ST PETER’S (Antigua), March 27: Australia opener Matthew Hayden scored his second World Cup century in consecutive innings on Tuesday with a masterful 158 against West Indies in the opening second stage Super Eights match.

An exhibition of typically muscular belligerence by the Queensland left-hander took the holders to a daunting 322 for six after a brief interruption for rain in the first international staged at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Hayden's innings was the highest in the World Cup by an Australian, beating Andrew Symonds's 143 not out against Pakistan four years ago, and followed his fastest World Cup century ever versus South Africa last Saturday.

It was also his third in a row against a Test side.

In his last previous One-day International against Test opposition Hayden scored 181 not out, the highest one-day score by an Australian, against New Zealand.

Hayden, who took 18 balls to get off the mark, went on the charge in the closing overs after reaching his century from 110 deliveries.

First he targeted fast bowler Jerome Taylor in the 45th over, lofting a six over long-on, then a four over mid-off, followed by a massive heave over long-on from successive balls.

In the following over he late cut Marlon Samuels to the boundary then struck the next ball over wide long-on for a further six.

By the time he was caught on the boundary, he had faced 143 balls with 14 fours and four sixes.

After Brian Lara had won the toss and elected to field, Hayden lost Adam Gilchrist, caught behind by Denesh Ramdin off Daren Powell for seven, in the fifth over.

Hayden added 66 for the second wicket with Ricky Ponting before the captain was run out for 35 when Ramnaresh Sarwan hit the stumps with a direct throw from extra-cover at the bowler's end.

Hayden and Michael Clarke (41) put on 98 from 16.1 overs for the third wicket with the remaining batsmen playing supporting roles to one of the great World Cup innings.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

A.C. Gilchrist c Ramdin b Powell 7

M.L. Hayden c Samuels b Bravo 158

R.T. Ponting run out 35

M.J. Clarke lbw b Bravo 41

A. Symonds c Ramdin b Samuels 13

M.E.K. Hussey b Powell 9

S.R. Watson not out 33

G.B. Hogg not out 5

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-9, W-8, NB-3) 21

TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 322

FALL OF WKTS: 1-10 (Gilchrist, 4.1 ov), 2-76 (Ponting, 14.4 ov), 3-174 (Clarke, 30.5 ov), 4-208 (Symonds, 35.6 ov), 5-234 (Hussey, 40.5 ov), 6-297 (Hayden, 47.1 ov)

DID NOT BAT: N.W. Bracken, S.W. Tait, G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING: Powell 10-2-53-2; Taylor 10-0-67-0 (3w); Collymore 10-0-56-0 (2w); Gayle 4-0-29-0 (2nb); Bravo 7-0-49-2 (2w); Samuels 9-0-58-1 (1nb, 1w).

WEST INDIES: C.H. Gayle, S. Chanderpaul, R.R. Sarwan, M.N. Samuels, B.C. Lara, D.J. Bravo, D.R. Smith, D. Ramdin, D.B. Powell, J.E. Taylor, C.D. Collymore.

UMPIRES: Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf (both Pakistan).

TV UMPIRE: B.F. Bowden (New Zealand).

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