Australia do it, with difficulty

Worcester, May 16: Australia defeated minnows Scotland by six wickets in a World Cup Group B match today, but the win fell a long way sho...

Worcester, May 16: Australia defeated minnows Scotland by six wickets in a World Cup Group B match today, but the win fell a long way short of the thrashing that skipper Steve Waugh had promised.

A first-choice Australian team was expected to crush the Scots, who8217;re playing in their first World Cup and are considered 1000-1 outsiders.The Australians overhauled Scotland8217;s score of 181 for seven in the 45th over for the loss of four wickets with captain Steve Waugh unbeaten on 49.

Opener Mark Waugh top scored with 67 before he got a leading edge to a slower-ball and popped a return catch to off-spinner Nick Dyer.

Adam Gilchrist 6 was an early casualty, well caught by Iain Philip at short fine-leg while attempting to hook left-arm seamer Asim Butt in the sixth over.

Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting combined to take the score from 17-1 to 101-2 before Ponting was caught in the outfield by Mike Allingham off the bowling of Blain for 33.

The Australians lost a second wicket within three balls when DarrenLehmann chopped the ball onto his stumps off Dyer8217;s bowling without addition to the total, bringing Steve Waugh to the crease. The Waugh twins took the score along to 141 in the 36th over before Mark became Dyer8217;s second victim.Steve Waugh continued with Michael Bevan 11 not out to steer Australia to victory.

Scoreboard

Scotland: Bruce Patterson c Gilchrist b Fleming 10, Iain Philip c Steve Waugh b McGrath 17, Mike Allingham st Gilchrist b Warne 3, Mike Smith c Bevan b Lee 13, George Salmond c Gilchrist b Waugh 31, Gavin Hamilton b Warne 34, James Brinkley c Dale b Brinkley 23, Alec Davies not out 8, John Blain not out 3. Extras lb9, w22, nb8: 39.

Total for seven wickets in 50 overs: 181.

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Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-38, 3-52, 4-87, 5-105, 6-167, 7-169.

Bowling: Fleming 9-2-19-1, Dale 10-0-35-0 nb3, w7, McGrath 9-0-32-1 nb5, w6, Warne 10-0-39-3 w2, Lee 6-1-25-1 w3, Steve Waugh 6-0-22-1 w4.Australia: A Gilchrist c Philip b Butt 6, M Waugh c amp; b Dyer 67, R Ponting c de Allingham bBlain 33, D Lehmann b Dyer 0, S Waugh not out 49, M Bevan not out 11; Extras lb3, w5, nb8 16.

Total for 4 wickets in 44.5 overs 82

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-101, 3-101, 4-141.

Bowling: Blain 8-0-35-1, Butt 10-3-21-1, Brinkley 8-0-43-0, Hamilton 8.5-0-37-0, Dyer 10-1-43-2.