Cricket World Cup, Super 8: Australia tonk West Indies

The Australian total was always going to be tough, but surely not as tough as West Indies made it look.  The Australian team, however, were incredible from the outset with tight bowling and a intensity in the field that crackled in the morning dew and West Indies simply had no answer to the onslaught.  They couldn't get runs, Chanderpaul crawled  to 5 before being trapped lbw by the rapid Shaun Tait, closely followed by a monumentally stupid skied shots from Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels. 

Sarwan and the old master Lara did their best to dig in, but ultimately the innings was doomed.  In fact it was doomed from the minute they were 20-3 very early on and eventually reached 219 all out in 45 overs.

The Aussies march on and their bowling, the one thing that may have been a slight weakness, seems to have sorted itself out to say the least.  Having said that, the Windies looked nervous and indecisive as soon as they lost Chanderpaul.  Please let this tournament not be yet another Australian parade to victory, as the last two were. [lee calvert]