Come rain, come hail, Aussies unstoppable

Australia’s Glenn McGrath took four wickets for 31 runs to help bowl West Indies out for just 163 in 49 overs in the second one-day int...

Australia’s Glenn McGrath took four wickets for 31 runs to help bowl West Indies out for just 163 in 49 overs in the second one-day international on Sunday. Fellow pace bowler Brett Lee chipped in with two for 22 off seven overs, while Andy Bichel also took two wickets for 27 runs off five overs as the Australian attack restricted the big-hitting West Indies batters from the start.

Lee made the early breakthrough when he stooped low to take a return catch from Devon Smith for one to leave the home side four for one, before Marlon Samuels (6) mistimed a hook off McGrath and became the first of wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist’s four catches.

West Indies captain Brian Lara was the next to go when he edged Bichel to Gilchrist before opener Chris Gayle, who had struggled with his timing, was dismissed for 28 in virtually identical circumstances. Jason Gillespie then had Ramnaresh Sarwan (14) caught at first slip by the low-diving Matthew Hayden to leave the home side struggling at 75 for five.

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Brief score: West Indies: 163 (C Gayle 28, R Powell 32, O Banks 29, C Baugh 29; McGrath 4/31, Lee 2/22).

Aussies win rain-truncated tie

KINGSTON: Australia notched up their 18th successive ODI win when they staved off a late West Indies rally to sneak home by two runs in a rain-interrupted Duckworth and Lewis contest at Sabina Park on Saturday.

Brief score

Australia: 270 ( R.Ponting 59; D.Lehmann 55, M.Bevan not out 43, I.Harvey not out 48; Dillon 2/53, Banks 8-0-44-2)
(Chasing a revised target of 208 off 37 overs)

West Indies: 206/8 ( (C.Gayle 37; R.Powell 37; D.Smith 26; B.Lara 23; R.Sarwan no 47; Harvey 3/37).