Australia Vs West Indies - Live Update!

Filtered commentary - Australia innings

Right, we're live! The two umpires from Pakistan, Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf, have taken their positions and the Australians are setting themselves up in the field. A very vocal crowd out today, lots of home support with Australians scattered here and there. Adam Gilchrist to face Daren Powell. Two slips in place, three men on the off side, two saving runs on the leg inside the circle. Buckle up, here we go! * * * * * * * * * * Hello and welcome to the first match of the 2007 World Cup Super Eights, between West Indies and Australia at the newly inaugurated Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in St John's, Antigua. I'm Jamie Alter, your commentator, and I'll be here till the very last delivery. The toss: Mark Nicholas was down with the two captains, and looked on as Brian Lara won the toss and elected to field on a virgin strip. The West Indies have brought in Corey Collymore for Ian Bradshaw. Australia have fielded the same side from the win over South Africa, meaning Andrew Symonds is preferred over the in-form Brad Hodge. Pitch report: This a brand new venue, and so little is known about the surface, but the groundsmen hope it offers much more than the old Antigua Recreation Ground which was a notorious featherbed. Michael Holding reckoned the shaved surface has been rolled well, so it keeps together, and that cracks won't open up easily. It looks hard, real hard, which should encourage the side that bats first. Incidentally, Andrew Miller, our man at the ground, informs me that its been drizzling all morning and the local weather men say the clouds are likely to linger. Watch this space for more... The scenario: Australia are second in the overall tournament standings, just behind Sri Lanka on run rate, while West Indies are third. Both sides have carried over two points into this round. Current form: As S Rajesh pointed out in his stats preview of this game, in the last ten matches, both teams have won five each. The West Indies, who won all three of their group matches, beat Australia in a Champions Trophy match last year before they lost to the same team in the final. Australia are in ominous form, and having dismissed minnows Scotland and the Netherlands with typical ruthlessness, they recorded a crushing victory over the world's top-ranked one-day side South Africa. Captains' call: Brian Lara has admitted his side still have plenty of work to do if they are to match the standard set by reigning world champions Australia at this World Cup. "We are trying to create a lot of match-winners, not just one or two, in our team," he said. "We are dangerous - but they are more dangerous. I am quietly confident that we can perform pretty well in this World Cup. The tournament still has a month left, and it is important to take each game at a time - don't get over-confident." Ricky Ponting stressed Australia were expecting a tough test from the hosts. "I think they are a very good one-day side. It will take a performance similar to the one we had against South Africa the other day to beat them." Let me remind you that you can now watch an animated representation of our commentary on Cricinfo 3D. It uses all our scoring data to render a 3d representation of the game, with various camera angles for you to play around with, and it has features such as wagon wheels, pitch maps, and the live scorecard. There are also replays after every wicket and boundary on demand, as well as celebrations for wickets. Oh, and it's free. Click away.

so here we go...1.3 overs...3/0

0.1 Powell to Gilchrist, 1 leg bye, back of a length on leg stump, Gilchrist tries to tickle it fine but mistimes it to short fine leg for a leg-bye

Matthew Hayden faces his first ball

0.2 Powell to Hayden, no run, good length outside off stump, he gets half forward and drives and gets an inside-edge to square leg

0.3 Powell to Hayden, no run, good length outside off stump, defended towards point

0.4 Powell to Hayden, no run, good stuff, short of a length with some good purchase off the deck, Hayden stands rooted and decides to leave it on length, and it deviates over the top of middle stump

0.5 Powell to Hayden, no run, overpitched outside off stump, he leans into his drive but cant beat Samuels at cover

0.6 Powell to Hayden, no run, good length outside off stump, he gets forward and drives back down the track, mid-off moves quickly and gets to it

End of over 1 (maiden) - Australia 1/0 (RR: 1.00)

ML Hayden 0* (5b) DB Powell 1-1-0-0
AC Gilchrist 0* (1b)

Here's Jerome Taylor with the ball now

1.1 Taylor to Gilchrist, 1 wide, back of a length delivery goes down leg stump for a wide

Gilchrist wants something changed behind the bowler's arm...looks like the advertising sign is distracting him

1.1 Taylor to Gilchrist, no run, good length moving in from middle stump, Gilchrist doesnt move his feet much but squeezes it out to cover with a firm 'NO' back to Hayden

Bravo leaves second slip and comes into short cover

1.2 Taylor to Gilchrist, no run, short of a length on the stumps, he moves around and works it straight to midwicket

1.3 Taylor to Gilchrist, no run, back of a length on off stump, Gilchrist stands and works it to midwicket again, Taylor hitting a good length already

1.4 Taylor to Gilchrist, 1 wide, but thats another wide well down leg stump, which Taylor doesnt approve of, visibly

1.4 Taylor to Gilchrist, 2 runs, back of a length on leg stump, Gilchrist works that away behind square for a couple

1.5 Taylor to Gilchrist, no run, beaten by one that lands on a sweet length just outside off stump, the ball does enough off the pitch and Gilchrist is suckered into a tame drive away from the body

1.6 Taylor to Gilchrist, 2 runs, more width offered this time and he goes through with a square-drive, not timed to perfection, but its in the gap between cover and point and they steal runs as Sarwan gives chase and hauls it in comfortably

End of over 2 (6 runs) - Australia 7/0 (RR: 3.50)

AC Gilchrist 4* (7b) JE Taylor 1-0-6-0
ML Hayden 0* (5b) DB Powell 1-1-0-0

if the west indies bowling is out of line and wide aussies will get a huge total

the windies bowling is going superb here...not allowing anything for the aussies... 😛 3.5 overs 10/0

2.1 Powell to Hayden, no run, good length delivery quite outside off stump and Hayden just shoulders arms to it

2.2 Powell to Hayden, no run, bends his back into this one, a back of a length, quicker delivery outside off to stump to which Hayden again shoulders arms

2.3 Powell to Hayden, no run, similar length and carry but much closer to off stump, a confident Hayden shoulders arms once more

2.4 Powell to Hayden, no run, back of a length on off stump, Hayden gets up and defends it back to Powell, who's bowling well here

2.5 Powell to Hayden, no run, back of a length on middle and leg this time, Hayden has no option but to defend it back to the bowler

2.6 Powell to Hayden, no run, back of a length outside off stump, left alone

End of over 3 (maiden) - Australia 7/0 (RR: 2.33)

ML Hayden 0* (11b) DB Powell 2-2-0-0
AC Gilchrist 4* (7b) JE Taylor 1-0-6-0

yeah i agree WI bowling is brilliant 👏

5 overs 16/1...gr8 bowling... 👏 👏

gonna be a good match now..one of aussies best batsmen already out..its better he is out at this early stage