Australia cruise to win over Windies
published:
Wednesday | June 25, 2008
The West Indies' Jerome Taylor unsuccessfully reaches to catch a shot off Australia's Cameron White during the first one-day international at the Arnos Vale cricket ground in St Vincent yesterday. Australia won by 84 runs. - AP
ARNOS VALE, St. Vincent (AP):
OPENER SHAUN Marsh hit 81 and Nathan Bracken grabbed four for 31 to power Australia to a comfortable 84-run victory over West Indies in the opening one-day international here yesterday.
Left-hander Marsh, on debut, cracked seven fours and a six off 97 balls to anchor the visitors to 273 for eight off 50 overs.
Brad Haddin (50) and Michael Hussey (44) chipped in nicely in the middle order.
Left-arm seamer Bracken's four-wicket haul then helped restrict the home team to 189 all out off 39.5 overs.
Bracken's new-ball partner Brett Lee was also impressive in claiming two for 37.
Dwayne Bravo (33), Darren Sammy (33) and Denesh Ramdin (31) got starts but the West Indies never realistically threatened Australia's total.
Overcast skies
Australia began well through Marsh and Shane Watson (31) after the tourists were sent in under overcast skies.
The pair put on 75 for the first wicket in 12.5 overs.
The 24-year-old Marsh, a standout last month in the Indian Premier League, batted fluently from the time he stroked his third ball for a boundary.
All-rounder Watson, in his first ODI since last year's World Cup final, cracked four fours off 27 balls.
Bravo made the crucial breakthrough when Watson came too far across his stumps and was leg before.
The West Indies stalled the Aussies in mid-innings as Ricky Ponting (five) and Michael Clarke (nine) departed cheaply and Marsh fell just short of a century.
Ponting was bowled off the inside edge by pacer Jerome Taylor, while Clarke edged Sammy's third delivery to the wicketkeeper.
When Marsh lofted a Sammy slower ball to extra cover, Australia were wobbling at 140 for four after 30 overs.
But Haddin and Hussey revived the innings in a fine fifth-wicket stand of 91 off 84 balls.
Haddin was the aggressor, smashing four fours and a six off 52 balls.
Hussey compiled 44 off 58 balls with just one boundary.
Ended the innings
Lee, who ended the innings with an unbeaten 12 off five balls, undermined the West Indies' reply early.
The 31-year-old claimed Xavier Marshall (six) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (two) as the home team slumped to 29 for three.
Marshall edged behind to Haddin, while Sarwan deflected a catch to second slip.
In between, Bracken claimed Chris Gayle lbw for 20 as the West Indies skipper played around his front pad.
Bravo and rookie Andre Fletcher added 51 for the fourth wicket to revive the pursuit.
But Clarke claimed Bravo leg before and Fletcher was run out casually trying to regain his ground and the match was virtually over.
Sammy and Ramdin added 52 for the seventh wicket before Bracken returned to bring a swift end.
Sammy's dismissal, bowled as the ball just kissed the off stump, caused a mini-disturbance as some sections of the crowd threw debris on the field.
That stoppage just stalled the final rites for 10 minutes before Bracken had Sulieman Benn caught in the deep.
