Watson's blast subjects WI to huge defeat
published:
Monday | June 30, 2008
Australia's Shane Watson (right) plays a shot as West Indies' wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin looks on during the third One Day International cricket match at the National Stadium in St George's, Grenada, yesterday. Australia beat the West Indies by seven wickets to win the five-match series, leading 3-0 with two matches remaining. - AP
ST GEORGE'S, Grenada (CMC):
Opener Shane Watson smashed an impressive maiden century to lift Australia to a series-winning victory against West Indies in the third Digicel One-Day International at the Grenada National Stadium yesterday.
Set 224 from 50 overs following a disappointing West Indies collapse, Australia coasted to a seven-wicket win with 9.3 overs to spare after an aggressive Watson slammed 126 off 122 balls.
Together with captain Ricky Ponting, who contributed a fluent 69 off 83 balls, Watson added a record 190 for the second wicket to inspire Australia to a third successive triumph in the five-match series.
Watson struck 15 fours and two sixes before he was dismissed to a catch at short fine-leg as he attempted a cheeky paddle against fast-medium bowler Darren Sammy.
ALIVE
Needing a win to keep the series alive, West Indies had no answer during the partnership between Watson and Ponting after the pair came together in the first over when pacer Fidel Edwards bowled Shaun Marshall for no score.
Watson raced to his 50 off 48 balls in the 11th over in which he struck left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn for three fours.
As victory approached, Ponting gave a catch to long-on off Chris Gayle after striking seven boundaries, while Watson departed with the total on 207.
The partnership between Watson and Ponting broke Australia's previous best second wicket stand against West Indies - 145 between Mark Waugh and Stuart Law at the Gabba in 1997.
West Indies' unsatisfactory total came after a belligerent half-century from skipper Gayle.
After his enterprising 53 off 54 balls and a third-wicket half-century partnership between Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, they fell into decline and were dismissed for 223 in 48 overs.
The hosts lost their last eight wickets for 63 runs from a promising position of 160 for two in 33 overs after they were asked to bat first.
EXCELLENT START
Gayle and Xavier Marshall gave West Indies an excellent start by adding 86 in 17.4 overs, while Chanderpaul and Sarwan put on 61 in 12.4 overs before West Indies lost their way.
During the slump, Australia fast bowler Brett Lee became the 10th bowler to achieve 300 wickets in One-Day Internationals when he took a return catch offered by Sammy in the 45th over.
In his first half-century since returning from a groin injury, Gayle blasted five fours and three sixes and dramatically increased the tempo after a slow start.
West Indies managed only 13 runs from the first seven overs, but picked up momentum to belt 69 in the next 10 overs as Gayle and Marshall attacked the bowling.
The partnership was broken in the 18th over when Gayle was run out at the non-striker's end from a deflection off left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson after a firm drive by Marshall.
After Marshall was brilliantly caught by diving wicket-keeper Luke Ronchi, Sarwan and Chanderpaul played soundly before falling in quick succession. Chanderpaul made 32 off 49 balls before edging a cut to the keeper off off-spinner Andrew Symonds, who also removed Dwayne Bravo lbw as the batsman attempted a sweep.
Lower order failed
Before the dismissal of Bravo, Sarwan fell for 31 off 44 balls to a catch at extra-cover off Johnson.
West Indies got little from the lower order but Denesh Ramdin weighed in with 21 before he was bowled by left-arm fast bowler Nathan Bracken, who finished with three for 26 in nine overs.
Symonds, playing his first match of the series following a sore back, ended with two for 42 from seven overs.
The teams move onto St Kitts for the fourth match of the series on Friday and Warner Park which will also be the venue for the final game next Sunday.
WEST INDIES
C. Gayle run out
53
X. Marshall c wk Ronchi b Watson
35
R. Sarwan c Symonds b Johnson
31
S. Chanderpaul c wk Ronchi b Symonds
32
D. Bravo lbw b Symonds
7
A. Fletcher st Ronchi b Bracken
12
+D. Ramdin b Bracken
21
D. Sammy c & b Lee
3
D. Powell run out
2
F. Edwards not out
7
S. Benn b Bracken
1
Extras (lb6, w10, nb3)
19
TOTAL (all out - 48 overs)
223
Fall of wickets: 1-86, 2-99, 3-160, 4-168,
5-172, 6-195, 7-211, 8-214, 9-220, 10-223.
Bowling: Lee 9-1-36-1 (w1, nb3), Bracken 9-0-26-3, Johnson 8-1-41-1 (w4), Hopes 3-0-23-0, Symonds 7-0-42-2, Watson 5-0-23-1 (w1), Clarke 7-0-26-0.
AUSTRALIA
S. Marsh b Edwards
0
S. Watson c Sarwan b Sammy
126
R. Ponting c Marshall Gayle
69
M. Clarke not out
11
A. Symonds not out
8
Extras (lb2, w9, nb2)
13
TOTAL (3 wkts - 40.3 overs)
227
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-191, 3-207.
Did not bat: M. Hussey, J. Hopes, +L. Ronchi, B. Lee, M. Johnson, N. Bracken.
