Australia in the West Indies - Cricket

[wilde_oscar]

Okay, second post on this new forum. Not as prestigious but nevermind.

Australia are gearing up for the First Test against the Windies at Sabina Park (Jamaica) which will start early Friday morning (Japan time).

Although Australia are firm favourites several factors are complicating the equation:

1. Key players on both sides have retired since their last meeting - Gilchrist, Warne, Langer & McGrath for Australia and Lara for the Windies.

2. There are also absences from non-retirees - Michael Clark is out with compassionate leave and Hayden has carried over an injury from the IPL which rules him out of the squad. Chris Gayle, the usual Windies captain, is sidelined with a groin injury and Marlon Samuels has (rightly) been suspended for two years for match fixing. Other IPL contracted Windies player have just arrived home and may have to deal with both jet-lag and the Australians. A tough ask.

3. A lot of players will be meeting for the first time. Plenty of scope for surprises here.

4. Unlike the the changes in their batting line-up, the Australian attack are well rested and in their prime. Johnson may be the weak link. The Windies bowlers are all relative rookies but playing at home on familiar wickets may level the playing field a little.

All this promises and exciting an challenging match for both sides.

WildeO's player to watch is Stuart MacGill who, if he can get the same sort of turn he managed in the lead-up match against Jamaica, should pose a real second (and maybe first) innings treat to the host as the pitch deteriorates. MacGill has even played (albeit nine years ago) test level at Sabina Park. Simon Katich, coming off a record-breaking season for NSW, will also be in line to score some serious runs if he can survive the first session with his fellow New South Welshman, Jacques.

If the Windies are going to be competative then Chanderpal and Sarwan must share a century partnership. Both players are capable of this. I do, however, remain skeptical about the ability of the Windies to bowl Australia out twice.

Whatever happens, it promises to be a fascinating - stay tuned to LJ for sporadic updates.

[wilde_oscar]

Well, day one has come and gone. The Windies were forced to leave out their most in-form bowler, Jerome Taylor (who took 11 wickets for an average of 24 in the recent series against Sri Lanka), with a late injury.

This omission, however, may not have infulenced Ponting's decision to bat when he won the toss.

The unfamiliar Australian opening combo of Jacques and Katich did not set the world on fire with Katich falling for 12 and Jacques making 9 after a ferocious opening spell from Fidel Edwards, leaving Australia reeling at 2-37. That was the last celebrating that the hosts would do for a while as Ponting teamed up firstly with Hussey (Mike, not David who is still making out like a bandit in the IPL) for a 137 run partnership.

When Hussey departed for a scratchy, but disciplined, 56 as the maiden victim of the Trinidadian offie (and test debutant) Amit Jaggernauth, Ponting then continued on with Brad Hodge piling on another critical partnership of 119 runs. Jaggernauth finished the day with 1/74 from 20 and described his performance as "decent".

All was going well for the Australians until 11 minutes before the close when Dwanye Bravo's tight line-and-length bowling was rewarded when Brenton Parchment, the out-of-form left handed opening batsman, took a screamer diving away to his right at square leg. The Aussie skipper amassed 156 runs (including 17 fours and 1 big 6) in notching up his 35th test century, making him now second on the list behind Tendulkar with 39.

At close of play Australia were 4-301 with Hodge on 56 and the nightwatchman, Mitchell Johnson (currently averaging an unbelivable 59) unbeaten on 1. The pick of the bowlers was Edwards who finished with 2-56 from 14. despite being the least economial bowler he should open the attack tomorrow and will be the man that Sarwan looks to for an early breakthrough.

The second day's play will be crucial in determining the course of this match. To be in with a chance of victory the Windies must bowl Australia out for less than another hundred or so runs. If Australia is allowed to bat for another couple of sessions they will pass 550 which is a big ask for any team against the Australian attack - especially noting that the pitch already shows signs of early deterioration. Facing Lee, Clark and then MacGill in such circumstances will really test the Caribean batsmen.

