September 27, 2009

Mitchell Johnson hit 73 as title holders Australia flourished in the closing overs to launch their ICC Champions Trophy campaign with a 50-run win over the West Indies.

But the anticipated stroll for the world champions never materialised because the outsiders shrugged off the absence of their best players owing to a contract dispute and improved markedly on a midweek drubbing from Pakistan.

Australia was sent in to bat at the Wanderers stadium and finished their 50 overs on 8-275 before restricting the West Indies to 9-225 off 46.5 overs with injured Dale Richards unable to bat.

“I thought we did really well to make our score with exceptional batting from Mitchell, but we did not bowl to our best ability with too many extras conceded,'' said Australia skipper Ricky Ponting.

West Indies captain Floyd Reifer also hailed Johnson.



“He played a magnificent innings. After reaching 2-124 we needed to carry on with one of the batsmen scoring 80, 90 or even 100, but we are learning quickly.''

Australia began disastrously in a rematch of the 2006 Mumbai final they won by eight wickets with Shane Watson bowled off the first ball by a late swinging yorker from Kemar Roach on his return in place of Tino Best.

Enter Ponting to steady the innings with 79 runs off 94 balls, including nine fours and a six, before missing a well-flighted delivery from Nikita Miller and Chadwick Walton sent the bails flying.

A middle-order slump saw the defending champions surrender three wickets cheaply before Johnson demonstrated that his skills extend beyond the ball.

He survived a scare when in single figures to amass his unbeaten 73 off 66 balls in an innings that included eight fours and three sixes and Brett Lee (25) proved a solid partner before being run out.

Miller, top-scorer with 51 in the five-wicket defeat by Pakistan at the same venue three days ago, was the most successful Windies bowler, taking two wickets for the loss of 24 runs with the 10-over stint including a maiden.

Expectations were high for Gavin Tonge after his four-wicket haul against the Pakistanis, but he finished without a wicket and conceded 55 runs.

Devon Smith scored two consecutive fours at the start of the West Indies innings to signal that the batting collapse that saw them plunge to 7-47 in midweek was unlikely to be repeated.

He made 17 before being caught by Tim Paine off the bowling of Peter Siddle and then Andre Fletcher and Travis Dowlin lifted the 2004 champions to 124 before the former was run out for 54 by Johnson.

Another five balls and another Windies wicket fell with wicketkeeper Walton attempting to take the cover off the ball only to get an inside edge into the stumps.

Having stayed just ahead of the required run rate for some time, the West Indies slipped owing to a dearth of boundaries and a spectacular Paine catch saw top scorer Dowlin exit after contributing 55, including five boundaries.

Darren Sammy did manage two sixes and a four in a 20-run stay, but wickets fell at regular intervals with Watson, Siddle and Nathan Hauritz turning the screws to ensure success.