Adam Gilchrist overcame Ashes nemesis Andrew Flintoff and Australia's batsmen clobbered the World XI bowling attack yesterday, scoring 328 for four in the second Super Series match.
Gilchrist plundered 103, while captain Ricky Ponting (66) and Damien Martyn (54) posted half centuries, and opener Simon Katich was three runs short of his second consecutive 50.
Andrew Symonds was unbeaten 31 off 14 balls and shared a 52-run fifth-wicket stand with Michael Clarke (17 not out) in 29 balls.
PHOTO: AFP
The World XI needs a record total against Australia to win and will need to harness all the talent in its batting-heavy lineup to acquire the 329 runs in 50 overs and keep the three-match series alive.
Australia, which won the series opener by 93 runs on Wednesday, has conceded more than 300 in a limited-overs international only seven times -- and only once in this Millennium. The record against Australia was England's 320-8 at Birmingham in 1980.
In its favor, the World XI will be facing an Australian attack missing pace spearhead Glenn McGrath, sidelined with leg soreness and replaced by rookie Stuart Clark.
Gilchrist, who struggled against Flintoff in Australia's recent upset Ashes test series loss to England, set the tone early with his 12th ODI hundred.
He reached 50 off 37 balls, hammering 20 of those runs off Flintoff's first four overs, and his 79-ball knock contained four giant sixes and eight boundaries.
He dominated a 110-run opening stand with Katich (47) and a 63-run partnership with Ponting.
Ponting and Martyn added 103 in a run-a-ball third-wicket stand before falling on consecutive deliveries.
Ponting had a reprieve on 65 when he was caught in the deep off a Shoaib Akhtar no-ball, but was run out by Flintoff next over after a mix-up with Martyn.
Flintoff bowled Martyn next ball as Australia slipped to 276-4 with 4.3 overs remaining.
The England allrounder picked up 24 wickets in the Ashes series, but so far has been targeted by Australia's batsmen. He returned 0-66 in game one and 1-64 in eight overs on Friday.
In an interesting subplot, Muttiah Muralitharan was brought on to bowl in the 11th over at umpire Darrell Hair's end. Hair no-balled Muralitharan seven times for throwing during one Melbourne test in 1995 in a standoff that polarized cricket.
There were no controversial calls against Muralitharan this time, the Sri Lankan spinner returning 1-43 in 10 overs.
Muralitharan deceived Katich with a doosra in the 20th over and part-timer Virender Sehwag (1-20 in three overs) bowled Gilchrist in the 29th.
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