On May 13, 2003, the West Indies achieved an extraordinary feat, toppling Steve Waugh’s seemingly invincible Australian side in a Test match that defied all expectations. Although the victory didn’t alter the series outcome, it created moments of cricketing brilliance and drama that remain etched in the memories of players and fans alike. This was a tale of resilience, controversy, and unparalleled determination—a performance that saw the West Indies achieve their largest successful run-chase in Test cricket history.
Steve Waugh, reflecting on the match in his autobiography,
aptly summarized the essence of the West Indies’ resurgence: “Then, having been
set 418 to win, the wallowing genetic gifts of the Windies batsmen all came to
life in unison and swamped us with a collective brilliance that must have made
their supporters question what had transpired during the previous nine straight
hidings they’d suffered against Australia.”
The Context
The 2003 series had been a grim affair for the West Indies.
Having lost nine consecutive matches to Australia, including the first three
Tests of this series, their morale was shattered. The once-mighty Caribbean
side seemed a shadow of its former self, and their frailty was laid bare by the
Australians’ dominance. As the teams arrived in Antigua for the fourth and
final Test, the contest appeared to be a dead rubber. The absence of Ricky
Ponting due to illness was a rare bright spot for the hosts, but few anticipated
what was to follow.
The First Act:
Lawson’s Blitz
In a match where the wicket remained placid, Steve Waugh,
ever the pragmatist, chose to bat first, a decision that seemed sound on the
surface. However, the Australian batting lineup was caught off guard by a force
they had not anticipated. Jermaine Lawson, with his raw pace and unrelenting
aggression, tore through the Australian order, claiming career-best figures of
seven for 78. Despite valiant efforts from Justin Langer and Waugh, who managed
42 and 41 runs respectively, Australia was dismissed for a modest 240. Contributions
from Martin Love, Adam Gilchrist, and Andy Bichel were brief, each failing to
convert promising starts into substantial scores. Lawson’s performance,
however, would prove bittersweet. His already-questioned bowling action
resurfaced under scrutiny, and the inevitable outcome followed—he was reported
to the International Cricket Council (ICC). While the incident cast a shadow
over his achievement, the damage to the Australian total had already been done,
leaving the West Indies with a solid platform to build upon.
Yet, the West Indian response faltered, with only Brian Lara managing to resist the Australian onslaught. Brett Lee, Andy Bichel, and an unusually distracted Glenn McGrath formed an unyielding attack that dismissed the West Indies for another 240, ensuring that the match remained in a state of perfect equilibrium. Despite Lara’s defiance, the rest of the West Indian batting lineup crumbled under the pressure, leaving the game delicately poised, with neither side able to gain a decisive upper hand.
The Second Act:
Hayden’s Masterclass and a Fateful Collapse
In the second innings, the Australian openers, Matthew
Hayden and Justin Langer, adopted their customary approach, combining
aggression with controlled strokeplay. With Lawson sidelined and the rest of
the West Indian bowlers lacking the same threat, the duo seized the
opportunity, swiftly building a commanding partnership that reached yet another
double-century. Langer, however, fell to an unceremonious dismissal—a
"Nelson"—but Hayden, undeterred, continued to dominate the attack.
His expansive array of strokes—sweeps, pulls, hooks, and cuts—further
dismantled the West Indian bowlers. His innings, an exquisite display of
controlled aggression, culminated in a run-out for a well-crafted 177, which
included 22 boundaries and three sixes, a testament to his prowess.
Having witnessed the West Indies' inability to muster any
significant resistance in earlier stages, the Australians, perhaps lulled into
a false sense of security, eased off the accelerator. This brief lapse in
intensity allowed Mervyn Dillon to exploit the opening, claiming four quick
wickets in a spell of inspired bowling. From a commanding 330 for three, the
Australians were reduced to 417 all out, still setting a challenging target of
418 for victory. At this point, it seemed only a matter of time before
Australia would complete its first clean sweep in the Caribbean. However, what
transpired next was far from expected, as the West Indian response would defy
all predictions.
The Final Act: A
Record-Breaking Chase
The West Indies'
pursuit of the daunting target began with an air of hesitancy and restraint.
Chris Gayle and Devon Smith, both seasoned openers, adopted a cautious approach
in their innings, perhaps overly so, as they sought to weather the storm. Their
tentative start, marked by a series of dot balls and defensive strokes, did
little to inspire confidence in the West Indian camp. The Australian bowlers,
notably Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath, applied consistent pressure, forcing the
batsmen into uncomfortable positions. It was clear that the West Indies’
chances hinged on the foundation laid by the openers, but the lack of urgency
was evident. When Darren Ganga, one of the more reliable middle-order batsmen,
was dismissed, the West Indies found themselves in a precarious position at 74
for three—teetering on the brink of collapse.
At this critical juncture, the match took a dramatic turn.
Brian Lara, the West Indies' talisman, unleashed an extraordinary display of
counter-attacking brilliance. Perhaps fueled by the relentless verbal barrages
from the Australian fielders, Lara's response was nothing short of explosive.
He adopted an aggressive stance, determined to wrest control from the
Australians. The once cautious West Indies batsmen were now transformed into a
dynamic force, and Lara, with his customary flair, began to dismantle the
Australian attack. His strokes were a mixture of elegance and aggression,
punctuated by the occasional roar of defiance as he took on the bowlers.
