LONDON: West Indies openers Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher put on 133 in 69 balls today to steer their team to a seven-wicket win over Australia in the Twenty20 World Cup.

Gayle smashed six sixes and six boundaries for 88 off 50 balls and Fletcher hit 53 off 32 deliveries, including seven boundaries, as West Indies reached 172-3 to eclipse Australia’s total of 169-7 with 25 balls to spare at The Oval. The pair’s stand was the third highest international Twenty20 partnership. Fast bowler Brett Lee received most of the punishment, with figures of 0-51 in three overs at one stage. Australia need to beat Sri Lanka on Monday at Trent Bridge to have any chance of advancing to the Super Eight stage from Group C.

New Zealand win

LONDON: Ross Taylor’s unbeaten 21 saw New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over

outsiders Scotland in their opening Group D match in the ICC World Twenty20 at the Oval here on Saturday. In a match reduced by rain to just seven overs per side, Scotland made an impressive 89-4 thanks to rapid innings from Kyle Coetzer (33) and Ryan Watson and Navdeep Poonia, who both made 27.

But in the end their bowling could not quite match their batting with the Kiwis getting home with an over to spare. That meant they avoided the embarrassment suffered by hosts England, beaten by the Netherlands in Friday’s tournament opener at Lord’s, of losing to a minor cricket nation.

Brendon McCullum, captaining in place of the injured Daniel Vettori, began the pursuit of the 90 New Zealand needed by striking four fours from Calum McLeod as 19 runs in all came off the first over. Jesse Ryder continued the assault by launching Craig Wright for two huge sixes. But after a run of four successive boundaries, the left-hander holed out to McLeod off Wright.

Then 51-1 became 59-2 when McCullum was run out for 18 after a huge mix-up with Taylor. Jacob Oram was given a reprieve when Gordon Drummond dropped a miscued effort and knocked the ball on four. But next delivery the giant all-rounder holed out off Watsom whose lone over cost just four runs.

That left New Zealand 68-3. Each ‘dot ball’ was cheered to the echo by a crowd keen to witness an upset. New Zealand got the target down to 22 off 12 balls but then scored the runs they needed in just one over from medium-pacer Stander, who had two sixes scored off him by Taylor and one by Scott Styris. --AFP

The Netherlands stun England

LONDON: The Netherlands enjoyed their greatest day in international cricket as they stunningly beat hosts England by four wickets in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20 here at Lord’s on Friday.

Two off the last ball, which saw bowler Stuart Broad miss with a shy off the stumps, saw the Dutch home to a total of 163-6 in reply to England’s 162-5.

England who had been 102-1 were made to pay for their failure to build on a superb opening stand by some enterprising Dutch batting led by a fine 49 from Tom de Grooth. Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate was 22 not out and Edgar Schiferli five not out. The Dutch needed seven off the last over.

The Netherlands earlier staged a gutsy fightback with the ball. England, who were without the injured Kevin Pietersen (Achilles), had been on a course for a huge total during an opening stand of 102 between Bopara (46) and Luke Wright, who top scored with 71.

But from 102-0 in the 12th over, England lost five wickets for 51 runs as their innings petered out, with ten Doeschate taking 2-35.

England conclude their Group B programme against Pakistan at the Oval on

Sunday while the Netherlands face Pakistan at Lord’s on Tuesday. — AFP