Stay tuned to LJ for another sporadic update at some stage.

Other cricket news sees the IPL continue on its merry way and England gear up for their second test at Old Trafford against a touring New Zealand side with the series poised at 0-0. If the New Zealand upper order can get the Black Caps off to a decent start then England will rerally be pressed. As a point of interest, this will be the first test that Darrell Hair officiates in since his the farcical England-Pakistan forfieted match 21 months ago.

[Are they the lemmings?]

this will be the first test that Darrell Hair officiates in since his the farcical England-Pakistan forfieted match 21 months ago.

A day and a half gone, but nothing controversial so far. Ah well, we live in hope.

[Touchstone]

New Zealand scored 381 in the 1st innings. Could be a nice total for them to defend. Still, I fancy England to take this series. I think their more powerful batting lineup will come through.

That fucking Aussie side just keeps going on. They've been virtually untouchable since about 1993. I thought with the retirement of Warne and McGrath it would give a chance to the rest but no hint of it at the moment. The Aussies will probably whitewash the Windies. Not looking forward to the Ashes next year. Couldn't Ponting just bloody retire

[wilde_oscar]

Well in the two test matches that are currently going on it looks like sport is the real winner in both cases.

New Zealand are really pushing England, and after Vettori and Panesar (who snared 13 wickets between them so far this test) prove that spin bowling is alive and wel in the post-Warne epoch, England have two days to add 216 to their overnight total of 1-76 to win the second test. New Zealand will be disapointed at their second dig having been bundled out for 114 (Panesar 6-37). Expect a result tonight and as the Old Trafford pitch deteriorates thatmay be asking abit much. Still, other sides can win and this coming day's play will test the skill and commitment of each side to their limits.

In the Caribbean Australia have taken a leaf out the the English (or Kiwi, depending on how you se it) book (rarely a wise move in this day and age) and suffered an unbelievable batting collapse to be, at one stage in their second innings, 5-18. This is only the third time ever that Australia had lost five wickets for les than 20 runs.

How did it come to this? Well, Australia's first innings ended with more a whimper than a bang as Edwards snared 5/105 and only Symonds, who ened on 70 not out, took advantage of the batting conditions on the second day. Australia finished at 431 which is a decent total but Australia are not accustomed to a non-wagging tail and their final four only made a combined total of 20 runs.

The West Indies began their first dig slowly. Parchment took 60 balls to crawl his way to 9 (including one 4) while his opening partner, Grenadan Devon Smith, made 32 from 53. Skipper Chanderpaul came and went for 7 and the Windies really needed some-one to stand up and be counted when they were 3/68. Morton and Chanderpaul put some value on their wickets and began to forge a very useful partnership. They took the score to 3/115 at close of play and really had to build on this the next day.

They did indeed capitalise on their start and when Morton departed for 67 in the 63rd over they had put on a 128 run partnership which had removed the follow-on from the equation and gave the Windies a good platrom to lauch their attack. Dwayne Bravo, the vice captain, provided great support for Chanderpaul and put on 46 before Lee snared his first wicket of the innings. If the Australian tail failed to wag, then the West Indian tail was positively catatonic. The final five batsmen scored a grand total of 4 runs. This did not give Chanderpaul much to work with and he went on the attack while there was still some-one at the other end.

Mention must be made of Chanderpaul being felled and knocked unconscious by a Brett Lee bouncer when he was on 86 (and the W Indies were 8-276). Refusing to leave the field, and after being helped to his feet by Lee, "Shiv" or "Tiger" took the long handle to the Australian attack and smashed his way to 118, protecting the Caribbean bunnies from the strike as much as he could and was finally the last man out on 118 having guided the Windies to a respectable 312. Extras also chiped in a handy 29 runs and may be called upon to provide an example for the Windies tail.

