Elliott and Hussey lead Victoria to comprehensive win
Matthew Elliott and David Hussey led Victoria's charge and helped them race to a comprehensive seven-wicket win in the warm-up game against the West Indians at the MCG
Cricinfo staff
05-Jan-2005
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Matthew Elliott and David Hussey led Victoria's charge and helped them race to a comprehensive seven-wicket win in the warm-up game against the West Indians at the MCG. Chasing a modest 202 for victory, Elliott and Hussey added 129 in quick time as Victoria romped home with 18 overs to spare.
After a hesitant start, Hussey's excellent knock came from just 62 balls and included five sixes as the West Indian bowlers were taken apart. Elliott played the anchor role to near-perfection and though he was out late in the innings, the victory was all but ensured by then. Pedro Collins, the left-arm seamer, was the most impressive of the West Indian bowlers. He trapped Brad Hodge lbw for 3 and finished with figures of 2 for 26.
Earlier in the day, the West Indian batsmen failed to capitalise on starts and no-one went on to post a big score. Chris Gayle gave them a blistering start with a 23-ball 33 but he fell in the fifth over and the rest didn't cash in on the momentum. Apart from Gayle, six other batsmen - including Brian Lara - reached double figures but none was able to kick on to a sizeable score.
The West Indians were reduced to 6 for 63 and only a fighting ninth-wicket partnership between Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw, the same pair who had starred in a historic triumph in the Champions Trophy final in September, enabled them to cross the 200-mark.
For Victoria, Michael Lewis, Cameron White and Hodge, who bowls part-time offspin, snapped up two wickets apiece. Tim Welsford, the allrounder, claimed his first wicket for Victoria and it turned out to be the prized one of Lara - caught behind by Adam Crosthwaite for 24.
"The players have played enough international cricket to do better than they did today," the West Indies coach Bennett King told the AAP news agency.
"Five of our top eight looked like they were in very good form and showed some very good signs but unforced outs can really cruel you in this game and that's what what we had today.
"We were playing a very good side but again I'd expect a lot better from our bowlers."
The players will only have two chances to practise ahead of the VB series which starts on January 14, when West Indies take on Australia at the MCG. They will play two more warm-up games - both against Australia A - in Hobart on Saturday and Sunday.
"We've got a lot of work to do in the next week or so and with the week leading up to the VB Series we've got some good plans in place," added King.