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| September 25, 2006 | Monday | Ramazan 1, 1427 |
Australia run away with tri-series trophy
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24: Australia gave themselves a major boost before next month's Champions Trophy when they beat West Indies by 127 runs in the final to win the tri-series here on Sunday.
After scoring 240 for six in 50 overs, Australia's pace attack tore into the West Indies batting, bowling them out for 113 in 34.2 overs.
Four-wicket hero Brett Lee, who removed Chris Gayle in the first ball of the West Indies innings, and Glenn McGrath never allowed their opponents to settle with fellow paceman Nathan Bracken picking up three for 15 off seven.
Man of the match Lee finished with four for 24 off 8.2 overs while McGrath was ruthlessly tight, allowing just six runs in six overs.
Ramnaresh Sarwan (36) and Dwayne Smith (30) were the only West Indies batsmen who were able to conjure up any meaningful runs in the face of some fiery bowling.
It was Australia's second win over West Indies here, having split their games during the preliminary matches, which also featured India.
Skipper Ricky Ponting said victory would lift Australia's confidence ahead of the Champions Trophy in India.
“The Champions Trophy is obviously one tournament we want to win,” said Ponting.
“It's the second biggest one-day tournament we play and one that has always eluded Australia.
“We definitely got the squad and the players to challenge seriously. We've played good cricket in Indian conditions before and we can now go into it with confidence.
“Having looked at extra players in different roles here, we've got lots of bases covered for that tournament.”
West Indies skipper Brian Lara stood by his team despite another woeful batting collapse.
“The first half in the field the guys worked really hard but we didn't get things going in the second half,” he said.
“We lost wickets early an put pressure on ourselves.
“We crumbled before in this tournament but this time, we crumbled right from the beginning. But getting to the final was a plus.”
Earlier, a late flurry of 46 runs in the last five overs helped Australia set West Indies a reasonably challenging total.
Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds both hit 52 against some tight West Indian bowling and a slow outfield.
Michael Clarke scored 23 off 24 balls, while Michael Hussey (30 off 24 balls) and Brad Haddin (17 off 12) put on an unbroken 40-run partnership for the seventh wicket in only 3.5 overs to lift Australia.
Ian Bradshaw took two for 30 off 10 overs, while part-time spinner Ramnaresh Sarwan also picked up a pair of wickets.
Scoreboard
AUSTRALIA:
S.R. Watson c Gayle b Bradshaw 18
S.M. Katich c sub b Gayle 25
R.T. Ponting lbw b Taylor 6
D.R. Martyn c Morton b Bradshaw 52
A. Symonds c Morton b Sarwan 52
M.J. Clarke c Gayle b Sarwan 23
M.E.K. Hussey not out 30
B.J. Haddin not out 17
EXTRAS (LB-7, W-9, NB-1) 17
TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 240
FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-37, 3-80, 4-153, 5-173, 6-200.
DID NOT BAT: B. Lee, N.W. Bracken, G.D. McGrath.
BOWLING: Bradshaw 10-2-30-2 (1w); Smith 8-1-35-0 (1nb, 1w); Taylor 10-1-36-1; Bravo 9-1-65-0 (3w); Gayle 9-0-46-1 (3w); Sarwan 4-0-21-2.
WEST INDIES:
C.H. Gayle lbw b Lee 0
S. Chanderpaul c Katich b Bracken 12
R.S. Morton lbw b Bracken 0
R.R. Sarwan run out 36
B.C. Lara c Haddin b Bracken 5
D.J. Bravo c Ponting b Watson 8
W.W. Hinds b Watson 0
D.R. Smith c Ponting b Lee 30
C.S. Baugh c Haddin b Lee 3
I.D.R. Bradshaw c Haddin b Lee 0
J.E. Taylor not out 0
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-7, W-3, NB-7) 19
TOTAL (all out, 34.2 overs) 113
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-16, 3-20, 4-32, 5-55, 6-56, 7-106, 8-112, 9-112.
BOWLING: Lee 8.2-1-24-4 (3nb); McGrath 6-2-6-0 (1nb. 1w); Bracken 7-0-16-3 (1w); Watson 6-0-30-2 (3nb, 1w); Symonds 3-0-15-0; Clarke 4-0-13-0.
RESULT: Australia won by 127 runs.
UMPIRES: Asad Rauf (Pakistan) and M.R. Benson (England).
TV UMPIRE: A.L. Hill (New Zealand).
MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Brett Lee.
MAN-OF-THE-TOURNAMENT: Brett Lee.
—Reuters
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