As mentioned above, the Australians suffered a top-order collapse not see in equal magnitude since 1936. When bad light stopped play on the third day they were a paltry 4-17. With Hussey, Ponting, Katich and Jacques all back in the shed after some devestating bowling from Powell and Edwards. When play started yesterday it was hoped that Johnson and Hodge would steady the ship. Johnson fell for 4 (and Australia were on 18) as Powell's third scalp and, of the recognised batsmen, only Hodge and Symonds remained. These two worked well together and salvaged some pride with a 52 run partnership and when Hodge departed for a creditable 27, as the first of Bravo's four victims, the debutante gloveman Haddin was under enormous pressure to work with Symonds to build a defendable total. Haddin responded well to the pressure and his 23 runs gave Symonds (who made 79) the support he needed. The last three wickets fell for 5 runs and Australia were bundled out for a humiliating 167.

The Windies had a nail-biting 18 overs to weather before the close of play and while Parchment could improve is strike rate (15 from 30) he could not preserve his wicket, being caught behind from the bowling of Stuart Clark. Smith and his skipper, Sarwan, were still there at cose of play having advaced the score to 1-46.

Tonight the Windies will need to make another 241 runs to put them one up and in a good position to reclaim the Frank Worrell Trophy. There are another 30 minutes of allocated play to make up for time lost to bad light so this match will end in a result.

WildO does not have a clue how this will end. The smart money may back the world-class Australian attack to wind thing up before the end of the second session, but this West Indies team does not look likely to lie down and there is every chance that they may get over the line - much as happened in the famous Barbados test of 1999 when the now-retired Brian Lara guided the host to a seemingly impossible target of 308.

Lara has gone, but the fight is still there.

Stay tuned to LJ for a wrap-up tomorrow.

[Touchstone]

Well, class shone through in the end. I was a little surprised that the Aussies got into any trouble in the first place. My money's on a whitewash of the Windies. How far they've fallen since the 70's and 80's!

[wilde_oscar]

Well, the games are done and dusted and the real shame is that in both test matches there were no surprise results.

Thanks to an Andrew Strauss century and some lack-lustre work in the field, England got home quite comfortably against New Zealand and took a 1-0 lead in the 3 match series. The Black Caps will be cursing themselves for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory capitulating for 114 and then failing to make much headway against the England top order on a very difficult wicket.

England finally won by six wickets after reaching 4-294 where even a clueless and out-of-form Collingwood managed to nudge and nurgle and unbeaten 24 (from 56) to get across the line with Bell (21 from 69) doing much the same at the other end.

After a "winnning" draw at Lords and then a collapse at Manchester only the most rabid kiwi would expect NZ to come away with a drawn series at Nottingham.

Also of note was that Darrell Hair managed to behave himself for the entirety of the match. How he fares when officiating sub-continential teams will be very interesting indeed..

Meanwhile, Stuart Clark and Brett Lee ripped the heart out of the Windies bating line-up with Clark collecting a man-of-the-match 5-32 in the second inning to go with his 3-59 in the first. Lee was more expensive and bowled for a prolonged period for his 2-82 and MacGill bagged a couple of bunnies at the end to finish on 2-43, he also effected a run out to remove Ramdin when the keeper was on a dangerous 36.

Throughout their second innigns the home side strugled to build partnerships and fell short of their goal by 95 runs (despite some clumsy dropping of regulation chances by Haddin and Katich) placing Australia in an difficult to defeat position of being 1-0 up in the three test series.

Though Australia got across the line there were some worrying signs, The top order was a lot more fragile than it has been almost in living memory. The Katich-Jacques combo will probably fall by the wayside if Hayden is fit to play in four days time. Michale Clarke, back from compassionate leave, will probably also be a "no brianer" pick for the match in Antigua - whether it will be Hodge or Katich he displaces is yet to be anounced, but Hodge could fairly condsider himeself hard doen by if he carries the drinks at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

The Windies too will be looking forward to getting back a couple of key performers. Chris Gayle should be fit to resume the captiancy and add a level of resiliance to the top order that was missing at Sabina Park. Jerome Taylor is also tipped as being 90% likely to join Edwards and Powell in spearheading the Caribbean attack.

