Powell... scored attacking 26 runs off only 11 balls.- File CASTRIES, St Lucia, (Reuters):
AUSTRALIA COASTED to a 25-run win over West Indies in the third one-day international yesterday to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
West Indies scored 233 for nine from 50 overs in reply to Australia's innings total of 258-4. It was the world champions' 20th consecutive victory in one-day internationals.
Nathan Hauritz broke the backbone of the West Indies upper order by dismissing Ramnaresh Sarwan (15) and Chris Gayle (43) in quick succession.
It was a welcome return for the man who has remained on the sidelines of the Australia team since taking four wickets against Kenya in September 2002.
The West Indies' collapse was more a story of rash shot selection than a particularly impressive bowling performance on the part of the visitors.
The home team lost three early wickets as their openers threw caution to the wind in their haste to make runs.
GAYLE DELIGHTS CROWD
Devon Smith (nine) was caught behind off Glenn McGrath to put West Indies on 20 for one before Chris Gayle delighted the crowd with five fours and one six over the midwicket boundary.
Sarwan tried to follow suit but lofted a harmless-looking Hauritz delivery to deep extra cover and was caught by Jason Gillespie.
Gayle barely played a stroke that was not a boundary attempt and it was no surprise when he was caught in the covers by Michael Clarke off another unspectacular Hauritz delivery.
Fast bowler Andy Bichel removed Brian Lara (four) for the sixth time since the Australians arrived in the Caribbean in April as West Indies' captain dragged a delivery on to his stumps.
Wavell Hinds and Marlon Samuels provided a rare note of sobriety with a 65-run fifth-wicket stand.
The partnership ended when Samuels ignored the call of striker Hinds (42) and gifted Michael Bevan the run out.
Ricardo Powell arrived at the crease and hit 26 runs off 11 balls, including two mighty sixes, before firing a Gillespie delivery for Michael Clarke to take a difficult low catch.
Samuels was infected by the prevailing schoolboy spirit and fell to the same Gillespie-Clarke combination from the very next ball for 37.
Carlton Baugh struck a gutsy 24 not out, including a six over the covers in the 47th over, but the target drifted out of sight.
Andrew Symonds and Clarke had earlier hit 75 runs each to help Australia to an innings total of 258 for four.
They forged a resilient 99-run fourth-wicket partnership to stabilise an innings that was starting to look vulnerable at 79 for three after Lara had put the tourists in to bat.
Ponting lauded the 22-year old Clarke for striking an unbeaten 75 in only his second one-day international.
"He has not been getting much in the way of practice due to the fact that facilities here in the West Indies aren't too great. To come in today and play as well as he did was sensational. I've been saying all series that I wanted to just sit back and watch him," said Australia's captain.
LARA GIVES ADVICE
Clarke, who stepped in for the rested Adam Gilchrist, said Lara had given him advice during the long summer tour.
"Brian was sitting and watching (the likes of Gordon Greenidge and Vivian Richards) for two years straight and I've spoken to him about that and how important is to just to listen and learn," Clarke said.
Lara conceded that he and the other West Indies batsmen should shoulder the blame for handing Australia easy victories in their last two games.
"We are losing the matches in the first 15 batting overs. Our batsmen need to realise that we have to apply ourselves a lot better ... We should not be losing wickets in this period when the field is spread," he said.
