Australia Outclass West Indies Again To Seal 4-0 Win

Australia 324-5 (Ponting 61, Hopes 57no, Watson 51) beat
West Indies 199 (Sammy 47no, Bollinger 3-33) by 125 runs
Fifth One-Day International, Melbourne
Scorecard | TV Reaction

Australia easily beat the West Indies by 125 runs in the fifth and final One-Day International at Melbourne to seal a 4-0 series victory.

Ricky Ponting, James Hopes and Shane Watson all scored half-centuries as the home side scored 324 for five and in reply Doug Bollinger picked up three wickets as the tourists were bowled out for 199.

Ponting made 61 in 55 balls having come to the crease with Australia off to a flyer thanks to Shane Watson's 51 in as many balls, crunching three fours and three sixes, most of which came down the ground while Shaun Marsh made a quickfire 32.

Ponting, later named man of the series, hit three fours and a six as Australia dominated proceedings from start to finish having also won the toss.

Michael Clarke (47) and Cameron White (22) kept up the pressure on the West Indies before Adam Voges (45 in 36 balls) and Hopes (57 in 26 balls) launched Australia well past 300, Hopes' superb innings including ten boundaries.

Ravi Rampaul and Dwayne Smith both picked up a pair of wickets but both were expensive as the bowlers were savaged.

The West Indies then got off to a dreadful start to their run chase, slipping to 39 for four after Bollinger removed openers Chris Gayle (14) and Travis Dowlin (0) and Ryan Harris dismissed Narsingh Deonarine (4) and Wavell Hinds (5).

Kieron Pollard, promoted to number four, made a fluent 45 as he tried desperately to get the innings back on track, but Australia were too strong, their dominance epitomised when Lendl Simmons middled a cut stroke only to see the ball caught cleanly by Clarke in the covers.

He made 29, Denesh Ramdin 21 and later on Nikita Miller 22 and although Darren Sammy was left unbeaten on 47, the West Indies fell well short, leg-spinner Steven Smith picking up a couple of wickets on debut to close out the game.

The two sides now play two Twenty20 Internationals in Hobart on 21st February and in Sydney on 23rd February.

© Cricket World 2010

Breaking news, score updates and interviews on Cricket World Live - tune in from Monday to Friday, 11:00 - 17:00 GMT and, get the latest from Cricket World® with Facebook, twitter and YouTube and keep up with the action with the latest cricket TV highlights and interviews.