Record-equalling Jacobs stands tall again

There's no escaping the fact that this has been a miserable tour on the field for this West Indian touring team. But at least one player can clearly hold his head high.

Ridley Jacobs' form has been a beacon of light in a gloomy summer. And today, in the Fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne, his play rose to great heights again; a world record equalling seven catches behind the stumps in Australia's first innings followed by a determined 42 with the bat that played a major role in helping his team narrowly avert the ignominy of following on.

"I had no idea I'd equalled the record," confessed Jacobs at the end of another long and trying day.

"I'm in good company," he said of the honour of joining Wasim Bari (of Pakistan), Bob Taylor (England) and Ian Smith (New Zealand) as the only men in Test history to effect seven dismissals in the course of a single Test innings.

"And now I know that (I am in the same bracket as them), I feel happy."

"My goal is to always go out and give one hundred per cent. I don't go out thinking I'll take five, six or seven catches. I am just happy with whatever I get," he said of his general approach to his responsibilities as his side's wicketkeeper.

Of his batting, Jacobs revealed that he has adopted a fairly simple philosophy on this visit to Australia.

"Basically, I've looked just to play my natural innings ... (the main feature of) which is to be positive. If a bad ball comes along, I try to put it away."

"The Australians are good bowlers so you simply have to take advantage if they bowl a bad ball," he added.

The thirty-three year old has already claimed eighteen catches in this series for his team and sits in a respectable fourth place, behind only the injured Shivnarine Chanderpaul, newcomer Marlon Samuels and Brian Lara, in the team's batting averages. How dearly the West Indians could draw on a few more players of similarly determined temperament.