Big win for Aussies

Melbourne: Australia continued its winning summer with a 113-run win over the West Indies in the first of the five-match ODI series, at the MCG, on Sunday.

Australia made 256 for the loss of eight wickets, before Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris’s new-ball efforts helped bundle the visiting side out for 143.

Kieron Pollard’s career-best bowling figures helped peg back Australia after it was 135 for one, but the Windies struggled in their chase after captain Chris Gayle departed for seven.

For Australia, Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting performed well at the top. Watson pulled comfortably and made an attacking 74-ball 59, which included three boundaries.

Scoreboard

 Australia: S. Watson c Morton b Gayle 59, S. Marsh c Ramdin b Smith 20, R. Ponting b Pollard 49, M. Clarke c Ramdin b Pollard 18, C. White c Ramdin b Roach 22, M. Hussey c Ramdin b Rampaul 28, B. Haddin c & b Pollard 8, M. Johnson b Rampaul 21, N. Hauritz (not out) 6, R. Harris (not out) 2; Extras (b-4, lb-9, w-10) 23: Total (for eight wickets, in 50 overs) 256.

Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-135, 3-144, 4-179, 5-189, 6-210, 7-241, 8-254.

West Indies bowling: Roach 10-1-41-1, Rampaul 8-0-43-2, Smith 8-0-42-1, Miller 8-0-40-0, Gayle 6-0-32-1, Pollard 10-0-45-3.

West Indies: C. Gayle c Johnson b Bollinger 7, R. Morton c Haddin b Harris 3, T. Dowlin c White b Bollinger 1, L. Simmons c Haddin b Watson 29, N. Deonarine c Ponting b Johnson 19, K. Pollard c Johnson b Hauritz 31, D. Ramdin b Harris 17, D. Smith c Watson b Hauritz 7, N. Miller c Haddin b Harris 4, R. Rampaul c Marsh b Hauritz 3, K. Roach (not out) 0; Extras (b-4, lb-7, w-11) 22: Total (in 34.2 overs) 143.

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-12, 3-12, 4-44, 5-108, 6-111, 7-135, 8-136, 9-143.

Australia bowling: Bollinger 6-3-18-2, Harris 9-1-24-3, Johnson 7-0-31-1, Watson 6-0-31-1, Hauritz 6.2-0-28-3.