KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12: Australia made a triumphant return to international cricket after a lengthy break with a 78-run victory over West Indies on Tuesday in the first match of the tri-series in Malaysia.

Ricky Ponting's men, who have been out of action for more than four months, shook off the rust to skittle West Indies for 201 in 34.2 overs after setting them a winning target of 280.

While experienced paceman Glenn McGrath returned after a seven-month break to claim a wicket, Ponting's battery of young bowlers ripped the heart out of West Indies batting line-up who lost the nine wickets for 29 runs.

Man-of-the-Match Shane Watson claimed four wickets with left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Bracken grabbing two apiece as Australia halted an early assault on their total from openers Shivnarine Chanderpaul (92) and Chris Gayle (58).

“It's great to see the guys doing the job for us tonight,”

Ponting told reporters. “It was a terrific fightback and victory.

“The way Shiv was batting it seemed unstoppable but we knew if we could get one wicket or possibly two and expose the new batsman to the conditions, we would have a chance. And that's what we did.”

Watson picked up the crucial scalps of opener Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan, for 22.

Rising star Johnson, a tall, left-armer who was discovered by Australian great Dennis Lillee, accounted for Chanderpaul and also trapped skipper Brian Lara for one.

Australia earlier scored 279 for nine in their 50 overs after winning the toss and batting, with Michael Clarke hitting 81 from 79 balls.

It was an imposing total to chase under floodlights for West Indies but Gayle and Chanderpaul went about their task with confidence.

However, after the openers departed, the rest of the batsmen failed to come to terms with the conditions under lights at the Kinrara Oval.

Watson ended up with four for 43 after also claiming the wickets of Ian Bradshaw and Jerome Taylor with successive balls in the 34th over.

However, it was his earlier dismissal of Sarwan that really gave Australia the belief that they could win the match.

After hustling Sarwan with some stinging balls, Watson finally got his man when West Indies' vice captain's lame pull shot was well taken at short mid-wicket by a diving Ponting as his side tottered at 197 for six.

Earlier, Clarke and Ponting led Australia's recovery at the crease after they lost Phil Jaques for two in only the fourth over with the score on nine.

Ponting smashed 54 off 53 balls, including nine fours, before falling leg before to Bradshaw in the 21st over.

It was then Clarke's turn to provide the fireworks with Katich (36) content to steadily accumulate from the other end.

Clarke hit nine boundaries before being bowled by Dwayne Bravo in the 47th over. Also contributing with the bat were Mark Cosgrove (34) and wicket-keeper Brad Haddin (23).

Jerome Taylor took three wickets for 59 runs, including two in the 48th over when he removed Haddin and Bracken. Bradshaw and Dwayne Smith claimed two wickets apiece.

Also taking part in the tri-series are India, who play the West Indies on Thursday.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

P.A. Jaques b Edwards 2

S.M. Katich c Bravo b Bradshaw 36

R.T. Ponting lbw Bradshaw 54

M.J. Clarke b Bravo 81

M.J. Cosgrove c Lara b Smith 34

S.R. Watson c Sarwan b Smith 2

B.J. Haddin b Taylor 23

N.W. Bracken b Taylor 1

M.G. Johnson b Taylor 15

D.J. Cullen not out 2

G.D. McGrath not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-10, W-18) 27

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 279

FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-106, 3-122, 4-191, 5-205, 6-258, 7-258, 8-260, 9-276.

BOWLING: Bradshaw 10-0-36-2 (3w); Edwards, 6-0-38-1 (2w); Gayle 8-1-37-0; Smith 9-1-41-2 (3w); Taylor 10-0-59-3 (3w); Bravo 7-0-60-1 (5w).

WEST INDIES:

S. Chanderpaul c Haddin b Johnson 92

C.H. Gayle c Ponting b Watson 58

B.C. Lara lbw b Johnson 1

R.R. Sarwan c Ponting b Watson 22

D.J.J. Bravo c Jaques b McGrath 8

W.W. Hinds c Haddin b Cosgrove 2

D.R. Smith C Haddin b Bracken 2

C.S. Baugh c Haddin b Bracken 0

I.D.R. Bradshaw lbw b Watson 0

J.E. Taylor b Watson 0

F.H. Edwards not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-7, NB-5) 14

TOTAL (all out, 34.3 overs) 201

FALL OF WKTS: 1-136, 2-172, 3-176, 4-185, 5-196, 6-197, 7-198, 8-199, 9-199.

BOWLING: McGrath 9-0-30-1 (6w); Johnson 8-0-65-2 (1nb); Watson 8-0-43-4 (4nb, 1w); Cullen 2-0-15-0; Bracken 6.3-2-43-2; Cosgrove 1-0-1-1.

RESULT: Australia won by 78 runs.

UMPIRES: A.L. Hill (New Zealand) and Asad Rauf (Pakistan).

TV UMPIRE: M.R. Benson (England).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Shane Watson

NEXT MATCH: India v West Indies on Thursday.—Agencies