Courtney Walsh ... boundless energy, unerring accuracy.- file

KENSINGTON OVAL is called the Lion's Den, and for many visiting batsman facing generations of West Indies fast bowlers over the years, it has been ferocious and hot, scorching hot at the Oval.

The West Indies pacers, led by Michael Holding, who destroyed Geoff Boycott in both innings in an unforgettable display of hospitality, for example, cut down England for 122 and 224 in 1981 and powered the home team to victory by 298 runs. In 1984, paced by Holding, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner , they routed the batsmen of Australia for 97 in their second innings to lead the West Indies to victory by 10 wickets. In 1985, led by Garner, Marshall, Holding and Winston Davis, they wrecked New Zealand for 94 in the first innings of the Test match on the way to leading their team to a 10-wickets victory, and in 1986, Garner, Marshall, Holding and Patrick Patterson dismissed the batsmen of England for 189 and 190 to hand the West Indies victory by an innings and 30 runs.

And then there was 1990 when Curtly Ambrose blew away England after tea with figures of five for 18 to give the West Indies a surprise victory. In 1992 when with South Africa, on 122 for two, lost their last eight wickets on the final morning for the addition of 26 with Ambrose and Courtney Walsh being the destroyers; and 1997 when with India going to bat in the last innings of the match and needing 120 to win, were nailed by Ambrose, Ian Bishop and Franklyn Rose for 81.

The great days

'Souvenirs - Reservoir of Memories' is on sale at all Sangster's Book Stores.c Tony Becca, 2007

One of the great days of West Indies fast bowling by a West Indian fast bowler - a day as memorable as those of 1981, 1990, 1992 and 1997, was on the afternoon of March 28 and the day of March 29 when, with the Test series level at one-one, with Australia riding on the backs of captain Steve Waugh 199, and Ricky Ponting 104, posting 490, with the West Indies, thanks to Sherwin Campbell 105, dismissed for 329 and trailing by 161, Walsh stepped up in the Lion's Den and in one of the great performances of his career, probably the greatest, picked up five wickets for 39 runs off 17.1 overs as he rocked Australia, knocked them flat, and then left captain Brian Lara to put on the finishing touch to another grand batting display.

With less than one hour's play to go to the close of the third day in one of the most exciting Test matches of all time, a Test match in which Australia, sailing along nicely at 425 for four with Steve Waugh and Ponting going great guns, lost their last six wickets in the first innings for 65 runs. Walsh bowling from the southern end, sent Matthew Elliott back to the pavilion in the first over of the innings for zero at zero for one - the batsmen wrapped up the innings by picking up the last three wickets with Warne falling leg before wicket for 32 at 132 for eight. MacGill caught by Campbell at square-leg for one at 137 for nine, and Ponting going caught by Adrian Griffith for 22.

Thanks to Walsh's boundless energy, his unerring accuracy, and his ability to get the ball to cut back from wide of the crease into the right-handed batsmen, the West Indies were handed a chance of victory - a chance which Lara grabbed with both hands.

West Indies won the match by one wicket. Australia 490 and 146, West Indies 329 and 311 for 9. The series ended in a 2-2 draw.