The intensity of the match was heightened by a tense and highly charged exchange between Lara and Australian captain Steve Waugh. The confrontation occurred after Lara, having survived an appeal for caught behind, refused to leave the crease. Waugh, standing at short cover, was visibly frustrated by what he perceived to be a clear dismissal, and he made his displeasure known with a sharp remark: “Told you so, you only walk when it suits you.” Lara, never one to back down, fired back with an equally forceful “Shut up!” The verbal sparring continued, with the two players circling each other, their words escalating in both intensity and volume. Lara, seething with anger, walked toward Waugh and stood inches away from him, challenging the Australian captain to “get it on right now!” The tension reached a boiling point, forcing umpire David Shepherd to intervene and reprimand both players. The exchange, though intense, was brief, and the umpires’ intervention allowed the match to resume. However, the incident, while momentarily stealing the limelight, would soon fade into the background as the match progressed.
Despite the drama, Ramnaresh Sarwan emerged as the key
figure in the West Indies' fightback. From the outset, Sarwan played with
purpose and intent, showing no signs of the hesitation that had characterized
the earlier batsmen. His strokeplay was aggressive yet controlled, and he
quickly began to apply pressure to the Australian bowlers. Even after Lara’s
innings of 60 came to a sudden end, Sarwan remained unfazed, continuing to
accumulate runs at a steady pace. Alongside him, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the
ever-reliable anchor, dug in at the other end. Chanderpaul’s unflappable
demeanour and his ability to absorb pressure provided the perfect foil for
Sarwan’s attacking play. For the first time in the series, the Australians
found themselves under genuine pressure, and the match, which had once seemed
firmly in their grasp, was now delicately poised.
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At this point, Waugh turned to Glenn McGrath, hoping that the Australian spearhead would provide the breakthrough. McGrath, however, was not in his best form. In his autobiography Out of My Comfort Zone, Waugh reveals that McGrath’s inclusion was more a product of his past successes than his current form. McGrath had recently been dealing with the emotional strain of his wife’s cancer diagnosis, which had caused him to miss the first two Tests of the series. Waugh acknowledges that McGrath’s selection was based more on his reputation than his fitness or state of mind, and this, in turn, contributed to a performance that fell below the high standards expected of him. Waugh writes that McGrath was “picked on reputation and not his fitness or state of mind,” a decision that ultimately led to a “substandard performance.”
As McGrath struggled to make an impact, tensions between him
and Sarwan began to rise. McGrath, frustrated by his inability to break the
partnership, began taunting Sarwan, attempting to provoke him into an emotional
response. The verbal exchange escalated, with insults being exchanged back and
forth. In a regrettable moment, McGrath crossed a line, asking Sarwan, “What
does Lara’s c*ck taste like?” Sarwan, quick-witted as ever, fired back with a
stinging retort: “Why don’t you ask your wife?” The remark, though sharp, was
more than just a counterattack; it was a reflection of the simmering tensions
that had been building throughout the match.
In Waugh’s words, McGrath’s verbal assault was “a machine-gun offensive that essentially had nothing to do with Sarwan, who was merely the vehicle for Glenn to vent his spleen.” What followed was a horrendous altercation, with McGrath’s frustrations spilling over into a full-blown confrontation. Some Australian players, siding with McGrath, attempted to intervene, while others tried to calm the situation. Sarwan, however, remained composed and unfazed by the verbal barrage. It took the intervention of the umpires and a few players to separate the two, but the damage had already been done. The incident left a sour taste in the mouths of many, and the Australian team’s image was further tarnished when Waugh was criticized for not acting swiftly enough to defuse the situation. Although McGrath later apologized for his actions, the damage to Australia’s reputation was already done, and the incident would forever remain a stain on an otherwise remarkable career.
Despite the turmoil, Sarwan and Chanderpaul remained focused
on the task at hand. Sarwan continued to attack, while Chanderpaul, ever the
stoic presence, anchored the innings. Together, they notched centuries, their
partnership a beacon of resilience in the face of adversity. Between them, they
struck 34 boundaries and a six, demonstrating their dominance over the
Australian attack. Sarwan’s eventual dismissal for 105 brought an end to the
partnership, but Chanderpaul, resolute and unflappable, remained at the crease,
keeping the West Indies’ hopes alive.
As the final day dawned, the West Indies required 47 runs
with four wickets in hand, and the Australians, sensing victory, began to smell
blood. However, Omari Banks and Vasbert Drakes, two lower-order batsmen, stood
firm in the face of mounting pressure. Their resistance, combined with
Chanderpaul’s unwavering presence at the crease, proved to be the key to the
West Indies’ triumph. The pair put on a stoic display, guiding the West Indies
to a remarkable three-wicket victory. The crowd erupted in ecstatic celebration
as the home side achieved the seemingly impossible, chasing down the record
target with three wickets to spare.
While Australia had already secured the series, the elusive
clean sweep remained just out of reach. The West Indies victory, though
hard-fought and dramatic, denied Australia the chance to complete a historic
achievement in the Caribbean. The match, with its fiery exchanges, tense
moments, and remarkable individual performances, would go down as one of the
most memorable encounters in cricket history.
The Aftermath
While the series belonged to Australia, their dreams of a
clean sweep were shattered. The West Indies’ record-breaking chase was a
testament to their indomitable spirit and the brilliance of their individual
performers. It was a match that reminded the cricketing world of the
Caribbean’s storied legacy and their capacity for extraordinary feats, even in
adversity.
This Test will forever be remembered as a shining example of cricket’s unpredictability and the human spirit’s resilience—a fitting chapter in the annals of the game.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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