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Brisbane
23 - 25 November 2000
Australia won the toss and asked the West Indians to bat first. The West Indies lost Campbell and Lara within the first hour and went to lunch at 2 for 45 with Australia taking the honours in the crucial first session of the series. After lunch, Australia went into overdrive taking the next 7 wickets for 14 runs before Walsh(9) and Adams(16*) managed a 15 run tenth-wicket stand to take the total to 82 off 49.1 overs. McGrath was the key destroyer taking 6 for 17 off 20 overs. After an early tea break, Australia scored quickly to motor past the West Indian total before losing their first wicket. At stumps, Australia were 1 for 107 with a 25 run first innings lead.
An unlikely revival led by debutant Marlon Black occurred on the second morning. Australia lost three wickets (including night watchman Bichel) in the first 40 minutes of play to leave them at 4 for 117. However, the Waugh twins then batted through to lunch to be 4 for 158 off 68 overs. The West Indian bowlers maintain the pressure after the break as Dillon removed both Waughs in the first hour after lunch and a third wicket fell for Australia to be 7 for 241 at the tea break with an overall lead of 159 runs. However, it all fell apart after tea as the West Indians failed to clean up the Australian tail. The eighth wicket added 61 runs while the ninth wicket added 50 runs moving the total to 332 and an overall lead of 250 runs. Lee top scored with 62 while Black was the most successful bowler with 4 for 83 off 28 overs. The West Indies were left with 13 overs before stumps and, alarmingly similar to their first innings, lost both Campbell and Lara to be 2 for 25 at stumps.
There was a sense of inevitability on the third morning. Chanderpaul (62*) occupied one end as the West Indians lost wickets at regular intervals at eh other end to be 6 for 81 at lunch. It took Australia just over an hour after lunch to wrap up the innings when the total was 124 runs giving victory by an innings and 176 runs. Man of the match McGrath was again the most successful bowler with 4 for 10 off 13 overs and a match total of 10 for 27 off 33 overs.
Second Test
Perth
1 - 3 December 2000
Australia won the toss and asked the West Indies to bat first. Lee struck in his first over to have the West Indies 1 for 1. Shortly afterwards, McGrath took a hat trick by dismissing Campbell, lara and Adams while also passing the 300 test dismissal mark. The West Indies had slumped to 4 for 19 before Lee made it 5 for 22. With the benefit of a number of missed chances, Hinds and Jacobs batted through the second hour of the session to see the West Indies 5 for 65 at lunch. During the afternoon session, Australia dismissed two batsmen, including Hinds (50) while the West Indies recovered somewhat to be 7 for 172 at tea. The West Indians were dismissed shortly after the break for 196 runs leaving Jacobs stranded on 96 not out. McGrath (3 for 48 off 19 overs) and Gillespie (3 for 46 off 12 overs) shared the bowling honours. Australia lost two wickets for 72 runs before stumps.
Despite missing some chances, the West Indies fought back on the second morning to swing the test back toward level terms. They dismissed Hayden (69) and night watchman Gillespie (23) before lunch to have Australia 4 for 151. They claimed another two wickets before Australia passed their first innings total of 196. However, in the hour before tea, Gilchrist (50) and Mark Waugh (119) started to ease the game back out of the West Indies hands. At tea, Australia was 6 for 263. The West Indies removed both of these batsmen after the tea break, but could not wrap up the tail before the lead grew out of control. Lee (41*) and MacGill (18*) scored at will and upon bringing up a 200 run lead Waugh declared the innings closed at 8 for 396. Walsh, Dillon, Black and McLean all claimed 2 wickets each for the West Indies. This left the West Indies to negotiate seven overs before stumps during which they lost Campbell and night watchman Dillon to be 2 for 16.
The Australians claimed three wickets on the third morning to have the West Indies 5 for 95 at lunch. In the afternoon session, Adams (40*) and Jacobs (24) looked to be settling in and moving toward reaching the 200 run deficit and then setting a target. However, a moment of stupidity saw Jacobs slip when turning for a second run, almost collide with Adams and was eventually run out shortly before tea. At the break, the West Indies were 7 for 165, still requiring 35 runs to make Australia bat again. It was not to be, however, as Lee cleaned up all three remaining wickets in one over after the break when the total was 173 runs. Hinds top scored with 41 for the West Indies while Lee was the most successful bowler with 5 for 61 off 15 overs.
