BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 23: Shane Warne of the Channel Nine commentary team watches on as he waits to go to air before play day one of the First Test Match of the 2017/18 Ashes Series between Australia and England at The Gabba on November 23, 2017 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
One of cricket's ultimate rivalries over the years, Australia and the West Indies have squared off in some absolutely thrilling Test matches.
The rivalry has died off in recent years with the demolition of West Indies cricket, however, it's a rivalry which once saw the best players in the world regularly squaring off.
That said, from a tied test, to regular thrillers, there have been some incredible Tests between these two sides over the years.
Here are the top five.
West Indies – 449/9d & 148/10
Australia – 406/9d & 192/7
Player of the Match – Ryan Harris, 2/83 & 3/31, 68* (123) & 4* (4).
Australia won by 3 wickets.
With under two days remaining in this test match, Australia were behind by 200 runs and seven wickets down. A great piece of captaincy from Michael Clarke and a tail-end bonanza sealed an unlikely win for the Aussies.
The West Indies decimated Australia in their first innings with Shivnarine Chanderpaul scoring 103* (248). He scored less than half of his runs on boundaries picking up lots of singles and twos.
Every West Indian batter scored in the double figures and were so good at the crease Australia ended up using eight bowlers. The Aussies with the best bowling figures were Ryan Harris with 2/83 and David Warner with 2/45. Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey also bowled some overs.
Australia's innings with the bat saw the tail wag and Clarke boldly declare despite being 43 runs behind. The top order has an average start with Ricky Ponting runout on just four runs. At 7/250 Australia look in dire trouble before an incredible tail wag.
Ben Hilfenhaus made a respectable 24 (29), with Ryan Harris knocking 68* (123) and Nathan Lyon 40* (89) with 13 boundaries between the pair. With time not on his side, Michael Clarke went aggressive, declaring whilst still behind in the game.
The West Indies then capitulated to Ben Hilfenhaus who smashed through the top order taking three wickets, leaving the West Indies struggling at 3/4. The middle and lower order tried their best to regroup but failed to do so, all out for a measly 148 putting victory now in Australia's sights.
Australia were cruising to victory with Shane Watson scoring a half-century with Australia as 3/131 victory looked in the bag. A small collapse provided the fairy-tale ending for the two Aussie standouts Hilfenhaus and Harris who brought home the victory.
Australia – 240/10 & 417/10
West Indies – 240/10 & 418/7
Player of the Match – Shivnarine Chanderpaul
West Indies won by 3 wickets.
Although Australia won the series, this match saw a world-record 418-run chase to win the Test.
Jermaine Lawson was brilliant for the West Indies and kept Australia's total down to just 240 runs on the back of taking 7/78. Australia edged four through to the keeper with Justin Langer and Steve Waugh the standout batters. Langer scored 42 (74), with Waugh 41 (77).
The West Indies then matched Australia's total with the scores equal after an innings a piece. The Aussies shared around the wickets with Glenn McGrath taking 2/44, Andy Bichel taking 3/53, Brett Lee taking 3/72 and Stuart MacGill claiming 1/7.
Brian Lara was the only West Indies batter to surpass 50, scoring 68 (94) before he fell to a Justin Langer catch off Andy Bichel's bowling.
Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden delivered what is now the number 42 in the all-time opening partnerships in test matches. The opening pair punished the West Indies scoring 242 runs as a pair before Justin Langer fell on 111 (161). Hayden was eventually run out on 177 (260). The duo combined for a total of 43 boundaries.
The final wicket was claimed by Vasbert Drakes who was smashed for nearly five runs an over leaving a mammoth total to chase, needing a world record to win.
Australia then took some incredible wickets with an in swinging yorker from Glenn McGrath trapping Daren Ganga on 8 (40), with Stuart MacGill bowling Brian Lara on 60 (119) straight through the gate.
Then Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored 35 boundaries with both batters reaching a century and putting the West Indies in a great position to pull off a shock comeback victory.
Brett Lee then made the match swing again dismissing Sarwan and then Ridley Jacobs first ball giving some momentum back to Australia. However, it proved inconsequential with the West Indies winning a staggering test match by three wickets wrapping up an incredible comeback.
Australia – 128/10 & 105/10
West Indies – 136/10 & 98/1
Player of the Match – Curtly Ambrose
West Indies won by 9 wickets.
This game in 1995 was a fierce battle between the two world's best teams and featured the famous incident between Ambrose and Waugh.
Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose naturally tore through the openers and had Australia on the ropes early at 3 for 14. Ambrose continued to fire bouncers in at Steve Waugh who ended up in a scuffle between the two resulting in Richie Richardson needing to drag his fast bowler away.
