SPORTS

Marsh impresses as Australia beat West Indies

June 25, 2008 09:29 IST

- Scorecard

Debutant Shaun Marsh struck an impressive 81 and Nathan Bracken took four wickets as Australia beat West Indies by 84 runs on Tuesday in the first of five one-day internationals.

Marsh, son of former Australia batsman Geoff Marsh, was making his first one-day international appearance after taking part in Friday's Twenty20 match and he was part of a flying start with Shane Watson (31).

Mike Hussey (44) and Brad Haddin (50) played a major role later in the innings as Australia made 273 for eight and the hosts never got close in their reply.

West Indies lost three early wickets and although Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy scored 33 each, Chris Gayle's side ended up 189 all out.

Play was stopped in the 40th over of the West Indies innings after the crowd responded to the dismissal of Sammy by hurling plastic bottles and other objects on to the field.

Sammy had queried the umpire's decision and the game continued without further incident once the debris had been cleared.

Gayle, who won the toss and put the tourists in, used five bowlers inside the first eight overs and Australia reached 53 without loss in the first ten overs.

The opening pair of Marsh and Watson put on 75 before Watson was trapped leg before by Dwayne Bravo as he tried to work the ball on the legside.

FULL ADVANTAGE

West Indies pace bowler Jerome Taylor continued his excellent record against Ricky Ponting (5), the Australian captain playing on with a thick inside edge, the fourth time he has been dismissed by Taylor in six one-day encounters between the pair.

After taking full advantage of the power-plays in the early stages, Australia became bogged down in the middle section of their innings with Sammy picking up two important wickets.

The seamer from St.Lucia had Michael Clarke caught behind to make it 117 for three and then Marsh eventually went, driving Sammy straight to Gayle at extra-cover.

Hussey and Haddin put on an excellent 91 partnership for the fifth wicket - both were caught in the deep by Kieron Pollard - as Australia stepped on the gas in the latter stages to end up with a good score on a ground where teams batting first had previously averaged only 201.

The task was made much harder when Brett Lee claimed in-form opener Xavier Marshall caught behind for six and then Bracken trapped Gayle leg before for 20.

West Indies, without injured run-maker Shivnarine Chanderpaul, needed a big innings from Ramnaresh Sarwan but he went quickly - caught by Hussey at slip to leave the hosts at 29 for three.

Bravo and Andre Fletcher put on 51 before Australia got the crucial wicket of Bravo who was judged leg before as he pushed forward to Clarke's first ball of left-arm spin.

Fletcher was run out, after casually failing to get back behind the crease and then Pollard (11) struggled before he was caught behind off Mitchell Johnson.

A 52 partnership from wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin and Sammy offered a glimmer of resistance but when Watson bowled Ramdin for 31 and that was virtually the end of West Indies's efforts.

Sammy went, bowled by Bracken, but he questioned whether the ball had hit the wickets off Haddin's pads - television replays showed it had not but the crowd, without the benefit of a big screen, reacted angrily providing the first unpleasant incidents of what has been a good spirited tour.

Source: REUTERS
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