Australia kill West Indies run chase

After Chanderpaul's hurricane knock, Australia fought back to win the ODI by 78 runs. Scorecard

After being spectacularly powered to a rollicking start courtesy Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle's fireworks, West Indies run chase lost steam as it succumbed to Australia by 78 runs in the opening match of DLF Cup on Tuesday.

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Man-of-the-match Shane Watson proved the nemesis of Caribbean batting at Kinrara Oval, scalping 4 wickets in his 8 overs and more decisively jump-starting a humiliating collapse.

Set 280 runs to win by the world champions after a willow-wielding performance by Michael Clarke, Chanderpaul-Gayle combo fuelled hopes of achieving an unexpected ODI win by kicking off their innings on a spunky note.

The duo slam-banged their way past the second-string Aussie bowling line-up, threatening to push them deeper into 'cricket oblivion'. Chanderpaul smashed 92 runs off 116 balls with 10 fours and 4 sixes while Gayle hit a fluent 58 off 88 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes).

However after their demise, rest of the West Indies batsmen fell like ninepins and from 172/2 the side fell to 201 all out. The end for Windies was swift and surgical, taking all of 34.3 overs.

India, the other contestant to DLF Cup, will look relieved at West Indies' abject display, having lost its last 4 full-fledged one-dayers against the same side. The two nations face each other's might on Thursday.

Windies innings:

After an initial hesitation that lasted for 5 overs where only 13 runs were scored, Chanderpaul tore into Nathan Bracken thereafter, smashing 26 runs off his 2 consecutive overs.

His run-charge pushed West Indies past the 70 run-mark in just 10 overs. Nathan Bracken was soon replaced by Johnson who worsened the matters for Australia even further, much to the frustration of Ricky Ponting.

Chanderpaul soon reached his fifty in just the 12th over with with a short-arm pull to the long-leg boundary.

With a rampaging Chanderpaul at the striker's end, Gayle had no option but to knuckle down to the task of providing a support role. At the 15th over mark, the scoreboard read a whopping 109/0!

However, his instincts played spoilsport to his role of sheet anchor yet again as Aussies managed to get rid of Gayle with a score at 136/1. He walked back with 58 runs to his name.

Chanderpaul, though, carrried on and looked set for his 4th ODI ton. However Ponting in bold move brought back Johnson - with figures of 9.75 rpo - to bowl in the 24th over. His first 2 balls expectedly rocketed to the fence.

But his 3rd one was a jaffer and ultimately proved to be the demise of Chanderpaul and more importantly, the West Indies innings.

Lara followed by Bravo and Hinds all returned to the pavillion without making a dent on the scoreboard. Sarwan, to his credit, looked dogged in his brief vigil at the crease.

But with him gone, Aussies stormed back in the game. Rest of the wickets were just detail as bowlers polished off the tail without much ado.

Aussie innings:

The Kinrara Academy Oval on Tuesday witnessed what the world had seen all along for the past 2 years - Michael Clarke is the one of the most dangerous all-rounders in the present cricketing fraternity.

Australia, shorne of key stars like Hussey and Gilchrist rode on the talented youngster's willow, managing to post 279/9 in the stipulated quota of 50 overs.

Clarke in his fluent knock of 81 off 79 balls smashed 9 boundaries, flourishing on some wayward fare dished out by Caribbean bowlers.

Electing to bat first despite muggy conditions, the world champions failed to find its feet early on in the innings, having been out of the international loop for 5 months.

First five overs infact produced just 15 runs, in addition to losing the wicket of newbie Phil Jaques who pipped Mathew Hayden for the spot in the playing 11.

However, thereafter skipper Ponting took upon himself to halt any further slide in fortunes. With dogged Katich at the other end, he slam-banged his way and added 97-runs for the first wicket.

Dwayne Bravo bore the major brunt of his willow-wielding, going for 28 runs in just 4 overs. His innings of run-a-ball 56 laced with 9 fours set a sturdy platform for the coming batters to capitalise.

And, Michael Clarke capitalised big time!

He along with the burly Mark Cosgrove first steadied the Aussie roller-coaster having been rocked by Ian Bradshaw's line-and length fare which scalped dangerous Ponting and Katich in a span of 4 overs.

The overs 25 to 35 did not produce much in terms of scoring rate. But, thereafter he came to party, not letting even the partnership blues affect his up-tempo game.

He was sent packing just before the climax, but Johnson-Haddin combo ensured there was no anti-climax.

Teams

West Indies: D Smith, C Baugh (wicket-keeper), S Chanderpaul, I Bradshaw, D Bravo, J Taylor, W Hinds, B Lara (captain), F Edwards, C Gayle, R Sarwan

Australia: P Jaques, S Katich, R Ponting (captain), M Clarke, M Cosgrove, S Watson, B Haddin (wicket-keeper), D Cullen, N Bracken, M Johnson, G McGrath

Umpires: Tony Hill (NZL), Asad Rauf (PAK)
TV umpire: Mark Benson (ENG)