12 January 2004	Monday	19 Ziqa'ad 1424

SYDNEY, Jan 11: Brad Williams captured four wickets in 15 balls in a devastating spell of fast bowling to steer Australia to a 99-run win over Zimbabwe in a tri-series One-day International at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Williams ripped through the Zimbabwean top order before returning to mop up the tail as the Africans collapsed to 126 all out in the 38th over in reply to Australia's 225 for eight.

Williams finished with career-best figures of 5-22 as the world champions cruised to their second win of the competition following their 18-run victory over India in Melbourne on Friday.

Zimbabwe, who had beaten Australia just once in their previous 20 meetings, looked to be in with a chance of pulling off an upset after they restricted the home side to a modest total from their full allocation of 50 overs.

But their hopes were immediately dashed when their batsman collapsed to 17 for five within the first eight overs, Williams featuring in all five dismissals.

The Western Australia paceman triggered the collapse when he had dangerman Stuart Carlisle caught at slip for one in the second over before taking a difficult outfield catch to remove Vusi Sibanada for seven off Jason Gillespie's bowling.

He then removed Mark Vermeulen for five and Grant Flower and Stewart Matsikenyeri for ducks to leave the Africans reeling. Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak (46) and Tatenda Taibu (29) briefly steadied the innings with a sixth-wicket stand of 73, but the end came swiftly once they parted.

Williams claimed his fifth wicket when tailender Andy Blignaut was caught by Australia captain Ricky Ponting. Zimbabwe's dismal batting was in stark contrast to the performance of their bowlers, who had reduced Australia to 118-5 in the 28th over before Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke came to the rescue.

Symonds, who made 88 in Australia's 18-run win over India, top-scored with a patient 42 from 82 balls while Clarke made 40 off 57 deliveries. Opener Adam Gilchrist blasted five boundaries with a quick 34 off 44 balls but a steady fall of wickets enabled Zimbabwe to stem the run flow.

Matthew Hayden went for 14 when he played on to Streak before Blignaut got rid of Ponting for 21 and then Gilchrist with the total on 77. Left-arm spinner Flower removed Damien Martyn (21) and Michael Bevan (three) in his first two overs, both caught and bowled, before Symonds and Clarke came together.

Symonds eventually departed in the 44th over when he top-edged a ball from Sean Ervine to Douglas Hondo in the covers after trying to lift the run-rate.

Clarke threw his wicket away to Ervine when he holed out to Sibanda on the boundary two overs later and Ervine captured a third wicket in the final over, holding on to a sharp return catch to dismiss all rounder Ian Harvey for 22. Zimbabwe play India in Hobart on Wednesday in the next match of the month-long series.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

A.C. Gilchrist c Taibu b Blignaut 34

M.L. Hayden b Streak 14

R.T. Ponting c Carlisle b Blignaut 21

D.R. Martyn c and b Flower 21

A. Symonds c Hondo b Ervine 42

M.G. Bevan c and b Flower 3

M.J. Clarke c Sibanda b Ervine 40

I.J. Harvey c and b Ervine 22

A.J. Bichel not out 11

J.N. Gillespie not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-6, NB-6) 15

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 225

FALL OF WKTS: 1-42, 2-73, 3-77, 4-112, 5-118, 6-184, 7-192, 8-222.

DID NOT BAT: B.A. Williams.

BOWLING: Streak 10-2-36-1; Hondo 5-1-35-0 (1nb, 1w); Ervine 10-0-54-3 (2nb); Blignaut 5-0-21-2 (3nb, 2w); Price 10-0-34-0 (1w); Flower 10-0-42-2 (2w).

ZIMBABWE:

V. Sibanda c Williams b Gillespie 7

S.V. Carlisle c Hayden b Williams 1

M.A. Vermeulen b Williams 5

G.W. Flower lbw b Williams 0

S. Matsikenyeri c Gilchrist b Williams 0

T. Taibu c Gilchrist b Symonds 29

H.H. Streak st Gilchrist b Clarke 46

S.M. Ervine c Ponting by Symonds 14

A.M. Blignaut c Ponting b Williams 4

R.W. Price b Gillespie 0

D.T. Hondo not out 1

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-6, W-12) 19

TOTAL (all out, 37.3 overs) 126

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-13, 3-13, 4-14, 5-17, 6-90, 7-119, 8-112, 9-124.

BOWLING: Gillespie 8-0-21-2 (1w); Williams 8.3-2-22-5 (2w); Bichel 6-2-24-0 (4w); Harvey 4-0-14-0 (1w); Symonds 6-1-24-2 (3w); Clarke 5-0-14-1 (1w).

RESULT: Australia won by 99 runs.

UMPIRES: S.J.A. Taufel (Australia) and R.E. Koertzen (South Africa).

TV UMPIRE: R.L. Parry (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: C.H. Lloyd (West Indies).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Brad Williams.

NEXT MATCH: India v Zimbabwe, Hobart, Jan 14.-Reuters