Third Test
Adelaide
15 - 19 December 2000
West Indies won the toss and decided to bat first. They lost two wickets in the session before lunch before Lara and Hinds batted to lunch to be 2 for 61. The Australians struck once in the afternoon session while the score moved to 3 for 146 at tea. Australis again could only find the one wicket of Adams (49) in the evening session as the West Indies took control of the match to be 4 for 274 at stumps with Lara 136 not out.
The West Indies resumed on the second morning and lost three wickets before lunch, including Lara (182) to be 7 for 376 at the break. Australia wrapped up the innings after lunch for a total of 391. Miller (5 for 81 off 35.5 overs) and Gillespie (5 for 89 off 32 overs) shared the bowling honours. Australia then started their reply with the openers scoring at 4.5 runs per over. However, in the last half hour of play, Hayden (58) and Slater (83) and then Langer (4) were dismissed for Australia to end the day at 3 for 180.
The West Indies removed night watchman Gillespie early on the third morning before Mark Waugh (63) and Ponting took them to lunch at 4 for 266. Batting became slow and difficult in the afternoon as the West Indies claimed Mark Waugh (63) and light rain interrupted play before Australia to be 5 for 355 at tea. In the evening session, Australia finally went past the West Indian total, but not before losing four more wickets including Ponting (92) to be 9 for 403 at stumps and the match hung in the balance.
Australia failed to add to their overnight score and were dismissed for 403 and a first innings lead of 12 runs. Dillon was the most successful bowler with 3 for 84 off 24.4 overs. The West Indians then lost two wickets to go to lunch at 2 for 82 and a 70 run lead. However, once Lara (39) was dismissed early in the afternoon session to be 3 for 87, the remaining seven the wickets tumbled for 54 more runs and an innings total of 141 runs at the tea break. Miller was again the most successful bowler with 5 for 32 off 17 overs giving match figures of 10 for 113 off 52.5 overs. Australia started their chase of the 130 run target in nervous style as they slumped to 4 for 48. However, Langer (43*) and Martyn (18*) took them through to stumps to be 4 for 98 still needing another 32 runs for their 13th victory in row.
Australia brought up the final runs on the fifth morning with the loss of Langer (48) to win the Test by 5 wickets. Dillon was the most successful bowler with 3 for 42 off 12 overs while Miller was named man of the match.
Fourth Test
Melbourne
26 - 29 December 2000
West Indies won the toss and asked Australia to bat first. The West Indians missed a chance early and failed to take a wicket in the first hour. However, they claimed Slater (30) and Hayden (13) to have Australia at 2 for 77 at the lunch break with the match still evenly poised. The West Indies initially swung the Test in their favour as they removed Langer (31), Mark Waugh (25) and Ponting (23) in the afternoon session. Australia then recovered to add 101 runs in the session to be 5 for 178 at tea and the match returned to an even balance again. In the evening session, Australia took control of the Test as they batted through the session for the loss of two more wickets to be 7 for 295 at stumps with Captain Steve Waugh not out on 98.
The West Indians were unable to wrap up the tail on the second morning until the over before lunch. By that stage they had surrendered any hope of equalising the Test as the last three Australian wickets had cost 139 runs. Australia were dismissed for 364 runs with Waugh remaining nit out on 121 runs while Dillon was the most successful bowler with 4 for 76 off 21 overs. The West Indians set about passing the first hurdle of the follow on target of 165 runs in disastrous fashion. From 2 for 6 they then managed to get the total to 28 before losing another three wickets without adding a run. Fortunately, Jacobs (42) and Samuels (60*) staged a recovery and the West Indies tail lurched to the follow on target of 165 before the last wicket was lost in the last over of the days play. Bichel was the most successful bowler with 5 for 60 off 13.3 overs.
