Watson, Johnson, Cutting To The Fore In Australia Win

Watson, Johnson, Cutting To The Fore In Australia Win

Johnson Charles is comprehensively bowled as the West Indies head towards a fourth defeat in the ODI series against Australia

©REUTERS / Action Images

Australia 224-5 (Watson 76) beat
West Indies 220 (Pollard 109no) by 5 wickets
Fourth One-day International, Sydney
Scorecard
Report by John Pennington

Kieron Pollard scored an outstanding century - his second against Australia - but even that wasn't enough to prevent Australia sealing a five-wicket victory in the fourth match in Sydney.

Shane Watson was in good form again, scoring a half-century, as Australia moved into a 4-0 series lead with one match to play, further extending their record of not having lost an ODI at home to the West Indies since 1997.

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Pollard crunched 109 not out in 136 deliveries with 11 fours and two sixes as he helped his side recover from 55 for six although even his heroics could only haul them up to a score of 220 all out before Australia closed on 224 for five in the 45th over of their reply.

In terms of support for the powerful all-rounder, the best he received was from Darren Sammy (25) and Sunil Narine (23) while Andre Russell, with 18, was the only other player to reach double figures.

With no Mitchell Starc in the team, it was the turn of Mitchell Johnson (3-36) and Ben Cutting (3-45) to inflict the body blows with Glenn Maxwell chipping in with the wicket of the dangerous Dwayne Bravo for three.

Missing Chris Gayle at the top due to his side strain injury, and with Kieran Powell (9) unable to follow up his recent run of good form, the West Indies collapsed dramatically as Johnson Charles (0), Darren Bravo (4), Narsingh Deonarine (10) and Devon Thomas (7) departed cheaply.

Pollard's partnerships with Sammy, Russell and Narine dragged the West Indies up to a modest score but Australia never let things get away from them, Cutting having Sammy caught by Michael Clarke, James Faulkner dismissing Narine and Aaron Finch and Faulkner combining to run out Tino Best for one with two balls of the innings remaining.

Australia then showed the West Indies just how to construct an ODI innings with Watson and Finch putting on 53 for the first wicket in less than 10 overs.

Watson powered his way to 76 in 84 balls with nine fours and Finch hit 25 in 30 before he was trapped in front by Narine, who went on to have Phillip Hughes caught by Dwayne Bravo for 23. 30 runs later and Watson was gone, caught behind off Best but with the score on 145 for three, Australia were well on their way.

Captain Clarke stroked 37 in 65 balls while Adam Voges, playing just his 16th ODi since making his debut almost six years ago, made a fluent 28 in 39 balls to ensure the home team stayed on course.

Despite their dismissals, Clarke caught behind by Best and Voges caught by Sammy off Russell, Australia were in no mood to relent, Matthew Wade ending his summer by hitting 13 not out in just seven balls and Maxwell hitting four in two. Victory was sealed with more than five overs to spare.

The West Indies' final chance to end their long run without an ODI win in Australia comes in two days time (10th February) in Melbourne.

© Cricket World 2013