Decades Tournament - 1990s Rest of the World v 1990s Australia

 

A rain stoppage of 2 hours 10 minutes on the 5th morning of this 1990s Sabina Park Test between Rest of the World and Australia ultimately prevented a positive result. 

Brian Lara won the toss and opted to bat on a very good pitch. Sanath Jayasuriya played a typically swashbuckling innings of 147 as ROW ended day 1 301-3. In contrast Andy Flower compiled a more patient 140 on day 2, which included only 6x4. 

Declaring at tea, 495-5, the Rest of the World then had to watch the Australians progress smoothly to 106-1 at stumps (only 6 wickets fell in 1st 2 days). Mark Taylor went on to a deserved 127 on day 3, which nevertheless ended with 3 late wickets for Jayasuriya which restricted Australia to 342-7. The visitors folded quickly on the 4th morning,  Wasim Akram taking 4-37 in the total of 348. 

14 wickets fell on an eventful penultimate day as Australia closed on 45-3 (with a Mark Taylor duck) in pursuit of a target of 332. The 5th day rain helped neither team but Australia showed typical grit in Mark Waugh's 50 run partnership with nightwatchman Kasprowicz.

Then Healy and Warne saw their team to safety with a stand of 82 for the 7th wicket. The Rest of the World might rue lost opportunities to press for victory but there was some compensation in MOM Jayasuriya's all round performance.

So, with 1 round of games to go, South Africa and England share the lead of the group with 12 points and know that a draw will be enough to see them through to the next round. Rest of the World and Australia both need to win their final games to have a chance of qualification.

The Rest of the World head to Cape Town to face South Africa, while Australia are at home in Brisbane to meet England.

Rest of the World 1990s: ST Jayasuriya, Saeed Anwar, A Flower (wk), BC Lara (c), SR Tendulkar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, CL Cairns, Wasim Akram, A Kumble, Saqlain Mushtaq, Waqar Younis

Australia 1990s: MA Taylor (c), ME Waugh, DS Lehmann, SR Waugh, DR Martyn, IA Healy (wk), SK Warne, DW Fleming, TBA May, CJ McDermott, MS Kasprowicz

Rest of the World 1990s 1st Innings 495-5 (154 Ov)

ST Jayasuriya 147, A Flower 140, SR Tendulkar 55, DW Fleming 2-74

Australia 1990s 1st Innings 348-10 (128.3 Ov)

MA Taylor 127, DS Lehmann 63, DR Martyn 51, Wasim Akram 4-37, ST Jayasuriya 3-61

Rest of the World 1990s 2nd Innings 184-8 (60.4 Ov)

ST Jayasuriya 56, BC Lara 46, CL Cairns 43, SK Warne 3-42, TBA May 2-16, CJ McDermott 2-26

Australia 1990s 2nd Innings 256-6 (103 Ov)

ME Waugh 94, DR Martyn 52, SK Warne 42*, Wasim Akram 3-40

Match drawn

Man of the Match: ST Jayasuriya