Rain interfered with the third morning as Australia managed to get through the half-hour session of play to be 1 for 44 at lunch. The West Indies claimed a second wicket of Hayden (30) after lunch and then in the over before tea Langer (80) was dismissed to see Australia at 3 for 165 at tea. With a mind to set the West Indies a target of around 450, Australia lost two more wickets before declaring at 5 for 262 with Mark Waugh (78*) and Ponting (26*) at the crease. Adams was the most successful bowler with 2 for 43 off 18 overs. The West Indies had 11 overs before stumps in which to begin their attempt to reach 462 needed for an unlikely victory. At stumps, with Ganga (0), Hinds (4) and Lara (0) back in the pavilion and the score at 3 for 10 a victory became even more unlikely.
The West Indies lost three more wickets during the first hour of the fourth morning before Jacobs and Samuels combined to steady the innings. However, Jacobs (23) was dismissed just before lunch and the West Indians were 7 for 77. The Australians claimed the remaining three wickets with Samuels (46) the last man out when the total was 109 runs and the West Indians had fallen 352 runs short. Gillespie was the best of the Australian bowlers with 6 for 40 off 17 overs.
Fifth Test
2 - 6 January 2001
Sydney
West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first. Australia uncharacteristically dropped a chance off Campbell early and the West Indies capitalised to bat through the first session without losing a wicket. At lunch they had scored 71 runs and seemed in control of the Test. The West Indies batsmen continued in a similar vein during the afternoon session moving the total to 145 without loss at the drinks break. However, Australia started to even the match by taking the wickets of Campbell (79), Hinds (70) and then Adams (10) in the hour before tea to see the West Indies still well placed at 3 for 180 at the break. Australia equalised the match in the final session of the day by crashing through the West Indian batting by taking six more wickets in the session courtesy of MacGill. At stumps, the West Indies was 9 for 256 having squandered another opportunity.
Australia took 15 minutes to remove the final wicket on the second morning while the West Indies moved the total to 272 runs. MacGill was the most successful bowler with 7 for 104 off 37 overs. Australia started their reply by losing Hayden (3) when the total was 17 runs. Slater was then dropped when he had 17 on the board and this proved costly as he was eventually dismissed for 96. The West Indians kept the match even throughout the morning and afternoon sessions. Australia scored at around 3.5 runs per over while losing a wicket each hour until tea when they were 4 for 188. The West Indies allowed the test to slip out of their control in the evening session when they failed to take a wicket and Stephen Waugh and Ponting took the total to 4 for 284 and a 12 run lead.
The West Indies struck in the first over of the third morning to dismiss Pontin (51) but then Gilchrist was dropped by Adams on the next ball. Waugh (103) and Gillespie were dismissed in the hour before lunch. However, Gilchrist ensured Adams did not have a good morning as he scored at a run a ball to take the total to 7 for 374 and a 102 run lead at lunch. The West Indies finally dismissed Gilchrist (87) after lunch and slowly ran out the tail enders to dismiss Australia for a total of 452 runs and a first innings lead of 180 runs. Nagamootoo was the most successful bowler with 3 for 119 off 35 overs. The West Indians batted through to tea to be 18 without loss and then almost made it to stumps before Hinds (46) was bowled with the total on 98 runs.
Australia moved closer to victory on the fourth morning when the West Indies lost three wickets without scoring to slump to 4 for 112 in the first hour of play. They then recovered and Lara received a life on 26 when Miller dropped a regulation outfield catch. However, unlike Gilchrist the day before, a more hesitant Lara then fell for 28 three overs later. At lunch, the West Indians were 5 for 192 with a lead of 12 runs. The afternoon session belonged to the West Indians as they refused to lie down and die. They lost Sarwan (51) mid way through the session and were 6 for 309 at tea. Jacobs (62) and Nagamootoo (68) fell in the hour after tea and the score was 8 for 347 before the tail was wrapped up with the total 352 runs. Miller was the most successful bowler with 4 for 102 off 32.5 overs. This left Australia a victory target of 172 runs with 45 minutes and three sessions left in the match. The West Indies struck twice before stumps to have Australia 2 for 44.
The West Indians struck early on the final morning removing Mark Waugh (3) after only two runs had been added. However, they were unable to take any further wickets until just before lunch when they trapped Stephen Waugh (38) in front to have Australia 4 for 148. At that stage it had become academic as Australia went to lunch at 4 for 154 needing only 19 more runs for victory. Twenty minutes after lunch Ponting (148) struck the winning runs. Slater (86*) was the top scorer while Walsh, Stuart, McLean and Samuels each claimed one wicket.
