LEICESTER (England), June 12: Opener Matthew Hayden smashed a century while Andrew Symonds and Damien Martyn also turned on the style as Australia crushed Leicestershire by 95 runs in a one-day clash at Grace Road here on Saturday.

Hayden helped himself to 107 off 96 balls while big-hitting Symonds lashed 92 off just 59 balls as the tourists raced to a massive 321-4 off their 50 overs.

Chasing Australia’s huge target on Saturday, Leicestershire struggled to 226-8 off their 50 overs after enduring a slow start to their reply, with Tom New and Darren Maddy pinned down by the accurate attack of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath.

Any hopes the home side had of an unlikely win were further dented when Brad Hogg took three wickets sending Leicestershire slumping to 120 for 6.

West Indian Otis Gibson hit 50 while Paul Nixon made 43 to slow the Aussie victory march.

Earlier Hayden and Martyn put Leicestershire on the rack before Symonds bludgeoned 10 fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 92.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

A.C. Gilchrist c Henderson b Gibson 17

M.L. Hayden c Mongia b Masters 107

R.T. Ponting c Mongia b Maddy 7

D.R. Martyn c New b Gibson 85

A. Symonds not out 92

M.J. Clarke not out 2

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, W-2) 11

TOTAL (4 wkts, 50 overs) 321

FALL OF WKTS: 1-38, 2-72, 3-166, 4-302

DID NOT BAT: M.E.K. Hussey, G.B. Hogg, J.N. Gillespie, B. Lee, G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING: Gibson 9-0-65-2; Willoughby 7-1-37-0; Masters 9-0-55-1; Maddy 9-0-45-1, Henderson 5-0-35-0; Mongia 8-0-49-0; Snape 3-0-26-0.

LEICESTERSHIRE:

T.J. New c Ponting b McGrath 10

D.L. Maddy c Symonds b Gillespie 18

H.D. Ackerman lbw b Clarke 38

D. Mongia c Gillespie b Hogg 21

J. Sadler c Gilchrist b Hogg 5

J.N. Snape b Hogg 14

P.A. Nixon c Symonds b Lee 43

O.D. Gibson b McGrath 50

C.W. Henderson not out 5

D.D. Masters not out 3

EXTRAS (LB-8, W-10, NB-1) 19

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 226

FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-51, 3-97, 4-99, 5-115, 6-120, 7-214, 8-219.

DID NOT BAT: C.M. Willoughby.

BOWLING: Lee 9-3-32-1; McGrath 10-2-33-2; Gillespie 9-0-40-1; Symonds 3-0-19-0; Hogg 10-0-56-3; Clarke 9-0-38-1.

RESULT: Australia won by 95 runs.—AFP