Cricket: Windies just manage to keep honour

MELBOURNE - The West Indies just avoided the follow-on in the fourth cricket test against Australia in Melbourne yesterday.

The Australians were dismissed for 364 and in reply the West Indies were bundled out by stumps on the third day for 165 - just one run over the follow-on mark.

Australian captain Steve Waugh scored an unbeaten 121, which pushed him to fifth position on the test run-scoring chart.

West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs took seven catches, equalling the test record for most dismissals in an innings.

England's Bob Taylor in 1979-80 against India in Bombay, New Zealand's Ian Smith in 1990-91 against Sri Lanka in Hamilton and Pakistan's Wasim Bari in 1978-79 against New Zealand in Auckland also took seven catches.

The 33-year-old Jacobs has been one of the better performers for the West Indies during their Australian tour, scoring 96 not out as his team made a dismal 196 on their way to another innings defeat in the second test of the series in Perth in December.

Waugh, aged 35, who missed the third test with a strained left buttock muscle, came in at 105 for three on Tuesday after West Indies captain Jimmy Adams won the toss and elected to bowl on a seaming wicket.

Australia were in deep trouble at 225 for seven in the final session when tailender Jason Gillespie joined Waugh, then 48 not out.

They survived the 100 minutes until stumps with Waugh on 98 and Gillespie on 14 in a total of 295 for seven.

Waugh, who started the test needing an even hundred to join West Indies great Sir Vivian Richards on 8540 runs as the fifth-highest run-scorer in test history, brought up his century with a nudge to the on-side and a quick single in the second over of the second day's play.

Waugh's 23rd test century in his 131st test took 189 balls in 263 minutes and included 13 fours.

He steered Australia away from trouble at 149 for five after Adam Gilchrist was dismissed for 37, Justin Langer for 31, Michael Slater for 30 and Mark Waugh for 25.

Ricky Ponting was out for 23 as some Australian batsmen paid for their poor discipline.

Ponting, Langer and Slater were all dismissed playing pull shots, while Matthew Hayden was the first batsman out when he played a loose drive outside off stump when on 13.

More than 73,000 fans watched the first day's play, which ended in difficult conditions as players battled murky light, swirling winds and items of rubbish blowing across the ground.

It was confirmed yesterday that Australian fast bowler Brett Lee will miss the rest of the series because of a back injury.

Lee, who has taken 42 wickets in seven tests and is ranked among the world's fastest bowlers, had already missed the third test with the problem.

The 24-year-old was examined by medical staff before being released from the squad. It was feared the injury could lead to stress fractures if left untreated.

Lee, who made his test debut in Melbourne last year against India, said he was confident of being fit for the triangular limited-overs series starting on January 11 which also includes Zimbabwe.