Although the West Indies have several positives to take out of this test, they will strugle to deal with a strengthened Austraian batting line-up and if MacGill can find his length then things wil be very tough indeed for them out in the middle.

One would have to tip Australia, but cricket is nothing if not unpredictable. More on LJ at some stage in the future.

[wilde_oscar]

UPDATE

Hayden is off home to nurse his ankle injury and Katich will retain the opening spot.

Hodge, depsite making valuable contributions of 67 and 27 (a good score in the circumstances of Australia's second innings in Jamaica) will probably carry the drinks to make way for the return of Michael Clarke.

Those who whine that "a baggy blue equals a baggy green" have just been provided with more ammunition.

Unless Katich performs.

More worrying for the sport as a whole is that Hayden could play through this injury for the IPL but not to represent his country in a test match.

I know 20-20 is different to tests, but this is a worrying sign of where the real priorities of some players might be heading. I really do hope that I am wrong on this one.

[wilde_oscar]

Well, the IPL is done and dusted and Shane Warne's Rajistan Royals have taken the title.

The reaction to this amongst cricket playing countries has been mixed. Its seems to have gone down well in the subcontinent, but been met with varying levels of dis-interest. except, oddly enough, in England - the place that invented 20-20, where they seem to want to do it bigger and better.

Meanwhile, on Antigua the Australians batted first and despite Jacques departing for 17, Katich finally fired and scored a composed 113 - and collected a bruised rib. Ponting chipped in with 65 and Clarke really drove the advantage home with 110 to celebrate his return to the team. Lee, who wore a nasty bouncer on his helmet, ended the innings on 67 not out as well.

Australia declared at 7-479 which was always going to be hard going against a very good Australian attack. However, the Windies did not fold under the pressure. At least not straight away. Smith and Marshall pushed the score to 50 and then Sawran and Marshall kept the top order going with another 50 partnership. Once Morton scored both his runs and was on his way Chanderpaul came to the crease and really showed what a class player he is.

He work well firstly with Sarwan and then Bravo to control the inning and keep the Windies in the game on a rain affected day. At the end of day three the home side were in a reasonable positon at 4/255 and looked like posting a score comparable to their opponents.

Stuart MacGill continued to struggle for line and length throughout the match and obviously did not see much of a future for himself in the game and announced his retirement mid test! Once this game is concluded he'll head back to Austrlaia and devote his energies to his wine appreciation television show. Not a bad little retirement plan.

Day four was a bitter one for the hosts and some inspired bowling by Brett Lee (aided by some dubious umpiring decisions) saw them crash to all out for 352. Chanderpaul played with extraordinary skill and patience in protecting his lower order from the strike where he could and battling hard to avoid the follow-on. Of the last five batsman on the West Indies scorecard four departed for ducks. Chanderpaul's unbeaten 107 could have been so much more if he has some support from his batting partners. Lee finished with 5-59.

Austrlalia came back for their second inning looking to score quick runs. Katich was sitting out the inning with rib problems but Jacques finally made his first 50 without Hayden at the other end. Hussey, as inpromptu opener, chiped in a lively 40, the skipper 38 and when Lee departed for 63 fewer runs hin his first dig Symonds was left on 43 at the close of the day's play and Austrlia were sitting pretty on 6-244.

If Ponting declares overnight (and why wouldn't he?) it would be nothing short of remarkable if the Windies were to make the 370 odd they trail by on the fifth and final day.

If they can get away with a draw then I think the Windies will consider themselves well pleased and owe a significant debt of gratitude to both Chanderpaul and the weather.

More details and the match wrap-up on LJ at some stage in the future.

[MacGyver]

I was at Lords with the Japan National team for Day 5 of the first test and we were on the box! Oram's dig was enjoyable but beyond that nothing really happened on the day. Was good to watch live international cricket though as I haven't done so in a while.

