Cricket: Waugh wrecks West Indies
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Your support makes all the difference.MARK WAUGH conjured an unlikely victory for Australia over the West Indies in their World Series Cup match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday.
Having propped up his side's innings of 198 for 8 by top-scoring with 57, the New South Wales all- rounder turned the match round when the West Indians were apparently coasting to victory at 158 for 2 with eight overs remaining. In the space of 29 balls Waugh removed five batsmen, including Richie Richardson, at a cost of 16 runs as the West Indies were bowled out for 194. He finished with career- best figures of 5 for 24.
Mark Taylor's inspired decision to toss the ball to Waugh meant that he maintained his unbeaten run since stepping in as captain four games ago in place of the injured Allan Border.
'I haven't bowled that much this year so it was a little bit of a surprise to come on,' said Waugh, who lured Richardson into giving Taylor a catch at short cover in the 46th over. 'They certainly had the game in their grasp but there was a lot of pressure out there.'
Australia's total, boosted by Waugh's fifth-wicket partnership of 74 with the newcomer Damien Martyn, who made 40, always seemed within the West Indies' reach even though the outfield was slow enough to restrict the home side to only seven boundaries in their innings.
Brian Lara contributed 74 in two-and-a-half hours, while Richardson blazed 61 from 73 deliveries, including six fours and two sixes, but once the West Indies captain was out panic set in. Wickets were thrown away with silly shots and run-outs.
Their last hope lay with Anderson Cummins, who needed to hit the final delivery of the match from Mark Waugh for four to tie the score, but he holed out to Craig McDermott at long off.
'I can't believe it. We had the match in our arms and gave it away,' Richardson said.
The excitement proved too much for some among the almost 75,000 spectators at the MCG for the first international of the summer. Five were arrested for running on to the ground and numerous fights broke out in the crowd.
(Australia won toss)
AUSTRALIA
* M A Taylor c Hooper b Simmons 10
D C Boon c Haynes b Ambrose 4
D M Jones c Arthurton b Cummins 22
S R Waugh run out 34
M E Waugh c Hooper b Ambrose 57
D R Martyn c Murray b Ambrose 40
I A Healy c Haynes b Hooper 13
G R J Matthews not out 6
P R Reiffel run out 0
C J McDermott not out 0
Extras (5lb 6w 1nb) 12
Total (for 8, 50 overs) 198
Fall: 1-13 2-17 3-63 4-86 5-160 6-186 7-192 8-197.
Bowling: Ambrose 10-3-25-3 (2w); Simmons
10-3-31-1 (1w); Walsh 10-1-42-0 (2w); Cummins 10-0-45-1 (1w 1nb); Hooper 10-0-50-1.
WEST INDIES
B C Lara b M Waugh 74
D L Haynes c Taylor b Whitney 4
P V Simmons c Healy b Reiffel 24
* R B Richardson c Taylor b M Waugh 61
C L Hooper c Martyn b S Waugh 6
A L Logie run out 0
K L T Arthurton c Jones b M Waugh 9
J R Murray c and b M Waugh 5
C E L Ambrose run out 0
A C Cummins c McDermott b M Waugh 2
C A Walsh not out 0
Extras (lb 9) 9
Total (50 overs) 194
Fall: 1-18 2-66 3-158 4-173 5-178 6-178 7-187 8-192 9-192.
Bowling: McDermott 7-1-27-0; Whitney 10-1-27-1; Reiffel 10-1-45-1; Matthews 7-0-24-0; S Waugh 10-0-38-1; M Waugh 6-0-24-5.
---------------------------------- WORLD SERIES CUP STANDINGS ---------------------------------- P W L T Pts NR Australia 5 3 1 1 7 -0.11 West Indies 5 2 3 0 4 0.14 Pakistan 4 1 2 1 3 -0.02 ----------------------------------
(NR=Net run rate; team's run rate per over less opponents' run rate per over.)
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