looks like the aussies are neck deep in trouble at 42-3 after 18 overs. should be an interesting match!!

It's an interesting game.

I don't understand the logic in Gayle changing the field placings after the powerplay overs were finished. The reasons the run rate was so strangled in the powerplay overs was two-fold, the variable bounce and ball holding up, meant scoring boundaries was hard and the closer in fielders were cutting off any singles to be had.

Look a the difference in runs scored in the powerplay overs and those afterwards -

At the end of 20 overs the score was 47-4, a run rate of 2.35 per over.
From over 21 to current 33 the score is 113-3, a run rate of 5.07 per over.

Those extra runs are coming mostly from singles, because Gayle put the field back to a conventional field after over 20 allowing space for plenty of singles to be taken.

If the field placings were working in the powerplay overs, why change them when the powerplay overs end? You can always modify if you need to, but neither of the Australian batsmen looked like scoring boundaries and the extra space simply meant singles were easier to take.

Bad captaincy from Gayle in my opinion and it's let Australia bat themselves 'risk-free' back into this game - by taking singles. A far better option would have been to dry up those singles and FORCE them to take risks in scoring boundaries.

Instead they have two well set batsmen and plenty of 'big hitters' in the hutch to come.

I reckon despite the let up by the windies, they should be able to win if they play smart cricket. I really thought the position WI team was in, australia shouldve been restricted to 180 odd. I think the first 10 overs of windies innings will tell me which way the game is going. i think if the windies come out of the 10 overs with a wicket or 2 down maybe, they have a great chance of winning. but the windies in the past have been guilty of not capitalizing on such situations, hopefully this wouldn't be one of them.

I fully expect West Indies to lose this. You cannot allow a side like Australia to eek out as many runs as they did on this kind of a pitch and expect to win.

Australia should have been restricted to 150 or less on this wicket, which would have made a good total for the WI to chase down. I think anything over 200 will be too much for them on this pitch - unless - the conditions change.

If Australia struggled to score on this pitch - so will the West Indies.

i'm afraid i might have to agree with u on this. windies haven't lost a lot of wickets but the scoring rate doesn't look good at all ,and the situation and conditions dont look as though they would be conducive to quick scoring even if u keep wickets in hand. i'm an optimistic soul so i guess time will tell whether windies can pull it off.

53-6 from 25 overs, they're not going to get anywhere close for precisely the reasons I've already given.

You cannot accelerate your innings on this pitch and Australia only scored 66 of their runs from boundaries - 15 x 4's, plus 1 x 6, the rest came in 1's and 2's and that tells you how this pitch is playing.

As soon as the WI batsmen try and accelerate the run rate with a boundary they lose a wicket - the only way you can do it on this pitch is with singles and 2's, just like Australia did.

This is total melt down from West Indies and it's all down to inexperience and an inability to read the conditions and play accordingly. The only batsman playing responsibly is the most experienced batsman in the side - Chanderpaul.

Pretty easy win for the Aussies in the 3rd ODI, with Watson scoring a run a ball century opening the innings.

WI scored 223 the Aussies finished with 3-227 in 40 overs.

Funny win for the Aussies in the 4th ODI by one run.

West Indies needing 37 runs with 6 wickets in hand with 7 overs to go failed by 1 run to overhaul the Australian total.

Not much interest in these games obviously.

5th ODI Australia won by about 160+ runs

Luke Ronchi man of the match 64 runs in 28 balls. (Brad Haddins replacement)

Mitchell Johnson 5/29

Michael Clarke captained the side in absence of Ponting who was back in Australia recieving treatment for an injury.

Bring him to England in 2009, and watch your man Bell get stuck into him.

__________________
Ern