As for the Aus-WI series, looks like we will retain the Frank Worrell trophy!

[wilde_oscar]

Are you playing on the team, managing or the super coach?

What sort of standard are they?

[MacGyver]

Are you playing on the team, managing or the super coach?

What sort of standard are they?

I was team manager for this trip but I'm also assistant coach and head of selectors. They're not too bad.

WCL Div 5
http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/index.shtml

[wilde_oscar]

Australia has retained the Frank Worrell trophy, but not in the manner they probably would have preferred.

After an overnight declaration (the second for the match), Ponting gave his bowlers one day to skittle the Windies and win the test. Realistically, it was only ever going to end as either an Australian victory or a draw as 372 was just too much for the hosts to chase down - even on the lifeless pitch of the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Things started well enough for the visitors and when Clark and Lee removed the openers and the score was on 2-19 the balance has swung towards the antipodeans. Enter Sarwan. The Windies skipper tempered his usual aggressive instincts (for the most part) and played his way to a well composed 128. Possibly more importantly, in the context of the match, he also faced 241 balls - that's 40 overs of the 93 that were bowled in total!

Morton failed again but Sarwan was again ably supported by Chanderpaul who again showed his class, contributing a disciplined 77 not out (from 180 balls) to go with his first innings century. This pair played with determination in their match-saving 143 run partnership and kept the key second session wicketless. In the final session, a bouncer from Johnson removed Sarwan (caught at gully by Hussey) and Lee had the in-form Bravo dismissed for 1. Australia sniffed victory but the keeper, Ramdin, and Chanderpaul preserved their wickets and the day's play ened with only five West Indians (three falling to Lee) back in the shed.

So, a drawn match (the first between the two sides since 1995)- enough for Australia to hold onto the trophy, and some very good signs of fight from the Windies. Ponting, in giving his bowlers only one day to take ten wickets, underestimated his opponents and paid the price while Sarwan played a real captain's knock and Chanderpaul, who richly deserved his man-of-the-match award, remains very much the anchor of the Caribbean batting lineup.

MacGill, despite bowling well, went wicketless in his final hurrah on the field of honour. There is a great deal of speculation in Australia about who will take on the role of team spinner. There really is not any one solid contender, and this deficiency could trouble Australia in years to come.

On the upside, Katich looks like he is recovering well from his rib injury and all the other bowlers are looking as fit as ever. Brett Lee continues to bowl very, very well and Stuart Clark's accuracy is something that every paceman should aspire to.

Chanderpaul has, apparently, picked up what pundits describe as a "calf niggle" but this should not rule him out of the next test.

The next and final test from this series will be played at Kensington Oval, Barbados in eight day's time to be follwed by a single 20-20 (wisely, it has been decided that less is more in this case) and a game against the University of the West Indies Chancellor's XI and then five ODIs.

Interestingly, the IPL man-of-the-series, Shane Watson, is set to head off to the Caribbean to take Hayden's place in the ODIs.

That a team with two talents such as Chanderpaul and Sarwan is rated eight in the test-playing world (edging out Zimbabwe - who curently have other problems - and Bangladesh) really does highlight the under-performance of the rest of the squad. Caribbean bowlers just do not seem to dominate innings, the upper order is fragile and the tail rarely flickers, let alone wags. Dwayne Bravo is doing well and would have to be one of the better genuine all-rounders playing today. The Windies coach, John Dyson, has his work cut out for him, but there are signs of hope.

Stay tuned to LJ - your home of cricket in the land of the shaky yen- for more coverage.

[MacGyver]

A day was never going to be enough on that deck. Only Shane Warne could have brought us home.

[wilde_oscar]

A day was never going to be enough on that deck. Only Shane Warne could have brought us home.

Indeed. Very much a case of Ponting under-rating the opposition.

Then again, the Windies selectors did their team no favours selecting five pretty similar bowlers. I would have been tempted to stick with Jaggernath rather than dropping him after one game.

At least the locals can't be accused of pitch doctoring as happens in certain other countries....

