Windies no match for fierce Aussies

Doug Bollinger's golden run continued, snaring Chris Gayle and Travis Dowlin as West Indies slipped to 12 for three

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Australia maintained their bid to go through their entire home summer unbeaten as they beat West Indies by 113 runs in the first one-day international in Melbourne.

Already this summer Australia have beaten West Indies 2-0 and Pakistan 3-0 in three-Test series, as well as clean sweeping Pakistan 5-0 in a recent one-day series, but there were hopes the Windies would be more competitive in the 50-over format.

But after Australia made 256 for eight from their 50 overs, any chance the Windies had of victory effectively disappeared when they slumped to 12 for three in the fifth over. They were eventually dismissed for just 143.

Chris Gayle lasted until the first ball of the third over when he fell for seven - courtesy of a superb catch by Mitchell Johnson at mid-off off Doug Bollinger.

The much-improved Ryan Harris then claimed Runako Morton, and Bollinger struck again in dismissing Travis Dowlin in the next two overs to effectively end the match as a contest even before darkness had descended at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Harris, the man of the series against Pakistan when he took 13 wickets in just three matches, continued his stunning form since returning to the Australian side by finishing with three for 24.

The only West Indies player that could hold his head high was all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who not only took career best one-day figures of 3-45 with the ball, but gave the Windies brief hope by top-scoring with 31.

But Pollard’s dismissal in the 25th over - caught by Johnson at long-on off Nathan Hauritz - ended any chance the Windies had of staging a late fightback.

One short of his half-century, Shane Watson scrambles for his crease - minus the bat - but survives the run-out chance

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Earlier, in front of a less than half-full MCG, Shane Watson celebrated his 100th one-day international appearance for Australia by top scoring with 59.

Australia looked poised for a huge score when they reached 118 for one after 25 overs but thanks to Pollard, the home side's total looked achievable, before the tourists’ top-order collapse.

Watson and Ricky Ponting's 85-run stand was the highest of the match as Watson - who has taken eight years to bring up his 100-game milestone in one-day internationals - reached 50 in the 23rd over, while Ponting fell just short when bowled by Pollard for 49.

Watson's half-century came off 65 balls with six boundaries although he had a big scare just before bringing up his fifty when he was almost run out on 49, attempting to scramble back to his crease - minus his bat - after slipping over mid-pitch.

But luckily for Watson, Gayle fumbled the ball at the bowler's end when a clean take would have seen Watson run out by yards.

It was a moment that seemed to sum up the Windies' performance.