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Aus-WI: The close encounters

By Mohandas Menon
May 14, 2003 11:20 IST

When Vasbert Drakes cut leg-spinner Stuart MacGill to the backward point fence he set off wild celebrations in the St John's ground in Antigua and all around the Caribbean Islands.

Despite having lost the Test series 1-3 to Australia, West Indies broke a 27-year old world record en route to a scintillating win.  

The West Indies score of 418-7 eclipsed Test cricket's previous highest winning fourth innings run chase - the 4-406 scored by India against the West Indies in Trinidad in 1975-76.

Mohandas Menon takes a closer look at the cliffhanger Test matches between the two sides.

Close Test matches between WI & Aus in terms of runs margin

(Runs)

winner loser Tst Month Year Venue
1 WI Aus 4th Jan 1993 Adelaide
30 WI Aus 5th Feb 1931 Sydney
44 Aus WI 3rd Mar 1973 Port-of-Spain

Close Test matches between WI & Aus in terms of wkts margin

(Wkts) winner loser Tst Month Year Venue
1 Aus WI 4th Jan 1952 Melbourne
1 WI Aus 3rd Mar 1999 Bridgetown
2 Aus WI 5th Feb 1961 Melbourne
3 Aus WI 1st Nov 1951 Brisbane
3 Aus WI 3rd Apr 1978 Georgetown
3 WI Aus 4th May 2003 St John's

Tie match

Team vs Tst Month Year Venue
Australia West Indies 1st Dec 1960 Brisbane

Highest fourth innings totals (over 200 runs) to win a Test between WI-Aus

Score winner loser Tst Month Year Venue
7/418 WI Aus 4th May 2003 St John's
7/362 Aus WI 3rd Apr 1978 Georgetown
9/311 WI Aus 3rd Mar 1999 Bridgetown
9/260 Aus WI 4th Jan 1952 Melbourne
8/258 Aus WI 5th Feb 1961 Melbourne
5/239 WI Aus 3rd Feb 1982 Adelaide
7/236 Aus WI 1st Nov 1951 Brisbane
4/233 WI Aus 3rd Dec 1951 Adelaide
2/219 Aus WI 1st Jan 1976 Brisbane

Highest fourth innings totals in Tests

Total For vs Target Result Test Series Venue
654-5 England South Africa 695 Draw 5th 1938-39 Durban
451 New Zealand England 549 Lost 1st 2001-02 Christchurch
445 India Australia 492 Lost 5th 1977-78 Adelaide
440 New Zealand England 478 Lost 1st 1973 Nottingham
429-8 India England 437 Draw 4th 1979 The Oval
423-7 South Africa England 450 Draw 5th 1947 The Oval
418-7 West Indies Australia 417 Won 4th 2002-03 St John's
417 England Australia 462 Lost 1st 1976-77 Melbourne
411 England Australia 604 Lost 1st 1924-25 Sydney
408-5 West Indies England 835 Draw 4th 1929-30 Kingston
406-4 India West Indies 402 Won 3rd 1975-76 Port-of-Spain
404-3 Australia England 403 Won 4th 1948 Leeds
402 Australia England 505 Lost 5th 1981 Manchester

West Indies' Test record

Since last 4 yrs
Played 45, won 11, lost 24, drawn 10 (%Win 24.44)

Since last 1 yr
Played 14, won  5, lost  6, drawn  3 (%Win 35.71)

Mohandas Menon

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