Ignited and inspired by captain Brian Lara’s sparkling 20th Test century, the Queen’s Park Oval had been reverberating with pulsating calypso music, reminiscent of Jouvert morning with performing acts from the Prince of Port of Spain and his deputy, Ramnaresh Sarwan.

But the party lasted just two hours as once the West Indies went to lunch in the encouraging position of 210 for three with Lara, already making his own song and dance by celebrating his first century before his compatriots, the tempo changed dramatically.

Australia, awakened by the West Indies’ dream of scoring an overall 407 runs for victory on a wearing last day pitch after resuming from an overnight 107 for three, came storming back like true champions by wrecking the Windies’ middle and lower order for a final total of 288 on the stroke of tea.

The victory, following on the nine-wicket triumph in the Guyana first Test, enabled Australia to retain the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy as with two Tests remaining in Barbados and Antigua, Steve Waugh’s all-conquering outfit now hold an unsurpassable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

Andy Bichel, the forgotten seam bowler in the Australian arsenal, produced an admirable three-wicket burst, which precipitated the West Indies’ dreaded debacle.

Bichel broke the flourishing Lara-Sarwan alliance in the third over after lunch when he induced the Guyanese into the type of indiscretion, which had brought about his downfall here two years ago to South Africa’s Jacques Kallis.

After Sarwan succumbed to silly shot-selection, cutting short his supportive knock of 34 at a critical stage, the floodgates were opened and Australia admirably entered for the final assault with the die cast when Lara was dismissed for a brilliant 122.

It was Lara’s eighth Test century against Australia and in the process, he surpassed Sir Garry Sobers’ tally of 4 075 as the highest run-scorer in Test matches in the Caribbean.

After Sarwan’s meek surrender of his wicket, pulling a short ball down the throat of Darren Lehmann at mid-on, the other precocious young batsmen in the new-look Windies side, also casually gifted their wickets with careless shots.

The West Indies, who started the day on 107 for three, went to lunch requiring a further 197 runs to reach their distant victory target, following the morning Laramania when 103 runs were added without losing a wicket.

Lara, resuming from 52 overnight, was greeted by Brad Hogg, who had dismissed him twice in his last two innings but he quickly dismissed the threat of the left-arm googly bowler, climaxing his domination with a lofted six into the Jeffrey Stollmeyer Stand at long-on.

At the other end, he also caressed fast bowler Jason Gillespie for a couple of boundaries even though he took a painful blow on the shoulder from a lifting delivery.

He also elegantly drove leg-spinner Stuart MacGill through the covers to move into the 90s for the second time in the match following his first innings 91.

Aussie captain, recognising the pressure of a first Lara century before his countrymen, shrewdly brought on his fastest bowler Brett Lee from the northern end to have a go at the left-handed world double record holder.

A battle royal then developed between the two as Lee gave Lara a torrid time with some lethal 90-mile-per-hour thunderbolts.

When he was on 94, Lara was fully tested by Lee’s hostile fast bowling, as he hurriedly ducked out of the way of two lethal bouncers and took another lifting delivery on the shoulder.

Lara, however, responded with two pulled shots off Lee that brought him two runs on each occasion to forward square-leg and then neatly turned him to long leg for a single to move to 99.

He then reached the elusive first century after 10 Tests and 20 innings before his compatriots in 224 minutes off 164 balls, by hitting MacGill through wide long on for his 12th four.

Australia had just one clear chance to take a wicket before lunch when Hayden dropped Sarwan on 17, at first slip off MacGill.

However, once play restarted after the interval, Bichel turned the match on its head when he removed Sarwan, Marlon Samuels and debutant David Bernard in the space of 21 balls while conceding just six runs.

Samuels was somewhat unfortunate to be adjudged leg-before-wicket for one to a ball angling down leg-side while the resulting edge from Bernard’s loose drive, was brilliantly taken by Hayden, driving low to his right, at first slip.

MacGill then ended the West Indies’ last hopes of survival by having Lara caught at first slip by Hayden over the head as he shaped to guide a sharply spinning leg-break which pitched into the rough outside the off-stump.

Overall, Lara batted for five hours and his knock was studded with 13 fours and a six off 201 balls.

Hogg then accounted for wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh with the first ball of a new spell after replacing Bichel.

Baugh could not resist the temptation of seeing a delivery floated up to him and committed the cardinal sin of playing across the line and spooning a catch to Justin Langer at cover point.

Fast bowlers Vasbert Drakes and Mervyn Dillon were just starting to make merry against Hogg and MacGill with a couple of meaty tail-end shots when Waugh summoned Lee and Gillespie and armed his two paceman with the second new ball.

Dillon had pleasantly driven Hogg through long off for one of his two fours in a knock of 13 when he sliced the pacy Lee to gully where Bichel held a low, diving catch.

Last man Pedro Collins was not spared Lee’s wrath as a fast bouncer crashed into his helmet.

He hung around for 22 minutes as Drakes showed his worth with bat in making 26 not out, before Gillespie won a lbw verdict from umpire Asoka de Silva to remove Collins and give Australia their eighth victory in consecutive Tests against the West Indies, dating back to the Antigua victory in 1999.

Gillespie (3-36) and Bichel (3-21) were Australia’s most successful bowlers but vice-captain Ricky Ponting was named man-of-the-match for his career-best double century in Australia’s huge first innings total of 576 for four declared.

AUSTRALIA 1st innings 576-4 declared

West Indies 1st innings 408

Australia 2nd innings 238-3 declared

West Indies 2nd innings (o/n 107-3)

W.Hinds b MacGill 35

D.Smith lbw b Gillespie 0

D.Ganga c Hayden b Gillespie 1

B.Lara c Hayden b MacGill 122

R.Sarwan c Lehmann b Bichel 34

M.Samuels lbw b Lee 1

D.Bernard c Hayden b Bichel 4

C .Baugh c Langer b Hogg 1

V.Drakes not out 26

M.Dillon c Bichel b Lee 13

P.Collins lbw b Gillespie 5

Extras: (b-25, lb-7, nb-10, w-3) 45

Total: (all out, 89.2 overs) 288

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-12, 3-107, 4-213, 5-222, 6-228, 7-238, 8-238, 9-270.

Bowling: Lee 19-4-68-1 (nb-6, w-1), Gillespie 17.2-4-36-3, Bichel 13-3-21-3 (nb-2), Lehmann 7-0-20-0, MacGill 20-6-53-2 (nb-1, w-2), Hogg 13-1-58-1.

Result: Australia won by 118 runs to lead series 2-0.