Australia clean sweep series
Basseterre, July 7:
Luke Ronchi paced a record Australian innings and Mitchell Johnson took five wickets to seal a 169-run win over the West Indies in the fifth and final ODI on Sunday.
The victory completed a 5-0 sweep in the series following a 2-0 win in the Test series. Ronchi’s 64 off 29 balls — including six sixes and five fours — helped Australia amass 341-8. David Hussey scored 52 off 21 balls in the latter stages, hitting four fours and four sixes, after Andrew Symonds (66) and Mike Hussey (51) added measured half centuries to anchor
the middle order.
The West Indies never challenged the target and were bowled out for 172 off 39.5 overs. Shawn Findlay top-scored with an unbeaten 59. Left-arm pacer Johnson claimed two early wickets and then returned to decimate the tail end to finish with 5-29.
Australian openers Shaun Marsh (49) and Shane Watson (29) combined for 70 off 12.5 overs. After Watson departed with a square cut to third man off Dwayne Bravo, Ronchi hit Chris Gayle for three sixes in one over. He also punished Edwards and reached his half century off 22 balls to the equal the second-fastest by an Australian.
Marsh and Ronchi added another 59 runs for the second wicket, but the West Indian bowlers stiffened and claimed three wickets for 13 runs. Marsh edged Edwards to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin and the spin of Nikita Miller, and Ramnaresh Sarwan accounted for Ronchi and captain Michael Clarke to reduce the Australians to 152-4 in the 23rd over.
Symonds and Michael Hussey then joined to reclaim the momentum for Australia, sharing a stand of 113 for the fifth wicket. Symonds struck six fours and a six off 80 balls before he edged to Ramdin. Hussey hit three fours off 56 deliveries in his 51. David Hussey appeared on course for the fastest half century by an Australian, but fell just short of Simon O’Donnell’s 18-ball effort in 1999 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah.
Johnson quickly stamped Australia’s dominance as West Indies replied meekly. He claimed Gayle and Sarwan to leave the home team tottering at 21-2. Gayle edged to wicketkeeper Ronchi while Sarwan miscued to mid-off.
Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Findlay were the only players to offer much resistance. Chanderpaul hit 38 but fell to Clarke after striking four fours. Clarke also added the wicket of Andre Fletcher, stumped by Ronchi off a leg side wide. Symonds also picked up two wickets in the middle order before Johnson returned to swiftly end the match.