PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, 27 May 2003 — West Indies ended Australia’s record 21-match unbeaten run in One-Day Internationals on Sunday with a 39-run victory in the fifth of seven matches.
Australia had already taken an unbeatable 4-0 lead in the series.
A plucky 77 by Andy Symonds helped Australia to 251 for nine but it was not enough to enable the world champions to overhaul West Indies’ 290 for five from their 50 overs. “I was a bit disappointed to see (the winning run) end, but the more I think about the more unbelievable I think it is,” said Australia skipper Ricky Ponting.
West Indies enjoyed an early breakthrough when pace bowler Cory Collymore took two early wickets. Adam Gilchrist (11) pulled a shot high to the mid-wicket boundary where Wavell Hinds took a high catch before Ryan Hurley at long on dropped an attempted pull by Jimmy Maher. Hurley took a far more difficult catch to dismiss Maher (21) from another Collymore delivery but injured a shoulder his left shoulder in the process and was forced to leave the field. Ponting managed only 10 before pulling a Mervyn Dillon delivery for Hinds to take another catch, reducing Australia to 57 for three. Michael Clarke and Symonds stiffened the Australian resistance with a 92-run stand.
Lara’s stylish 80 was the highlight of a competitive West Indies’ total.
The left-hander batted at number three to bring stability to a shaky upper order and shared a crucial 178-run partnership with opener Hinds. He barely had time to pad up after winning the toss when Chris Gayle (5) was trapped lbw by an inswinging delivery from fast bowler Brett Lee.
Lara played himself in against some hostile pace bowling by Lee and Glenn McGrath and began to stroke the ball around the Queen’s Park Oval with ease.
