports cricket front-man Brendan Julian (who only played three other Tests outside this series) and now international umpire Paul Reiffel were called upon to take the new ball.
While the West Indies were not the same side that had so tormented Border’s years as captain, with Malcolm Marshall and Viv Richards now retired, they remained formidable.
The incomparable Brian Lara had scored the then-highest Test score ever (375) a year before and was ably supported by Richie Richardson and Jimmy Adams in the middle order.
Their strength, however, remained their four-pronged fast bowling, unit led by Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.
First Test
The Australian line-up in Bridgetown was as follows:
MJ Slater
MA Taylor (c)
DC Boon
ME Waugh
SR Waugh
GS Blewett
IA Healy
BP Julian
PR Reiffel
SK Warne
GD McGrath
The West Indies line-up was:
SC Williams
SL Campbell
BC Lara
RB Richardson (c)
CL Hooper
JC Adams
JR Murray
WKM Benjamin
CEL Ambrose
CA Walsh
KCG Benjamin
Despite losing the toss (a theme throughout the series) and being forced to field, the Australians put on a master class.
The Aussies’ weakened pace attack reduced the mighty Windies to 3 for 6 on the opening day, before rolling them for just 195 in their first innings. They then piled on 346 in response, led by Healy, S Waugh and Taylor.
When the Windies were again unable to bat beyond 200, the Australians were left a meagre chase of just 39 to be wrapped up by the openers.
Second Test
The Australians went into the second Test unchanged and full of confidence at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John’s. The Windies made changes, dropping Sherwin Campbell for Keith Arthurton.
The Australians were sent in after again losing the toss and stumbled to just 216. Although Lara threatened to bat the Aussies out of the game, his dismissal on 88 precipitated something of a collapse as the Windies lost the next six wickets for under 80 runs.
The Australians posted 300 in response, but rain effectively killed the match, though it set up the next two Tests as the hosts could not afford another loss or draw if they were to beat the Australians.
Part 2 to follow soon.
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