No easing off for Australia as whitewash beckons

These days, Australia break records more often than they break sweat, but the prize for victory in tomorrow's fourth and final Test in Antigua is one of the sweetest on offer. In the 75-year history of West Indian cricket, no side has ever completed a clean sweep in the Caribbean, but all that might be about to change.

West Indies's previous showings in this series hardly suggest they are capable of an upset - Brian Lara's valiant run-chase in Trinidad still came up 118 runs short, and that result was bracketed by two nine-wicket maulings in Guyana and Barbados, even on the flattest wickets imaginable. But Australia, as every team who has spent the last decade clinging to their coat-tails knows, are uncharacteristically vulnerable in the final Test of a rubber.

It is a strange anomaly for a team that is characterised by its ruthless pursuit of victory. England were spared a whitewash at Sydney in January, just as South Africa were in Durban ten months earlier, but these are the only blips in a galumphing run of form, in which Australia have won 15 of their last 17 Tests.

Steve Waugh is keenly aware of his team's supposed dead-rubber curse, and was adamant they would not fall prey to it yet again. "I've just got a feeling it won't happen this time," said Waugh. "I don't know why, it's just a gut feeling. I reckon we'll be full on for this Test match."

Waugh himself will certainly be full on. His personal contribution to the series has been overshadowed by the sheer glut of runs from the rest of Australia's batsmen, but he has been breaking records almost by default. In the first Test, he became the most capped cricketer in Test history; in the third he overhauled Don Bradman's Australian record of 29 Test centuries. And in Antigua, he has the opportunity to become the most successful captain in Test history.

Waugh already has 36 wins to his name, but it speaks volumes for the success of his charges that he has captained Australia in only 48 Tests. That is fewer than Mike Atherton (13 wins in 54) and Stephen Fleming (19 in 51), let alone Allan Border (32 in 93) and the long-time record-holder, Clive Lloyd (36 in 74).

As is becoming customary towards the end of a series, Waugh is already casting half an eye to the future. "There's always been a tendency to write players off when they get to a certain age," he said. "I feel I've still got a few more years in me yet. Graham Gooch played some of his best cricket after 40, so anything's possible. It's in the hands of the selectors. I don't expect any favours from them and I've never asked for any in the past."

But the rampant success of his deputy, Ricky Ponting, is a greater danger to Waugh's tenure than any opposition team. Ponting has already laced 523 runs in the series, including three centuries, and his command performance at the World Cup suggests that the succession may come sooner rather than later. For the time being, however, Ponting is laid low with a viral infection, although he will surely come through a late fitness test to take his place in the side.

The other batting star of the series, Lara, is already suffering from a well-documented - but as yet unknown - illness. But he has confirmed his participation, and will emerge once again from his sick-bed to lead his young team. "The experienced players have been tried and tested and a lot of them have come up short," said Lara in defence of West Indies's youth policy. "I don't see any need to go back there."

Lara was understandably keen to play down any thoughts of victory, regardless of the impending whitewash. "These guys are on the verge of breaking through and making a name for themselves," he said. "I'm quite happy with the way we're performing up to a certain level. We're playing against the best team in the world and I just want the standard to keep at that level."

Lara, 34 last week, is the elder statesman of the side, but he was joined by the 33-year-old wicketkeeper, Ridley Jacobs. Jacobs missed the last two Tests with a groin muscle injury, but made a comeback on his home ground, replacing Carlton Baugh. Tino Best's Test debut lasted one match. The selectors have dumped him from the 12-man squad announced on the eve of the Test.

Australia's only concern is whether - and how - to recall the wrist-spinner, Brad Hogg. Australia played four seamers on the lifeless Barbados pitch, but it was Stuart MacGill who was their most effective bowler, picking up nine wickets with his legspin. If Hogg is to be recalled, it will almost certainly be at the expense of Andy Bichel, who scored a Test-best 71 in the same match.

The state of the Caribbean wickets has been a constant issue for the Australians." To take 60 wickets on those pitches has been a tremendous effort," said Waugh, "and probably a bit undervalued and underestimated. But every ball we kept going forward and we kept believing."

Nevertheless, with just three days' rest between matches, the sheer effort required to prise a victory at Bridgetown may yet undermine Australia's best-laid plans. Waugh, however, was unequivocal. "We've raised the bar to another notch, and now we know what we can do and what we should do. I don't think we'll let ourselves down in this last Test match."

Teams
Australia (likely) 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Darren Lehmann, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 7 Andy Bichel or Brad Hogg, 8 Brett Lee, 9 Jason Gillespie, 10 Stuart MacGill, 11 Glenn McGrath.

West Indies 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Devon Smith, 3 Daren Ganga, 4 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 5 Brian Lara (capt), 6 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 7 Ridley Jacobs (wk), 8 Omari Banks, 9 Vasbert Drakes, 10 Mervyn Dillon, 11 Jermaine Lawson, 12 Marlon Samuels

Umpires David Shepherd (Eng), Srinivas Venkataraghavan (Ind)