Cricket: Boon passed fit

AUSTRALIA breathed a sigh of relief yesterday when their opening batsman David Boon passed a fitness test in time for the fourth Test, which starts at the Adelaide Oval tomorrow. Australia lead West Indies 1-0 in the six-Test series.

Boon, the only Australian batsman who has been in consistently good form, aggravated a strained left hamstring during the World Series finals, but was able to bat normally yesterday after treatment.

For the West Indies, who go into the match in buoyant mood after their 2-0 victory in the one-day finals, the only worry concerns their captain, Richie Richardson, who spent yesterday in bed as a precaution as he tried to shake off a throat infection.

Rohan Kanhai, the West Indies' coach, said that he had been assured Richardson would be able to train today. 'He's seen the doctor and he's been advised to stay in bed,' Kanhai said. 'I would say he will practice tomorrow, he just wanted to take things easy.'

The West Indies have an excellent recent record at Adelaide, with victories in 1979-80 (408 runs), 1981-82 (five wickets) and 1984-85 (191 runs), plus a draw in 1988-89.

AUSTRALIA (v West Indies, fourth Test, Adelaide, starting tomorrow): From: A R Border, D C Boon, M A Taylor, S R Waugh, M E Waugh, D R Martyn, I A Healy, A I C Dodemaide, T B A May, M G Hughes, S K Warne, C J McDermott.