AUSTRALIA v WEST INDIES

At Melbourne, January 9 (day/night). No result. Toss: West Indies. Though West Indies' score was by no means impressive, they could not have been written off when rain intervened. There was life and abundant movement in the pitch, and Australia would have had to bat well if their reply had been reduced to a slog over a curtailed quota of overs. The batsmen took several body blows, and West Indies owed much to Haynes in reaching 97 with only one wicket down. But once Lara was run out the innings went into a downward spiral, with the momentum dropping as wickets fell.

Attendance: 64,558.