Harsh Thakor
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Today is the 25th anniversary of Australia capturing the unofficial world test championship title and dethroning West Indies from the pedestal after a period of 15 years,in 1995 at Kingston.Australia became the first team to defeat the West Indies in West Indies since Ian Chappel's team in 1973 and the first to win a series against them since New Zealand in 1980.Above all they accomplished it by a margin of an innings .Steve Waugh was the main architect in sculpting the win with the help of brother Mark.It was one of test cricket's most defining moments with a new epoch created of Australian supremacy or domination.It was one of sport's unforgettable moments at Kingston ,25 years ago .
Australia won the 1st test at Barbados and came close to winning the 2nd.On a broken pitch they were outplayed in the 3rd test.However they magnificiently rose like a phoenix from the Ashes at Kingston like a great boxer giving a knockout punch.
Still to me West Indian cricket was on decline inspite of being officially at the top.There was no Viv Richards or Malcolm Marshall or Greenidge and Haynes.Was it a depleted West Indies team.Afterall it came within the skin of its teeth from losing the 1992-93 series in Australia .Still would give credit to the astute leadership of Mark Taylor and the mental resilience of the Australians.I cant forget Australians going in for the kill on the fourth day like a well-knit army launching an offensive.What laid the base of the victory was the partnership of the Waugh brothers whose batting style differed like chalk and cheese.Mark exhibited his great flair for strokemaking while brother Steve was simply grit and concentration personified .Reminiscent of an artist and an architect.Mark Taylor displayed great mastery in galvanising his resources .Credit must also be given to former skipper Alan Border for knitting a bunch of talented individuals into a nucleus of a professional unit.Australia were the moral winners of a series in Pakistan in 1994,which is also noteworthy.They had the edge and played the better cricket in all the 3 tests in the series in Pakistan.
Morally it is Pakistan who should have toppled the Calypsos from their world championship status and been crowned unofficial tset world champion sin 1988.Dubious umpiring decisions robbed them of that title like the negating of a catch at short leg of Qadir and a leg before appeal of Marshall with the Calypsos still 86 runs adrift of the victory target.Players like Brian Lara even admit it .Infact even a negation of a leg before of Viv Richards had a crucial hand on the result in Trinidad in he 2nd test.Man to man Pakistan was stronger than the Australian team of 1995 and may have even given the great Australian teams a run for their money.
The Barbados win set the tone for Australian cricket to establish supremacy for over a decade.However in consistency it did not equal Clive Lloyd's West Indies team or West Indies from 1980-95.Man to man even Pakistan was more balanced or talented.Even Ian Chappell's team of 1974-76 wold have beaten the Australian team of 1995-99.
What Australia posessed in 1995 was professionalism of the highest degree,great organization and unmatched mental tenacity.No doubt great talent in Waugh brothers,Shane Warne ,Ricky Ponting and Glen Mcgrath but still not on par with the teams of Clive Lloyd,Ian Chappell or Imran Khans .
Australia under Taylor went on to beat strong South African teams home and away in 1997-98, Ashes series at home and away ,but lost in India in 1997-98 and could only share a series in West Indies in 1999.
Australia won the 1st test at Barbados and came close to winning the 2nd.On a broken pitch they were outplayed in the 3rd test.However they magnificiently rose like a phoenix from the Ashes at Kingston like a great boxer giving a knockout punch.
Still to me West Indian cricket was on decline inspite of being officially at the top.There was no Viv Richards or Malcolm Marshall or Greenidge and Haynes.Was it a depleted West Indies team.Afterall it came within the skin of its teeth from losing the 1992-93 series in Australia .Still would give credit to the astute leadership of Mark Taylor and the mental resilience of the Australians.I cant forget Australians going in for the kill on the fourth day like a well-knit army launching an offensive.What laid the base of the victory was the partnership of the Waugh brothers whose batting style differed like chalk and cheese.Mark exhibited his great flair for strokemaking while brother Steve was simply grit and concentration personified .Reminiscent of an artist and an architect.Mark Taylor displayed great mastery in galvanising his resources .Credit must also be given to former skipper Alan Border for knitting a bunch of talented individuals into a nucleus of a professional unit.Australia were the moral winners of a series in Pakistan in 1994,which is also noteworthy.They had the edge and played the better cricket in all the 3 tests in the series in Pakistan.
Morally it is Pakistan who should have toppled the Calypsos from their world championship status and been crowned unofficial tset world champion sin 1988.Dubious umpiring decisions robbed them of that title like the negating of a catch at short leg of Qadir and a leg before appeal of Marshall with the Calypsos still 86 runs adrift of the victory target.Players like Brian Lara even admit it .Infact even a negation of a leg before of Viv Richards had a crucial hand on the result in Trinidad in he 2nd test.Man to man Pakistan was stronger than the Australian team of 1995 and may have even given the great Australian teams a run for their money.
The Barbados win set the tone for Australian cricket to establish supremacy for over a decade.However in consistency it did not equal Clive Lloyd's West Indies team or West Indies from 1980-95.Man to man even Pakistan was more balanced or talented.Even Ian Chappell's team of 1974-76 wold have beaten the Australian team of 1995-99.
What Australia posessed in 1995 was professionalism of the highest degree,great organization and unmatched mental tenacity.No doubt great talent in Waugh brothers,Shane Warne ,Ricky Ponting and Glen Mcgrath but still not on par with the teams of Clive Lloyd,Ian Chappell or Imran Khans .
Australia under Taylor went on to beat strong South African teams home and away in 1997-98, Ashes series at home and away ,but lost in India in 1997-98 and could only share a series in West Indies in 1999.
