Ruthless Australia Demolish Woeful West Indies

Ruthless Australia Demolish Woeful West Indies

Australia celebrate a wicket as they book their place in the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20.

©REUTERS/Philip Brown (ST LUCIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Australia 109-4 (Haddin 42) beat
West Indies 105 (Smith 3-20, D Hussey 2-3) by six wickets
ICC World Twenty20 Group F, Saint Lucia
Scorecard

Australia booked their place in the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals with a crushing six-wicket over the West Indies, a result in Saint Lucia that also confirmed Sri Lanka's place in the last four.

Batting first, the West Indies lost captain and talisman Chris Gayle to the second legitimate ball of the match when he was bowled by Dirk Nannes and the Australians didn't look back on their way to a fifth straight win.

The West Indies lost wickets in clutches on their way to a dismal 105 all out in 19 overs and Australia then eased their way home with Brad Haddin scoring 42 and the winning runs, coming via five wides from Gayle, were leaked in the 17th over.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (24) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (26) briefly threatened to mount a fightback before Mitchell Johnson had Chanderpaul caught by David Hussey, effected the run out of Dwayne Bravo (6) and then had Denesh Ramdin caught by Brad Haddin for one.

Leg-spinner Steven Smith enhanced his reputation with a haul of three for 20 by dismissing Narsingh Deonarine (0), Kieron Pollard (13) and Darren Sammy (0) as the West Indies limped past 100 thanks to Nikita Miller's unbeaten ten at the death.

In reply, Australia cruised home, choosing to take their time and milk the runs available with only one six, coming from David Warner.

Warner (25), Shane Watson (5), Michael Clarke, to a brilliant run out from Bravo for 16, and Haddin, were the men to fall as the West Indies fought hard but simply did not have anything like enough runs on the board.

They had needed to win by 24 runs to stay in the tournament, but that target was quickly out of the question and the match was ceded when Gayle bounced new batsman Cameron White, also sending the ball flying over wicket-keeper Ramdin. It was a passage of play that rather summed up their day.

Australia will meet Pakistan in the second semi-final while England take on Sri Lanka in the opening knockout match.

© Cricket World 2010

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