Warne puts Australia in sight of victory

Australia 428 and 2 for 76 (Hayden 38*) need 106 more runs to beat West Indies 405 and 204 (Bravo 64, Sarwan 62, Warne 6-80)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

A Test in which both teams had held sway at different stages turned - probably decisively - Australia's way of the fourth day at Adelaide, thanks to an outstanding spell of spin bowling by Shane Warne. Warne took 6 for 80, his 34th five-wicket haul in Tests, and his best returns at Adelaide, as West Indies were bundled out for 204 despite a spirited 64 from Dwayne Bravo, West Indies' find of the series. Needing 182 for victory, Australia survived a few scares to finish the day on 2 for 76, with Matthew Hayden still around on a fortuitous 38.

Warne had offered signs of what might lay in store when he dismissed Wavell Hinds late on the third day, and on the fourth, he stepped it up a notch, bowling through the first two sessions - 29 overs in all - without a break, taking five of the first six wickets to fall in the day. Right through, he had most of the batsmen in plenty of bother, pitching it on the rough and often ripping those legbreaks from well outside leg to well past off. With Brett Lee breathing fire, Glenn McGrath his usual metronomic self, and the umpires being kind to the Australian cause, West Indies crumbled to 7 for 106 before Bravo - hero with the ball in the Australian first innings - showed his allround skills again with another gusty and aggressive display to give their bowlers a reasonable total to bowl to.

Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer started the run-chase confidently, but Corey Collymore set them back with a disciplined McGrathesque bowling display, pitching it around off, moving it away a shade, and patiently waiting for the batsmen to commit the errors. Langer and Ricky Ponting did just that, and it could have been even better for West Indies had Hayden been given out on 27, when an edge off Ramnaresh Sarwan hit the keeper's pad before lobbing to slip. Aleem Dar ruled not out - the third poor decision West Indies copped in the day - and both Hayden and Brad Hodge survived a nervous last 30 minutes with their wickets still intact.

When play started in the morning, West Indian hopes of setting Australia a stiff target depended largely on Brian Lara and Sarwan, who had batted quite magnificently for his 53 not out on the third day. Lara walked in soon enough after Daren Powell was done in by a round-the-legs special from Warne. Fresh from his record-breaking exploits in the first innings, he was confidence personified, getting off the mark first ball with a wristy flick to midwicket, and continued from where he had left off in the first innings.

Displaying consummate skill against Warne's huge legspinners, he either played it with the spin to midwicket or, when Ponting posted a fielder there, against it to cover. Warne's 15 balls to Lara had gone for 14, and the battle was turning into a fascinating one, when one moment of inspired fielding ended the contest: Lara flashed hard at one outside off, the ball flew to the left of slip, and Hayden stuck his left hand out and brought off a stunner. Lara, almost certainly playing his last Test in Australia, left to a rousing ovation from the Adelaide Oval crowd.

The key wicket in the bag, Australia went for the kill, and got some generous help from both umpires. Sarwan was given out to a delivery that was clearly sliding down leg, Dwayne Smith's lbw involved bat, and with Shivnarine Chanderpaul failing again - his six innings in this series fetched him 87 - West Indies were staring down the barrel at 7 for 107.

Bravo and Denesh Ramdin, the batting heroes of Hobart, then decided to launch another revival, adding 54 for the eighth wicket. Ramdin played especially fluently for his 28, stroking a couple of handsome cover-drives off Lee and sweeping the spinners confidently, before he was given out caught off the glove attempting a sweep. That was the signal for Bravo to come into his own.

Struggling for timing and rhythm so far, Ramdin's dismissal almost released the pressure off Bravo, as he started using his feet to the spinners, despite the risk such a strategy involved. MacGill was tonked for five fours in nine balls - including three in succession - as Bravo brought up his half-century in style. With his six-wicket haul in Australia's first innings, Bravo has clearly been the find of this series for West Indies.

With Fidel Edwards offering him fine support - he faced 53 balls for his 9 - Bravo shed his aggressive approach for a more measured one, and the eighth-wicket pair had added 43 before Lee stepped in to end the fun. By the end of the day, Australia had knocked off enough runs from their target to suggest that the final series verdict would read 3-0.

Daren Powell b Warne 2 (3 for 72)
Bowled round the legs by a ripper

Brian Lara c Hayden b Warne 17 (4 for 96)
Stunning one-handed catch off a hard slash

Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw b Lee 62 (5 for 96)
Given out to a swinging yorker which would have comfortably missed leg

Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Hodge b Warne 4 (6 for 106)
Inside edge on to thigh pad, and an easy catch for short leg

Dwayne Smith lbw b Warne 0 (7 for 106)
Inside-edged a slider but given out

Denesh Ramdin c Gilchrist b Warne 28 (8 for 160)
Caught off the glove while attempting a sweep

Dwayne Bravo b Lee 64 (9 for 203)
Missed a hoick to leg

Fidel Edwards c Warne b Lee 9 (all out 204)
Edged to slip

Justin Langer c Dwayne Smith b Collymore 20 (1 for 51)
Edged a square-drive to gully

Ricky Ponting c Sarwan b Collymore 3 (2 for 55)
Full and outside off, attempted a drive and edged to slip