Cricket: Australia defeat incenses crowd
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Your support makes all the difference.AUSTRALIA'S one-day team hardly enjoyed the fruit of their labour at the WACA ground in Perth yesterday, in fact they did their best to avoid it. So incensed were the local fans with the nine- wicket surrender to the West Indies in the opening game of the World Series that they showered cans and fruit on to the field.
The ease with which Desmond Haynes knocked off the runs as the West Indies, beaten by Pakistan in the first game of the series, cruised home only served to exacerbate local irritation with Australia's own struggle to scratch together 160 for 7 off their full 50 overs. Haynes hit 11 fours, many from blistering drives, in an unbeaten 81, scored off 121 balls in 145 minutes at the crease. He shared a scintillating second- wicket partnership of 111 in 85 minutes with Phil Simmons, who finished on 43 not out.
Allan Border, Australia's captain, was not impressed with the way his side played or the crowd's reaction. 'It wasn't a great performance but we are playing for Australia. People of Western Australia could get behind us a little bit more,' Border said. 'Mike Whitney got pelted with cans and fruit and that is reserved for playing overseas. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. When you are playing in Australia for Australia it is just not on,' he said.
Richie Richardson, the West Indies captain, was surprised at the course the match took. 'I thought the wicket was so flat you would never bowl a team out for 160. On that pitch you could get 250 with a good start,' he said.
The Australians had gone in armed with excuses. Dean Jones and Mark Waugh were both suffering with a viral complaint. Jones struggled for 69 minutes to make 14 off 61 deliveries, while Waugh battled on to score 36 in 102 minutes at the crease. Border, who was run out for 15, said he was still being troubled by a hamstring injury.
Had it not been for the left- handed Greg Matthews chipping in with 32 and wicketkeeper Ian Healy making an unbeaten 21 from only 23 balls, the defeat would have been worse.
Simmons, rather than Haynes, collected the man-of-the-match award, because he took 2 for 22 from 10 overs in the Australian innings, aided by Carl Hooper, with 2 for 37.
Border is unlikely to play in the next one-day match against the West Indies in Sydney tomorrow. He said the 21-year-old Western Australian right-hander Damien Martyn would probably come in.
WORLD SERIES (Perth): Australia 160 for 7 (50 overs). West Indies 164 for 1 (38.3 overs; D L Haynes 81 not out). West Indies win by nine
wickets.
Wasim Akram took a hat-trick, removing the last three batsmen, to finish with 5 for 33 as Pakistan bowled out a Northern Territory Invitational XI for 179 to win by 94 runs in Alice Springs yesterday. Saeed Anwar unpinned Pakistan's batting with a run-a-ball century as the touring side reached 273 for 6.
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