ANTIGUA: CRICKET - Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara analyse the Super Eights meeting between Australia and the West Indies

Ricky Ponting says Australia are playing really well in his reaction to today's Super Eights match between Australia and the West Indies Australia completed a 103-run victory over West Indies on Wednesday (March 28) in the opening World Cup Super Eights match which spilled into a second day after rain had stopped play in Antigua.. Once again captain Brian Lara with 77 was the only player from the host team to offer any real resistance as the West Indies' batting disintegrated in a rash of undisciplined shots at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. "I just thought that yes we have to score quickly, yes we have to keep up with the run rate. But they were raw shots. But as I said if they had come off it would have been a different story. Our idea today was just to play each one on its merit and try to make sure that the run rate doesn't get too far behind. Make sure that we don't loose any wickets but that's what we did. We lost wickets in the first ten overs and that killed our options needed to win," Lara said at a post match press conference. The innings finally ended on a hot, sunny afternoon, contrasting with Tuesday's miserable conditions, when Shaun Tait bowled Daren Powell for five to end the innings at 219 with 4.3 overs to spare. West Indies, chasing 323 to beat the defending champions, were a miserable 20 for three when Lara came to the crease with Chris Gayle (2) and Marlon Samuel (4) succumbing to catches after wild heaves. He set about repairing the innings in partnership with Ramnaresh Sarwan, who survived a chance to Michael Hussey at mid-wicket with his score on 12, to help bring up the 50 from 19.1 overs. Australia captain Ricky Ponting brought back his strike bowler Tait, who had generated his highest pace of the tournament with speeds in excess of 150 kilometres an hour (93 miles an hour). "Its not worrying me at all at the moment that we haven't had any close games. I think we have played excellent cricket since the moment we arrived here. Even looking back at our practice games we got a lot out of those. The games we have played so far have been fantastic. We are setting some very high standards for ourselves," said captain Ricky Ponting. Lara responded with a hook for four, followed by a sumptuous drive though the covers and then a thin edge which also sped to the boundary. The pair had added 71 for the fourth wicket when Sarwan slapped a full toss from Brad Hogg straight to Ponting at mid-wicket and was out for 29. Hogg said, "I reckon I was bowling better before the tournament started than what I am now. Its just funny how the wickets drop for you. I seemed to be getting a few balls down which is good. Its just funny the way the game goes." Dwayne Bravo (9) became Glenn McGrath's third victim before Lara brought up his 63rd one-day half-century from 62 balls with seven fours. Lara was eventually out trapped lbw to left-arm spinner Hogg going down on his knees and trying to squeeze a delivery past wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. A flurry of attacking shots from wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (52) held the Australians up longer than they might have anticipated before he was caught behind off Nathan Bracken bowling left-arm cutters off his short run. McGrath, relishing the early moisture in the pitch, finished with three for 31 from eight overs to move to within one wicket of equalling Pakistani Wasim Akram's World Cup record of 55. Hogg captured three for 56 from 10. Ponting praised the contributions of his bowlers the day after his team posted their fourth consecutive total exceeding 300 in as many matches in the tournament. "I thought our new ball bowling was excellent," he told a news conference. Lara said losing three wickets in fewer than 10 overs had been a major factor but defended Gayle and Samuels's shot selections. Gayle was caught at mid-wicket trying to pull while Samuels hit an attempted drive straight up into the air.

ITN Source | March 30, 2007

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