Australia outplayed the West Indies by eight wickets on Sunday to claim the limited-overs Champions Trophy title that had been missing from the silverware collection of Ricky Ponting's team.
Bundling defending champion the West Indies out for 138 in 30.4 overs, Australia was on course for victory when play was interrupted by heavy showers. The loss of two-and-a-quarter hours of play forced the organizers to change the equation in the 50-over contest, reducing Australia's target to 116 from 35 overs.
World champion Australia sprinted to 116 for two in 28.1 overs to clinch the limited-overs trophy that had eluded it on four previous attempts since the biennial event began in 1998.
PHOTO: AFP
Opener Shane Watson (57-not-out) and Damien Martyn (47-not-out) shared an unbroken 103-run partnership for the third wicket to steer Australia home after the early departure of Adam Gilchrist (2) and skipper Ponting (zero).
Watson's 88-ball knock included four boundaries, while Martyn had six fours from 71 balls.
Winner of the past two World Cups, Australia was making its maiden appearance in the final of the Champions Trophy, cricket's second biggest limited-overs tournament, despite its long reign as world No. 1. The Australians stumbled out of the semi-finals at the previous two tournaments.
Australia avenged its 10-run loss to the West Indies at the same venue last month in the tournament's preliminary round.
The Australian victory was set up by pace bowlers Nathan Bracken (3-22) and Glenn McGrath (2-24), who ripped through the top order as West Indies crashed to the lowest score in a Champions Trophy final.
Eight West Indies batsmen failed to enter double figures as the innings collapsed after a robust opening stand between Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who put on 49 runs off 31 deliveries.
Bracken sparked the collapse when he claimed three wickets in the space of 22 deliveries to shatter the West Indies top order, leaving McGrath to tidy up the middle.
Seam bowler Watson claimed two for 11 to dash any chances of a late recovery. His all-round performance fetched Watson the award of the final's best player, while Gayle was adjudged the player of the tournament.
The previous lowest total in the final of the biennial Champions Trophy was England's 217 in 2004.
No team has successfully defended a Champions Trophy title.
Gayle and Chanderpaul's opening partnership appeared troublesome for Australia before Chanderpaul edged Bracken's delivery on to his stumps. Chanderpaul's 18-ball 27 contained four boundaries and a six over third man off fast bowler Brett Lee.
Bracken added the wickets of Ramnaresh Sarwan and Gayle to his haul. Sarwan top-edged an intended flick and miscued the ball to Brad Hogg at mid-on, while Gayle had his off-stump dislodged by an outswinger.
Gayle struck two sixes of McGrath in successive overs when he was introduced into the attack, but Bracken curbed his ambitions with an outswinger. Gayle's 27-ball knock contained six boundaries and two sixes.
McGrath then had both Lara (2) and Runako Morton (2) caught behind by Gilchrist.
Watson removed Marlon Samuels (7) and Carlton Baugh (9) in successive overs as Dwayne Bravo (21) watched the slump from the other end. Bravo was the eighth man out, trapped leg-before-wicket by left-arm spinner Hogg.
IN-HOUSE BUSINESS: LA Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that the reason for the team’s poor form was not due to Paul, but the player was not a good fit for them Chris Paul’s return stint with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, with the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in a late-night meeting on Wednesday that adds another layer of drama to the team’s terrible start this season. The news was delivered in a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, that ended at about 2am, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decision to sever ties with Paul on Sunday then told the franchise’s career assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta. Frank did not confirm
Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday scored twice and had an assist as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to end a three-match winless streak in La Liga. Eduardo Camavinga also found the net for Madrid as they moved back within one point of Barcelona, who beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday. Both 19th-round matches were moved forward because Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid are to play in the Supercopa de Espana semi-finals in Saudi Arabia next month. Real Madrid were coming off league draws against Girona, Elche and Rayo Vallecano. It was their second win in their past six matches in
SEESAW CONTEST: The Pistons remain top of the Eastern Conference after battling to a win over the Hawks in a game that saw the lead change 27 times The Phoenix Suns on Monday shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter, but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points, while Collin Gillespie added 28 — including eight three-pointers — as the Suns romped to victory. The Lakers were left ruing a colossal 22 turnovers — at a cost of 32 Suns points — on a
PINA BRACE: Claudia Pina scored in the 61st and 74th minutes, while Vicky Lopez added one as Spain notched their third victory in a final in the past four tournaments Claudia Pina scored twice and Germany crumbled on Tuesday as Spain retained the UEFA Women’s Nations League title with a 3-0 victory in the final’s second leg. Vicky Lopez also scored after Pina finally broke the deadlock in the 61st minute with Germany stubbornly hanging on as Spain had done in the first leg, a 0-0 draw in Kaiserslautern on Friday. Spain were without three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, who broke her leg in training on Sunday. Lopez took Bonmati’s place and Spain dominated from the start. Esther Gonzalez swept the ball just past the post and Mariona Caldentey forced a save
RSS