[wilde_oscar]

Well, no coverage on LJ due to a combination of work and illness.

Sorry about that, team.

The third test seems to have been a pretty good match. Australia won it and wrapped up the series 2-0 but the Windies showed a fair bit of fight in their second innings with their top order finally performing. Katich's 157 in the Australian second dig pretty much sealed the match and a chase of 450+ over two days was always going to be very, very difficult.

Thing that have come out of the series:

* There is a lot of talk about Australia slipping in the post-Warne period. They still managed to win this, and the last two, test series so perhaps reports of their decile and fall are exaggerated. All tests went to five days which is unusual for Australia, but something they will have to get used to.

* Katich is likely to go back to carrying drinks once Hayden recovers from his injury. The Man of the Series seems to have accepted this as a foregone conclusion.

* Chanderpaul won Man of the Series and deservedly so. He, Sarwan and Bravo should, if supported push the Windies up from their current 8th place in test rankings. Xavier Marshall has been tipped as a player to watch.

* The Windies bowling is also improving, Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor did well and with one more solid paceman and a spinner who enjoys the confidence of selectors they should have a decent little unit. Both Powell and Bravo underperformed with the ball, but that can also be remedied.

* Neither side's gloveman was outstanding. Haddin, despite grassing a few, will probably edge out Ronchi for the short term. Ramdin by contrast showed good technique behind the pegs, but seemed to be just another bunny with the willow. The 1930's are over and keepers are expected to be able to bat. Who knows if there is another Caribbean contenter out there?

* Lee and Stuart Clark really are the face of the Australian attack, Johnson was disappointing and the part-timers aren't fit for front-line duty. Lee in particular was over-used but bowled with admirable constinency. Australia will be hoping that he doesn't get injured.

So, there we go. Series over, the Frank Worrell Trophy stays with the Australians and the tour moves into a 20-20 and then one dayers. More sporadic coverage on LJ to come....

[MacGyver]

* There is a lot of talk about Australia slipping in the post-Warne period. They still managed to win this, and the last two, test series so perhaps reports of their decile and fall are exaggerated. All tests went to five days which is unusual for Australia, but something they will have to get used to.

After so many great players retired within about a 1 or so year period, its fair that questions are asked. Although considering that the Aussies have only lost 1 series out of the past 16, its starting to get a bit tiresome. WI in WI is never easy, no matter how poor their side supposedly is. In fact most sides at home are tough to beat but the way the media portrayed it, the Aussies were going over to play the U/9 blind school. India in India will of course be a much sterner test and I'm sure if the Aussies lose there, then the media will be saying that the era of Aussie domination is over. That's short-sighted considering that hardly anyone ever wins in India. Many reasons for this including the harsh playing conditions and the doctored wickets.

* Katich is likely to go back to carrying drinks once Hayden recovers from his injury. The Man of the Series seems to have accepted this as a foregone conclusion.

Actually you got it right below.

* Chanderpaul won Man of the Series and deservedly so. He, Sarwan and Bravo should, if supported push the Windies up from their current 8th place in test rankings. Xavier Marshall has been tipped as a player to watch.

As for Xavier Marshall's future, hmmm we'll see is my reaction. Tony Cozier sums it up best I reckon.

*Johnson was disappointing and the part-timers aren't fit for front-line duty.

Johnson is overrated. Unfortunately for Aussie cricket, DK said a few years ago that Johnno was the real deal and ever since he's gone from relative obscurity to playing for Australia in record time. Maybe one day he might be a decent bowler but he's a number of years away from that. Best for him to go back to State and County cricket and hone his art but unfortunately the selectors are mesmerized by DK's comments and they don't have the guts to admit both they and DK got it wrong. Or at least were way too early.

[wilde_oscar]

Correction

As picked up by MacGyver, Kaitch was the Man of the Match for the third test - Chanderpaul was the Man of the Series.

Apologies for the mistake.

