BRISBANE. May 4: Prime Minister Paul Keating, was one of the first faps to send congratulations to Australia's cricket team after it completed its historic 2-1 series win over the West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica, reports AP.

Australian beat the West Indies by an innings and 53 runs tn the fourth test at Sabina Park on Wednesday, inflicting ihe first series defeat on the Caribbean cavaliers for 15 years.

Keating sent complimentary .messages to Australian captain Mark Taylor and man-of-thc-series Steve Waugh, who scored 429 runs at an average of 107.25. liescribing the viclory as "the ultimate in contemporary cricket."

All Australians — particularly those from Bankstown — are very proud of you today." said Keating, who like Waugh grew up in the blue-collar area Bankstown In Sydney's southwest and represents the area as the federal member for Blaxland.

Tlie New South Wales state premier Bob Carr said he hoped to stage a ticker tape parade through the streets of Sydney for the Australians, while Victoria' state premier.

Jell Kennett, said he planned a civic reception for the players in Melbourne.

"Tlie concept of a state re-

PAUL KEATING ception where literally hundreds. thousands, of young people, cricketers, are invited .... would be the finest tribute we could pay." said Kennett.

Taylor took possession of the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy on behalf of Australia for the first time since Greg Chappell's team defeated the world champion West Indies 5-1 two decades ago.

His wife Judy said her husband would not recognize his

infant son Jack when he returned home.

"Jack was just a tiny little baby when Mark left, now I’ve got another tubby Taylor on my hands." Judy Taylor said after joining hundreds of thousands of Australians who stayed up through the night to watch live television coverage of the fourth test. '

“I just know how desperate Mark was to win this tour," she said. "He wanted to come back with the trophy."

Alan Crompton, the chairman of the Australian Cricket Board, said all Australians would* be proud of Taylor and his team.

"We have been close many limes before, but we finally clinched It today ”, he said. We are just so proud and I am sure all of Australia is proud of Mark Taylor and the team.”

The Australian team, which has , been overseas since March, will spend two weeks in Barbados before some players return home.

Three players — Mark Waugh. Paul Reiffel and Cart Rackemann —' will head to England to play county and league cricket while others plan extended holidays tn Europe or North America.