Australia End the West Indies Dynasty — Sabina Park 1995

The West Indies had been unbeatable since 1980 thanks to a permanent rotation of four pace bowlers. The 1995 series was widely seen as the last great West Indies team's last stand. Steve Waugh's confrontation with Ambrose in Trinidad — 'don't write cheques your body can't cash' — had set the tone.

Series level 1-1 going into Sabina Park. The first Test (Bridgetown) was a draw; Australia won the second (Trinidad); West Indies won the third (Bridgetown again). Sabina Park, Kingston, was the decider.

The West Indies had not lost a Test series for 15 years — back to 1980 in New Zealand. They had been undefeated through the Greenidge-Haynes-Richards-Lloyd-Marshall-Garner-Holding-Roberts golden decade and into the Ambrose-Walsh-Bishop era. Australia, captained by Mark Taylor, arrived in the Caribbean in March 1995 specifically determined to end it. The first three Tests were level 1-1 going into Sabina Park. The match-defining moment came when Steve Waugh, who had taken five blows to the body from Curtly Ambrose in Trinidad in the second Test (and famously refused to back off), made 200 in the first innings at Kingston. He added 231 with Mark Waugh (126) for the fifth wicket — a then-Australian Test record. Australia 531; West Indies 265 and 213 in reply. Australia won by an innings and 53 runs and lifted the Frank Worrell Trophy for the first time since 1976. The West Indies' 15-year unbeaten run was over.

“We knew if we played to our ability we could end it. The team had been preparing for this for years.”

“Steve Waugh's hundred won that series. He just refused to be intimidated.”

Allan Border had retired in 1994 having never beaten the West Indies; Mark Taylor became the first Australian captain since Greg Chappell to do so. The result triggered a transition: Steve Waugh would soon take over the captaincy and lead Australia to the dominance of the late 1990s and 2000s. The West Indies, meanwhile, slid into the longest decline in cricket history.