Associated Press

Melbourne, January 14

Brad Hogg took five wickets after pace firebrand Brett Lee tore through the West Indies’ top order as Australia won Friday’s opening tri-series limited-overs cricket international by 116 runs.

The West Indies were skittled for 185 in reply to Australia’s 301 for four at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, giving the hosts a bonus-point victory.

It was the West Indies’ first full international under new coach Bennett King, an Australian, and since winning the Champions Trophy in England last September. Damien Martyn led the Australian scoring with an unbeaten 95 off 93 balls, while skipper Ricky Ponting contributed 78 and Michael Clarke — promoted to open the innings — hit 66. Martyn and Darren Lehmann (20) added 47 runs in the last 26 balls.

Lee, overlooked for the Australian test lineup for eight consecutive matches, vented his frustration on the West Indies top order, returning 3-36 from 10 overs. He trapped Chris Gayle lbw in the first over before the West Indies had scored a run. Wavell Hinds was run out with the total at 17 and Lee struck again in his third over, having Ramnaresh Sarwan (4) caught behind to have the West Indies reeling at 21 for three.

Rookie Xavier Marshall (5) lasted 10 balls before he edged Lee to Gilchrist. Skipper Brian Lara (58) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (46) combined in a 98-run fifth-wicket stand before Hogg broke through in the 29th over for the first of his five wickets. Hogg returned his best one-day figures of 5-32.

Lara had some reprieves, dropped on nine and 38 and escaping a run out on 22, before he was finally caught by Andrew Symonds. Hogg then produced two caught-and-bowled efforts, taking return catches of Chanderpaul in the 31st over and Samuels in the 35th as the West Indies slipped to 143 for seven. Hogg had Bravo (4) caught behind with the addition of one to the total and then removed Ian Bradshaw (12) as the West Indies slumped to 167 for nine. Michael Kasprowicz chimed in to remove Mervyn Dillon and end the West Indies chase in the 47th over.

Australia face Pakistan at Hobart on Sunday. The West Indies are back in action against Pakistan in Brisbane next Wednesday.

SCOREBOARD

Australia:

A Gilchrist c Bravo b Bradshaw 0

M Clark b Samuels 66

R Ponting run out 78

D Martyn not out 95

A Symonds c Gayle b Bradshaw 20

D Lehmann not out 20

Extras: 22 (2b,5lb,11w,4nb)

Total: 301/4 (50 overs)

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-119, 3-207, 4-254

West Indies Bowling: I Bradshaw 10-1-46-2,

M Dillon 8-0-69-0, M Samuels 10-0-45-1,

W Hinds 3-0-20-0, C Gayle 3-0-21-0,

R Sarwan 8-0-49-0, D Bravo 8-0-44-0

West Indies:

C Gayle lbw b Lee 0

W Hinds run out 5

R Sarwan c Gilchrist b Lee 4

B Lara c Symonds b Hogg 58

X Marshall c Gilchirst b Lee 5

S Chanderpaul c & b Hogg 46

M Samuals c & b Hogg 9

D Bravo c Gilchrist b Hogg 3

C Brown not out 20

I Bradshaw c Clarke b Hogg 12

M Dillon c Ponting b Kasprowicz 6

Extras: 17 (1b,13lb,3w)

Total: 185 (46. 2 overs)

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-17, 3-21, 4-33, 5-131, 6-136, 7-143, 8-144, 9-167

Australia Bowling: B Lee 10-1-36-3,

J Gillespie 8-0-29-0, Kasprowicz 6.2-0-26-1, S Watson 7-0-37-0, B Hogg 10-0-32-5,

A Symonds 5-0-11-0