When Australia and the West Indies met in the fourth and final Test at Sabina Park in April 1995, the series was locked at 1-1. Led by opening batter Mark Taylor, the Aussies won by an innings and 53 runs, ending a remarkable 15-year unbeaten run by the Windies who were captained by Richie Richardson 30 years ago.

They go into this weekend’s third and final Test against the hosts at Sabina 2-0 up, following convincing wins in Barbados and Grenada.

A lot has changed since that historic victory 30 years ago. Australia established their own dynasty while the West Indies has seen their Test fortunes fall precipitously.

Sabina Park transformed from a modest Test venue to a modern facility with multiple stands and corporate boxes, for the 2007 World Cup. In recent years, it has faced physical challenges and only hosted a handful of Test matches.

The latest West Indies-Australia match is Sabina Park’s first day-night Test.

Here is a then and now look from 30 years ago:

The journalists

Tony Cozier, the doyen of Caribbean journalists, covered over 100 Test matches. From Barbados, he was the voice and pen of West Indian cricket for more than 50 years, travelling the world to document the team’s glory years during the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. He died in 2016 at age 75.

Tony Becca also covered more than 100 Test matches for the Daily News and the Jamaica Gleaner. Born in St Thomas, eastern Jamaica, he was another of the Caribbean journalists who had a front row seat as the West Indies dominated their opponents. Becca died in 2019 at age 78.

Australian dominance

With Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting at the helm, Australia set and equalled a record of 15 consecutive Test victories, between October 1999 and February 2001; and between January 2006 and January 2008.

Steve Waugh, came of age as a Test batsman in the 1995 series against the West Indies. He scored 429 runs (average 107.25) including 200 at Sabina Park, which set up his team’s innings and 53 runs win. Waugh succeeded Mark Taylor as captain, scoring 10,927 runs in 168 Tests at an average of 51.06.

Brian Lara made his Test debut five years earlier against Pakistan. He announced himself as a phenomenon in 1993 against Australia, scoring 277 against them in Sydney. The Trinidadian left-hander scored most runs for the West Indies (308) in the 1995 series, including returns of 65 and 0 at Sabina Park. Lara had three stints as West Indies captain, scoring 11,953 runs in 131 Tests at an average of 52.88. His 400 against England in 2004 remains the world record in Tests.

Courtney Walsh took 20 wickets, the most by a West Indies bowler in the 1995 series against Australia. He made his debut against the Aussies in 1984 and went on to play 132 matches for the regional team, finishing with 519 wickets, a record for West Indian bowlers.

Glenn McGrath came to the West Indies in 1995 a relative unknown, he left here as a rising star. The New South Wales pacer captured 17 wickets, including a man-of-the-match, eight-wicket haul in his team’s 10-wicket, first Test victory at Kensington Oval in Barbados. He ended his career against England in 2007 with 563 wickets, the second-highest by an Australian to leg-spinner Shane Warne who captured 708 wickets.

Charlie Josephs, the jocular curator at Sabina Park, has been at the site since the mid-1950s. As head groundsman, he prepared some of the most fast-bowler-friendly pitches in world cricket during the 1980s as the West Indies and their fast-bowlers reigned. He was also in charge in 1998 when the match between England and the West Indies was called off after only 62 deliveries due to an unsafe pitch, with the visitors batting. Josephs retired as chief groundsman in 2016.