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Page last updated at 22:12 GMT, Friday, 27 June 2008 23:12 UK

Patient Aussies crush West Indies

Second one-day international, St George's: Australia 213-5 beat West Indies 140-8 (41 overs) by 63 runs (D/L method)
Michael Hussey
Hussey paced his innings in Grenada with precision

Australia took a 2-0 lead in their one-day series in West Indies as they handed their hosts a thrashing on an awkward batting wicket in Grenada.

After crashing to 35-3 from nine overs batting first, the Aussies built patiently through Michael Hussey (62) and Michael Clarke (56).

They ended with 213-5, before reducing West Indies to 140-8 in 41 overs and winning by 63 runs on Duckworth-Lewis.

The third of five matches is also at St George's, and starts on Sunday.

The West Indies bowlers impressed early on, with Jerome Taylor having Ricky Ponting snapped up by skipper Chris Gayle at short mid-wicket after the two openers had fallen cheaply.

Hussey and Clarke assessed conditions and batted with extreme caution for much of their 29-over partnership.

They added exactly 100 runs, only accelerating in the final stages, while profiting from a number of errors by the West Indians.

Notably, Dwayne Bravo spilt an easy chance at slip to remove Clarke in Sulieman Benn's first over.

Cameron White (40 not out off 39 balls) added a rush of runs at the end, and Australia knew they were on top once Brett Lee had Xavier Marshall edging behind on the first ball of the hosts' run chase.

That gave debutant wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi an immediate dismissal - and Ronchi will play the remaining games in the series after Australia decided to send Brad Haddin home because of his broken finger.

Wickets continued to fall - Clarke taking 3-26 - and the Windies were barely helped when a rain shower reduced their over allowance to 41, with only nine runs ticked off.

The match ended in low-key style, with Shiv Chanderpaul (44 not out) and Benn taking two singles off the final over.

Australia captain Ponting was later fined 30% of his match fee for showing dissent after umpire Norman Malcolm turned down an appeal against West Indies batsman Patrick Browne when Ronchi claimed a catch off the bowling of Clarke.

"A captain needs to set an example and it's not acceptable for any player, let along a captain, to show dissent at an umpire's decision," match referee Roshan Mahanama commented.


POST-MATCH QUOTES

Australia captain Ricky Ponting: "I'm more satisfied with this win than I was with game one. I think we had to work a lot harder in this game for the win."

West Indies captain Chris Gayle: "We put ourselves in a good position, restricting them to 213, but the batting again was a big disappointment with the way some of the guys got out.

"It was a bit two-paced but once you're stuck in there you have to work hard for your runs on that sort of wicket. We just didn't have the patience."




see also
Windies romp to Twenty20 victory
21 Jun 08 |  Cricket
Australia in West Indies 2008
02 Jan 08 |  Cricket


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