Also, yes, India in India will be a real tough ask. Should be good cricket though. No tips from me on that one yet. if casson goes as the prime spinner then he will really have a very steep learning curve.

[MacGyver]

No tips from me on that one yet.

India are quite obviously the favourites. Even when the Aussies had the recent retirees and were at the top of their game they struggled to beat India in India. The fact that India made a game of it last time they were in Oz suggests the Aussies are going to struggle. I think 1 win is probably the best they can hope for. I can't see them winning more test matches than that. Especially as they will be without a recognised spinner. Whoever the Aussies take will be mostly untested at international level and will also have to deal with the Indian conditions. I can't see the Indians having too many problems playing any of the top spinners going around at the minute in Oz. Add to the fact that they only have 2 decent bowlers right now and I think they'll struggle to bowl India out once, let alone twice.

[wilde_oscar]

Indeed one might expect India to win comfortably, but I have a sneaking suspicion that things will not go all their own way.

The Australian attack did not have much depth in the Caribbean, but there is still time for consolidation before they go to India.

Additionally, the Australian top order have some proven performers in India and have the ability to bat themselves out of trouble.

That said, this will be a series worth following closely.

[MacGyver]

Indeed one might expect India to win comfortably, but I have a sneaking suspicion that things will not go all their own way.

And if it doesn't, all they have to do is complain about the umpiring, demand that an umpire to their liking is chosen, and threaten to not continue playing if things don't start going their way.

[wilde_oscar]

20-20 News

The Windies won the 20-20 game. In an 11 over a side extravaganza (I am joking about that) the host chased down Australia's 3/97 in 9.1 overs getting over the line at 3/102.

Pretty small beer, but it's good that the Windies could muster a win. Luke Ronchi (stepping in for Haddin)and Xavier Marshall (already noted as a man-to-watch here on LJ) both top scored on 38.

Other tour news

In other news, Australian flogged the University of the West Indies Chancellor's XI.

Even resting Ponting & Lee and with Symonds out (and looking doubtful for the rest of the tour with a gimp back) it really was no contest.

Who would have thought it.

Australia batted first and made 6-337 the Caribbean XI was skittled for 126 in 33.1 overs.

Ramdin's 43 was about the only bright spot for the hosts.

Nathan Bracken is back from injury and performed well with the ball (3-25 from eight) and Shane Watson and David Hussey both made strong cases for their inclusion in the one day squad.

Next match will be the start of the five ODIs on Tuesday at St Vincent.

[wilde_oscar]

Australia flogged the Windies in the first one-dayer.

The IPL's highest scorer, Shaun Marsh smashed 81 from 97 balls as facing opener and was ably assisted by Watson (31), Hussey (44) and Haddin (50) was Australia racked up 8/273 from their 50 overs.

In response, the Windies could only make 187 as they were bundled out in one ball less than 40 overs. No Caribbean batsman scored more than 33 (Sammy and Bravo were equal top scorers). Between Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken the Windies innings was prety much stifled and with a steady series of dismissals there were no significant partnerships.

The 84 run victory puts Australia 1-0 up in the five match series.

Next game will be on Friday the 27th in Grenada.

[wilde_oscar]

Last post for this thread, I think.

I have been holding off posting as I was hoping I wouldhave something to report other than Australian victory after Australian victory.

5-0 in the ODIs later I do not.

Australia pretty much dominated it from go to woe. The new generation of Aussie ODI players showed some pretty good form and despite odd flashes from the hosts very little of substance was trotted out.

Interetsing to see how the Aussies go in India - that will be a real test for them.

[MacGyver]

Ronchi! My boy! After Gilly retired I thought that he should have leap-frogged Haddin into the Aussie team, certainly the 2 shorter forms of the game if not tests. Haddin's done nothing wrong but I think Ronchi is both a better gloveman and batsman than Haddin. But now that Ronchi has done well at his limited performances at ODI level, he's breathing down Haddin's neck. If Haddin has a slip-up, Ronchi might just come straight in.