Aussies Canter To 50-Run Win Over WI
A convincing 50-run win at the Gabba on Saturday night has seen Australia clinch the Commonwealth Bank series against the West Indies. Set an imposing target of 325 after Ricky Ponting's sparkling century in the
A convincing 50-run win at the Gabba on Saturday night has seen Australia clinch the Commonwealth Bank series against the West Indies. Set an imposing target of 325 after Ricky Ponting's sparkling century in the first innings, the tourists never looked like reaching the record score at the ground.
However to their credit, they did manage to bat through the whole 50 overs, reaching what would be considered a competitive first innings total of 274/8. Twenty20 specialist Kieron Pollard top-scored for the Windies with a quick-fire 62 off 55 and along with Dwayne Smith (58 not out) combined for a 102-run partnership.
Pollard provided some fight for the Windies, hitting the first six of the innings in the 35th over when he dumped Harris' slower ball over mid-wicket. Voges gave Smith a lifeline when he dropped a sitter at mid-off two overs later and the middle-order batsman made the Australians pay by taking eight from the over.With nine overs remaining in the match, Pollard produced some more fireworks, dispatching Harris for two sixes, firstly over mid-on and then straight down the ground, bringing up the 200 in the process.
Pollard — one of two bright stars for the West Indies — fully deserved his first one-day international half-century, bringing it up in the 43rd over off just 43 balls. The 102-run partnership between Pollard and Smith finally came to an end when Johnson snared his first wicket of the innings after Pollard picked out Hussey down the ground perfectly.
Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris both took two wickets for Australia, with Bollinger dismissing Windies skipper Chris Gayle yet again. Top-scoring with 106 from 112 balls, Ponting's 29th one-day century was his first in Brisbane and helped Australia onto the highest ODI score ever seen at the ground.
Ponting's clinical innings contained just six boundaries and two sixes but was characterised by two crucial partnerships. Firstly a 52-run second-wicket stand with fellow Tasmanian Tim Paine (24) followed by a 131-run combination with Cameron White who made an impressive 63 from 78 balls.
Mike Hussey (23 off 17) and James Hopes (42 off 21) helped the hosts reach their mammoth total with some late power hitting as the West Indies pace attack watched in horror as the scoreboard ticked over 300. Taking a nasty hit to the back of the head, White was cleared of any serious damage after going for an x-ray at a local Brisbane hospital.
Beginning their mammoth run-chase, Gayle needed to stand firm and he did by blasting six boundaries in the first five overs. Refusing to take up anything less than an attacking stance, the big left hander moved the tourists onto 0-42 after five overs but that was as testing as things got.
Losing two wickets without score, Travis Dowlin (eight) was the first to go edging Ryan Harris through to Paine behind the stumps. The following over, Gayle was the next to depart when he edged Bollinger's cutter into the grateful gloves of Paine. Gayle's brazen 34 from 21 — his highest score for the one-day series so far, continued his woes as Bollinger's bunny and heaped the pressure on the Windies top-order.
Brief scores: Australia 324/7 (Ponting 106, White 63; DR Smith 2/59) beat West Indies 274/8 (Deonarine 53, Pollard 62, Smith 58 not out; Bollinger 2/44, Harris 2/64) by 50 runs.
However to their credit, they did manage to bat through the whole 50 overs, reaching what would be considered a competitive first innings total of 274/8. Twenty20 specialist Kieron Pollard top-scored for the Windies with a quick-fire 62 off 55 and along with Dwayne Smith (58 not out) combined for a 102-run partnership.
Pollard provided some fight for the Windies, hitting the first six of the innings in the 35th over when he dumped Harris' slower ball over mid-wicket. Voges gave Smith a lifeline when he dropped a sitter at mid-off two overs later and the middle-order batsman made the Australians pay by taking eight from the over.With nine overs remaining in the match, Pollard produced some more fireworks, dispatching Harris for two sixes, firstly over mid-on and then straight down the ground, bringing up the 200 in the process.
Pollard — one of two bright stars for the West Indies — fully deserved his first one-day international half-century, bringing it up in the 43rd over off just 43 balls. The 102-run partnership between Pollard and Smith finally came to an end when Johnson snared his first wicket of the innings after Pollard picked out Hussey down the ground perfectly.
Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris both took two wickets for Australia, with Bollinger dismissing Windies skipper Chris Gayle yet again. Top-scoring with 106 from 112 balls, Ponting's 29th one-day century was his first in Brisbane and helped Australia onto the highest ODI score ever seen at the ground.
Ponting's clinical innings contained just six boundaries and two sixes but was characterised by two crucial partnerships. Firstly a 52-run second-wicket stand with fellow Tasmanian Tim Paine (24) followed by a 131-run combination with Cameron White who made an impressive 63 from 78 balls.
Mike Hussey (23 off 17) and James Hopes (42 off 21) helped the hosts reach their mammoth total with some late power hitting as the West Indies pace attack watched in horror as the scoreboard ticked over 300. Taking a nasty hit to the back of the head, White was cleared of any serious damage after going for an x-ray at a local Brisbane hospital.
Beginning their mammoth run-chase, Gayle needed to stand firm and he did by blasting six boundaries in the first five overs. Refusing to take up anything less than an attacking stance, the big left hander moved the tourists onto 0-42 after five overs but that was as testing as things got.
Losing two wickets without score, Travis Dowlin (eight) was the first to go edging Ryan Harris through to Paine behind the stumps. The following over, Gayle was the next to depart when he edged Bollinger's cutter into the grateful gloves of Paine. Gayle's brazen 34 from 21 — his highest score for the one-day series so far, continued his woes as Bollinger's bunny and heaped the pressure on the Windies top-order.
Brief scores: Australia 324/7 (Ponting 106, White 63; DR Smith 2/59) beat West Indies 274/8 (Deonarine 53, Pollard 62, Smith 58 not out; Bollinger 2/44, Harris 2/64) by 50 runs.