KINGSTOWN (St Vincent), March 7: Reigning champions Australia made heavy going of seeing off Zimbabwe in their opening World Cup warm-up match at Arnos Vale here on Tuesday (partially reported in Wednesday’s edition).

All-rounders Michael Clarke (82), who scored at better than a run-a-ball, and Shane Watson (81) led the way in a total of 290 for seven that the keen Africans never looked like surpassing in a match Australia ultimately won by 106 runs.

But Zimbabwe, kept Australia in the field for the full 50 overs before finishing on 184 for seven.

This was a one-dayer where the game died a slow, lingering, death, despite pre-match promises from Australia captain Ricky Ponting that it wouldn't be an extended net.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

S.R. Watson c Chigumbura b Williams 81

B.J. Haddin c Williams b Rainsford 47

R.T. Ponting c Taylor b Chigumbura 2

M.J. Clarke c Brent b Mpofu 82

B.J. Hodge c Williams b Dabengwa 17

M.E.K. Hussey c Brent b Williams 15

G.B. Hogg run out 5

M.G. Johnson not out 20

N.W. Bracken not out 13

EXTRAS (W-2, NB-6) 8

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 290

FALL OF WKTS: 1-91, 2-105, 3-149, 4-177, 5-224, 6-237, 7-266.

DID NOT BAT: S.R. Clark, S.W. Tait, G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING: Mpofu 7-1-44-1; Ireland 6-1-40-0; Rainsford 4-0-32-1; Brent 7-0-40-0; Chigumbura 1-0-5-1; Utseya 10-1-36-0; Williams 8-0-48-2; Dabengwa 7-0-45-1.

ZIMBABWE:

T. Duffin c Haddin b Bracken 5

V. Sibanda c Haddin b Johnson 5

C.J. Chibhabha c Clarke b Clark 22

S.C. Williams c and b Hodge 44

S. Matsikenyeri run out 35

E. Chigumbura c Johnson b Clark 15

B.R.M. Taylor not out 10

K.M. Dabengwa b McGrath 15

G.B. Brent not out 0

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-8, W-15, NB-5) 33

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 184

FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-32, 3-56, 4-123, 5-159, 6-160, 7-184.

DID NOT BAT: P. Utseya, C.B. Mpofu, E.C. Rainsford, A.J. Ireland.

BOWLING: Tait 7-1-24-0; Bracken 5-2-8-1; McGrath 5-2-8-1; Johnson 7-2-22-1; Clark 7-0-33-2; Hogg 8-0-36-0; Hodge 6-1-26-1; Watson 5-1-14-0.

RESULT: Australia won by 106 runs.

UMPIRES: Asad Rauf (Pakistan) and B.R. Doctrove (West Indies).—Agencies