St George’s, June 28:

Michael Clarke enhanced his reputation with a handy all-round performance that gave Australia a 2-0 lead in their five-match one-day international series with West Indies, when they won the rain-affected second match by 63 runs on Friday.

The Australia vice-captain followed up a vital innings of 56 from 98 balls with three wickets for 26 runs from six overs, as the visitors defended a revised victory target under the Duckworth-Lewis Method of 204 from 41 overs. Clarke earned the man-of-the-match award, as the Australians restricted West Indies to 140-8.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s 45 not out from 77 balls was the top score for West Indies, but no other West Indies batsman suggested substance or stability. Australia won the opening match by 84 runs last Tuesday.

Clarke snuffed the life out of any ideas West Indies had of a fightback, after they subsided to 49-4 in the 21st over. He removed Patrick Browne (one), Kieron Pollard (0), and Darren Sammy (nine) to leave West Indies 74-7 in the 31st over. Australia had set West Indies back from the very first ball of the innings, when Brett Lee had Xavier Marshall caught behind for a duck. Lee and new-ball partner Nathan Bracken kept up the pressure in their opening spells.

But Australia had to wait until the eighth over for the second breakthrough, when West Indies captain Chris Gayle was caught at mid-off off Mitchell Johnson (10). James Hopes bowled Andre Fletcher (19) and Shane Watson added the scalp of Dwayne Bravo (three) to leave West Indies in tatters.

Earlier, the two Michaels — Hussey and Clarke — helped Australia recover from a shaky start. Hussey hit the top score of 62 from 105 balls, and with Clarke shared a crucial fourth wicket stand, as Australia reached 213-5 from 50 overs. The two Michaels added 100, after Australia courted early strife at 35-3 in the ninth over.

Clarke reached his landmark in the 34th over, but he fell in the 38th over, when Benn trapped him leg before wicket. Hussey was caught inside the boundary in the 45th over off Bravo leaving Hopes and Cameron White to carry Australia the rest of the way.

Shane Watson (0) was adjudged LBW to Taylor, and Shaun Marsh was caught behind off Daren Powell. Australia captain Ricky Ponting (13), appearing in his 300th ODI, fell to Jerome Taylor. But Hussey and Clarke steadied the Australian ship. Taylor took 2-47 for West Indies.