†AUSTRALIA v WEST INDIES 1988-89

At Sydney, January 16 (day/night). West Indies won by 92 runs. Toss: West Indies. Rather than keeping to the side that had come through a tight finish in Melbourne two days earlier, Australia brought in Mark Waugh and Greg Matthews for Wood and O'Donnell. Matthews owed his selection to the way the ball had turned on the same pitch in the last of the qualifying matches, but his seven overs of off-breaks cost 62 runs. West Indies got off to a flying start, Haynes and Greenidge making 99 in 17.2 overs, and only when Border and Taylor were bowling together were West Indies scoring at anything less than 6 runs an over. Richards made 53 from 40 balls, including three sixes off Matthews, and West Indies finished with their highest total in a one-day international against Australia in Australia. In reply Australia themselves were soon scoring at such a rate that for a while they had West Indies on the run. After six overs Australia were 9 for no wicket; nine overs later they had raced to 93 for one and were well up with the clock. But Jones hit a long-hop to deep square leg and the pace was too fierce for Australia to maintain. West Indies' victory meant that for only the third time in ten years the WSC finals would go to a deciding match.

Attendance: 42,479.