Aussies complete clean sweep

By Malcolm Conn

SYDNEY, JAN. 6. Steve Waugh has already begun his pyschological war against India by boldly declaring that his side is good enough to be the first Australian team to win a series there in more than 30 years.

No sooner had Australia won the fifth Test against the West Indies in Sydney by six wickets Saturday to complete a 5-0 clean sweep and record its 15th consecutive victory than Waugh's focus turned squarely to the three-Test Indian tour beginning next month.

``I believe we're good enough and I also think it's fair enough for people to judge us on what happens during the next tour,'' Waugh said after an unbeaten 86 from Man of the Match Michael Slater easily guided Australia to its victory target of 173.

``I'm quite willing to put that on the line. If we don't perform over there then possibly we're not as good as these other sides that have won in the other eras. If we're not good enough, we're not good enough. I've been thinking about India for a couple of months. That was the long-term goal at the start of the season. Obviously the West Indies was an important series and we had to play well but looking down the track I knew the Indian series was going to be the big one and the one that we'll be judged on.''

Warne recalled for one-dayers

Waugh said this despite a one-day series beginning later in the week against the West Indies and Zimbabwe with Australia having won just two of its past eight one-day internationals. However the good news on that front is that Shane Warne has been recalled to the Australian one-day side after an injury to his spinning finger, at the expense of Stuart MacGill.

Lee has also been recalled to the one-day team after concerns about his back forced him out of the last three Tests but Gillespie has been forced to withdraw with a minor hamstring injury. ``We haven't had our number one attack on the park much because of injury so it would be nice to do that but we've also got some good spinners too,'' said Waugh.

``I'm not too worried about whether the wickets are going to turn or whatever they do. We've got to go out there, play positive cricket, and believe we can win on any surface in any conditions. Whether it's hot, humid, sticky and uncomfortable we've got to go out there and block it out of our minds.

This is a great challenge. We haven't won there for a long time. I know we've got the side to win there, it's just a matter of attitude and just enjoying the culture and people and surroundings over there.''

``That's going to crucial to how we perform over there. Whether we enjoy ourselves and open up to the things around us. It's obviously different to Australia but I believe we're going to do that. We've got a pretty mature side. There are a lot of experienced players and a lot of level heads in the side. If we get beaten India are going to have to play real good cricket.'' Courtney Walsh failed to take a wicket on Saturday but left the Sydney Cricket Ground to a standing ovation. He claimed just 11 wickets for the series but was easily the West Indies' best bowler and now has 494. Walsh declared he wanted to finish in the West Indies after the coming home series against South Africa, giving the 38-year-old record-holder the chance to be the first with 500 wickets.

Australia resumed at 2 for 44 on Saturday morning, still needing a further 129 for victory, and had a scare when Mark Waugh was caught in the gully for three not long after the resumption, leaving Australia 3-46.

However, by the time brother Steve was leg before wicket for 38 Australia needed just 25 and the result was a formality.

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