Cricket: Ambrose has Australia in tatters again

Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 and 75-4

West Indies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322

NOT everything went according to plan on the second day but the West Indies remained on course for the heavy and humiliating victory over Australia Curtly Ambrose's exceptional fast bowling had set up on the first day of the fifth and final Test here.

Resuming at 135 for one, 16 runs ahead with only one wicket down, the West Indies lost their way and four further wickets for 87 before a sixth-wicket partnership of 75 between Keith Arthurton and Junior Murray steered them to an imposing lead of 203. Left the final session to press the advantage Ambrose and Ian Bishop obliged with four Australian second innings wickets for 75.

Australia's deficit was still 128 at stumps. The team's spirit had clearly been broken by the combination of their one-run defeat in the Adelaide Test last week and Ambrose's seven-wicket devastation that routed them for 119 on the opening day.

The West Indies temporarily lost their powerful hold through a slack stroke by Brian Lara to the day's third ball that presented a catch to cover. Arthurton has been similarly loose outside off stump of late but Lara's indiscretion seemed to temper his approach and he held the innings together over the next three and three-quarter hours, scoring 77.

Arthurton added 48 with Phil Simmons, who converted his overnight 45 to 80 and, after Jimmy Adams and Desmond Haynes followed in the space of seven overs, checked a potential collapse with Murray. Had Border at first slip accepted Murray's low but straightforward catch off Merv Hughes just before lunch, when he had yet to score, the West Indies would have been 217 for 5 and Australia might have kept the lead to manageable proportions.

(Second day: Australia won toss)

AUSTRALIA - First Innings

D C Boon c Richardson b Ambrose . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 J L Langer c Murray b Bishop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 S R Waugh c Murray b Bishop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 M E Waugh c Murray b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 D R Martyn c Simmons b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 *A R Border c Murray b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 I A Healy c Lara b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 M G Hughes c Arthurton b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 J Angel c Murray b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 S K Warne run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 C J McDermott not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Extras (8lb 1w 6nb). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Fall: 1-27 2-58 3-85 4-90 5-90 6-100 7-102 8-104 9-104.

Bowling: Ambrose 18-9-25-7 (1nb); Bishop 11-6-17-2 (1w); Walsh 11.2-2-45-0 (4nb); Cummins 7-0-24-0.

WEST INDIES - First Innings

D L Haynes c Healy b Hughes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 P V Simmons c S Waugh b Angel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 *R B Richardson c Langer b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . .47 B C Lara c Warne b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 K L T Arthurton c S Waugh b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . 77 J C Adams b Hughes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 J R Murray c Healy b M Waugh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 I R Bishop c Healy b M Waugh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 A C Cummins c M Waugh b Hughes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 C A Walsh b Hughes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 C E L Ambrose not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Extras (4b 10lb 6nb). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322

Fall: 1-111 2-136 3-184 4-195 5-205 6-280 7-286 8-301 9-319.

Bowling: McDermott 22-4-85-3 (3nb); Hughes 25.4-6-71-4 (1nb); Angel 19-4-72-1 (1nb); Warne 12- 0-51-0; S Waugh 6-3-8-0; M Waugh 6-1-21-2 (1nb).

AUSTRALIA - Second Innings

J L Langer c sub (Logie) b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 D C Boon not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 S R Waugh c sub (Logie) b Bishop. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 M E Waugh c Richardson b Bishop. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 S K Warne c Murray b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 D R Martyn not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Extras (b1 lb2 nb2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Total (for 4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Fall: 1-13 2-14 3-67 4-67

To bat: *A R Border, I A Healy, M G Hughes, J Angel, C J McDermott.

Bowling (to date): Ambrose 12-5-29-2; Bishop 9-4- 14-2; Walsh 7-2-22-0; Cummins 4-2-7-0 (2nb).