Australia stays undefeated

By Andrew Ramsey

ADELAIDE, JAN. 26. True to recent events, Mark Waugh provided the only talking point of Friday's one-day international against the West Indies even though his name will not appear in the match details.

And even despite his recent (and shortlived) decision to turn his back on the investigation into the latest controversy which has engulfed him, it was a stunned Adelaide Oval crowd which saw him quite literally turn his back on the game on Friday afternoon.

So glaring has been the spotlight on Waugh this week after he announced he planned not to co-operate with an investigations into bookmakers' allegations against him, it was not difficult to assume he was still dazzled when a routine slips catch headed his way just five minutes into Friday's scheduled day-night match at Adelaide Oval.

As the white ball sped at him from Damien Fleming's hand via the perfectly angled bat of West Indian opener Darren Ganga, Waugh's only reaction was to swivel around in evasive action whereupon it slammed into his left shoulder blade. But in a sign that the bad aura which has enveloped him all week may finally be lifting, the ball duly lobbed lazily into the air and into Shane Warne's waiting hands at first slip.

Waugh claimed later he had been totally unsighted and had no idea where the ball was headed.

It's been their favoured mode of dismissal since their miserable tour began. Perhaps he was expecting Fleming, in his first international match since last April after a lengthy injury lay- off, to take longer than two deliveries to produce a wicket- taking ball. But again that defies logic given the form of the West Indian batsmen who have all struggled to come to grips with the Australian bowling this summer.

It was a shrewd move to open with local hero Lehmann. Otherwise the sell-out crowd of 27,640 paying spectators could well have rioted given the match was over by 7.05 p.m. local time in bright sunlight. In keeping with the celebratory theme of the match which was played on the holiday recognising Australia's national day, everything went right for Australia from the moment Jimmy Adams won yet another toss and opted to bat.

Less than a week after the worst bowling spell of his career, Brett Lee produced a fiery spell which routed the Windies paper thin batting and netted him 4-33 and man of the match honours. He shattered the top order when he dismissed opener Ridley Jacobs (2) and Brian Lara (0) in consecutive balls, and then trapped Jimmy Adams in front with a clever slower ball to leave the tourists reeling at 5-32.

In the meantime Fleming had staked his claim for a place on next month's tour of India by grabbing two wickets in his first four overs and finishing with the impressive figures of 3-32.

At 7-65 the West Indies was once again staring at its lowest-ever one-day total of 87 made against Australia in Sydney eight years ago, but an enterprising 20 from legspinner Mahendra Nagamootoo helped it avoid that shame.

But it was again left to the Windies bowlers to add respectability to their total, which McLean (24 n.o.) and Cuffy (13) were able to do with a useful last-wicket stand of 41 from 58 balls which was the best of the innings.

Any hopes of a remarkable West Indies win was snuffed out by the brazen opening stand of 124 from 138 balls between Martyn (69 n.o.) and Lehmann (50).

Due to the premature finish of the West Indies innings, the novice opening pair had 10 overs to bat before the scheduled dinner break and used that time to reduce the deficit by 55 runs. They continued in the same vain after the break, carrying Australia to a 10-wicket win with more than 27 overs to spare.

Australia remains undefeated in the triangular series and plays Zimbabwe on Sunday in the next match in Sydney.

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