MacGill spins a fine tale

West Indies were dismissed for 272 in their first innings before lunch on the second day of the fifth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday.

Resuming at 256-9, the tourists added 16 runs to their overnight score before Courtney Walsh was caught by Matthew Hayden for four to end the innings after 14 minutes' play.

Australian off-spinner Colin Miller picked up the final wicket to finish with 2-73 while legspinner Stuart MacGill took the bowling honours with 7-104.

MacGill, his position under threat from the return of Shane Warne, revelled on a spinner's pitch to undermine the West Indies' brightest start of the series. The 29-year-old legspinner undermined the tourists' record opening partnership, which left them hanging on at the stumps, 256 for nine. He claimed 7-92 off 35 overs to spin Australia back into the game.

It looked so much different earlier in the day when the West Indies finally stood up and were counted after four one-sided Tests.

Sherwin Campbell and Wavell Hinds combined in the biggest West Indies' opening stand in Australia of 147 runs - eclipsing the previous best of 135 by the great Caribbean opening pair, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, in Brisbane in 1988-89.

Brian Lara chipped in with 35 until he was brilliantly snapped up by Mark Waugh at slip with the tourists for 210 for four.

In contrast to their chaotic starts throughout the series, Campbell and Hinds gave the tourists the ideal start.

Vice-captain Campbell's marvellous innings came to an end when he was deceived by a legspinner and was caught and bowled by MacGill for 79.

MacGill got some delight out of dismissing Ramnaresh Sarwan for his third duck of the series with what he calls a "back-spinner", a delivery which comes out from the front of his hand, trapping the hapless youngster lbw.

The wickets kept tumbling for MacGill. He had Jacobs stumped by Adam Gilchrist for 12 and next ball Nixon McLean was unlucky to be given out lbw to a leg break. Colin Stuart saw off the hat-trick ball.

Brian Lara claimed his 100th Test catch when he helped dismiss Australian opener Matthew Hayden before lunch with Australia on 17.