St John's, May 15: Steve Waugh and Brian Lara face contrasting futures after West Indies' extraordinary victory in the fourth test over Australia. In terms of the series, Tuesday's historic three-wicket win over the world champions provided the hosts with the consolation of avoiding an unprecedented home whitewash, and Lara's position as captain now appears much more secure than Waugh's.

Waugh's tactics came in for heavy criticism after the hosts made 418 to win the match, the highest victorious fourth-innings total in test history. The 37-year-old, who passed former Australian captain Allan Border's record of 156 test appearances during the series, defended his decision to bring on leg spinner Stuart MacGill with only a handful of runs needed.

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"You've got to back your gut feeling," he said. "I thought Stuart would take care of the rest, it was a turning track and tail enders find it (leg spin) difficult to play against."

The Australian players were also criticised back home for their behaviour during an ill-tempered match, particularly fast bowler Glenn McGrath's heated altercation with West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan.


"Regardless of the result, the Australians have done nothing to enhance their reputations as sportsmen," Sydney Morning Herald cricket writer Peter Roebuck said. "Cricket searched for a champion team and found only an unscrupulous aggressor."



Waugh admitted his team had lost their cool.


"It wasn't pretty, we would like these things not to happen," he said. "We got ruffled yesterday and lost our composure."

The players' lack of discipline did not go unnoticed by Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland.


"It's all very well playing the game in the right spirit when things are going your way," Sutherland said. "But when things aren't, that's when the real test is on. If you can't carry yourself in the true spirit of the game at those times, perhaps you need to have a good look at yourself."

Bureau Report