Clarke sets up huge win
2008-06-28 09:16
St George's - Michael Clarke hit 56 and claimed three for 26 on Friday to help Australia beat the West Indies in the second one-day cricket international at the Grenada National Stadium.
The visitors, who took the opening encounter in S. Vincent on Tuesday, won by 63 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method and took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Clarke and left-hander Michael Hussey (62) revived a wobbling innings and led the Australians to 213 for five off 50 overs. The pair shared an even century partnership that shifted the early momentum.
The West Indies' reply slumped to 58 for six off 27 overs when persistent drizzle arrived and stalled the contest. The home team eventually reached 140 for eight off 41 overs, well short of the Duckworth/Lewis revised victory target of 204.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul led with an unbeaten 45 while tailenders Daren Powell (21) and Sulieman Benn (23 not out) provided a late boost.
Clarke's left-arm spin was supported by Shane Watson (two for 22). Fellow pacers Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and James Hopes each took a wicket.
Drizzle stalled charge
"I'm more satisfied with this win than I was with game one," captain Ricky Ponting said. "I think we had to work a lot harder in this game for the win."
Earlier, Jerome Taylor started the Caribbean side quickly, trapping Shane Watson leg before for duck from the last ball of the first over. New ball mate Daren Powell also supplied an early wicket as Shaun Marsh (12) edged to wicketkeeper Patrick Browne.
Taylor added the wicket of Ponting, playing in his 300th one-day international, for 13 as the visitors slipped to 35 for three on a helpful pitch.
Ponting chipped a slower ball to short midwicket.
Hussey and Clarke began their partnership with four scoreless overs and took few risks in rebuilding the innings. Clarke was 30 when Bravo at slip moved too early and allowed an edge off Benn to elude him. Benn also floored a very hard return catch just after Clarke passed 50, but the Aussie pair offered little else.
Clarke eventually fell leg before to Benn as he came too far across his stumps. The right-hander hit six fours. Hussey arrived at his half century off 93 balls but once he holed out, Cameron White dominated the final overs.
White, dropped both at 33 and 39, finished with 40 not out off 39 balls.
Lee staggered the West Indies when Xavier Marshall edged the first ball of the innings to wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi.
The West Indies top order subsided meekly as Chris Gayle (10) slapped Johnson to mid-off and Andre Fletcher (19) missed an ugly pull attempt at Hopes and was bowled.
Dwayne Bravo clipped Watson to deep square leg while Clarke put the West Indies firmly on the mat with wickets from Patrick Browne and Kieron Pollard.
Browne edged to slip while Pollard holed out to long-off.
The arrival of light drizzle only stalled the Australian charge, and the victory was assured even before the resumption and the Duckworth/Lewis recalculation.
- SAPA