Steve Waugh produced the only unbeaten innings scoring 63 of Australia's 128 runs with four Australians getting ducks. Of the 47 overs bowled, Ambrose and Walsh bowled 33, taking eight wickets between them. Ambrose best with 5/45.
Australia responded well on the green bowler's paradise at Queen's Park Oval. Glenn McGrath bowled phenomenally taking 6/47 with 11 maidens from his 21.5 overs. Richardson, Lara, Arthurton, Murray, Ambrose and Walsh falling to McGrath with all ten wickets being out caught.
Australia enjoyed a decent start at 3/85, captain Mark Taylor scoring the most with 30 (62). That was before one of the worst-ever batting collapses which saw Australia crumble for just 20 more runs, all out for 105, Ambrose claiming 4/20 clean bowling Ian Healy and Brendon Julian for ducks.
The West Indies finished with authority only losing Stuart Williams on 42 (56), winning convincingly by nine wickets. This test was a classic game with the West Indies stamping their authority on their main rivals at that time.
West Indies – 453/10 & 284/10
Australia – 505/10 & 232/10
Match tied.
This Test match from 1960 is a rare instance of which the scores end level. This resulted in a dramatic draw, and a type of draw very rarely seen in cricket history.
The West Indies started the game well, with the great Garry Sobers knocking 132, with Frank Worrell, Joe Soloman, Gerry Alexander and Wes Hall all surpassing 50. With Soloman departing for a rare hit wicket. Alan Davidson was the pick of the bowlers taking 5/135.
Australia then responded in style with the openers combining for an 84-run stand, Colin McDonald out for 57 and Bob Simpson out for 92. Norm O'Neill spent over 400 minutes at the crease and piled on the runs for the Aussies, notching a whopping 181 runs. Australia took a 52-run lead.
Alan Davidson continued this demolition again, taking 6/87 with 11 wickets for the match. This kept the win in sight with the West Indies setting a target of 233 runs, less than half of the runs Australia scored in the first innings. Rohan Kanhai scored 54 and Frank Worrell scored 65 before both got out edging to the keeper.
Wes Hall and three run outs saw Australia finish just one run short of the required total. Ian Meckiff the third victim of a run out and leaving Australia agonisingly close to a victory.
Australia were smashed early by Wes Hall who picked up five wickets and put Australia at 6/92. Then Richie Benaud and Alan Davidson looked to put Australia in a position to win, scoring 52 and 80 with Australia at 6/226.
What proceeded was one of the most dramatic and rare ends to a test match in cricket history. The Aussies then lost 4/6 with Benaud edging his way out and the bottom order copping two more run outs to end the test a draw.
West Indies – 252/10 & 146/10
Australia – 213/10 & 184/10
Player of the Match – Curtly Ambrose, 6/74 & 4/46
West Indies won by 1 run.
The 1993 fourth test match between West Indies and Australia was an absolute classic in Adelaide.
The Adelaide Oval saw Justin Langer make his test match debut and Curtly Ambrose at the height of his career. This test match classic saw an all-round bowling masterclass from both sides resulting in four of the five days of the match being played.
This game saw a battle of some of cricket's greatest stars, and stars in the making. Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, the Waugh brothers, Shane Warne, Justin Langer and the list could go on.
The West Indies batted first with a good opening stand between Desmond Haynes and Phil Simmons, scoring 45 (95) and 46 (90), before falling in quick succession.
The only player to pass a half-century was the great Brian Lara who fell on 52 (76) to a low diving grab from Ian Healy who took three catches and one stumping in the first Innings. Merv Hughes was the pick of the Aussie bowlers, claiming a five-wicket haul wrapping up most of the tail end.
Australia responded poorly and trailed by 39 after batting. Merv Hughes once again the standout, delivering 43 (66) runs. However, the great Curtly Ambrose ripped through Australia claming the wickets of Mark and Steve Waugh, Allan Border, Ian Healy, Tim May and Craig McDermott, finishing with 6/74.
Australia responded emphatically and placed themselves in a perfect position to win the game, bowling the West Indies for 146. Tim May produced an all-time great spin bowling spell claiming 5/9.
Captain Richie Richardson was the only impresser with a 72 (106) knock before falling victim to Shane Warne who took a ‘double wicket' of sorts. Ian Healy catching the outside edge then proceeding to stump Richardson for good measure.
What then followed gave the West Indies the lowest possible margin of victory. Aussies batters dropped like flies despite the efforts of debutant Justin Langer.
Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh terrorised the Aussies, taking 4/46 and 3/44 respectively with Australia being 7/74 at one stage.
The final partnership would've been one of the most clutch in cricket history, with Tim May knocking 42* (99) forming a 40-run partnership with Craig McDermott. Aussie hearts were crushed after a Walsh bouncer sealed an incredible win and one of the greatest in test history.