Australia take convincing win

Shane Watson © Getty Images

Australia began their preparations for the World Cup with a comprehensive 106-run victory over Zimbabwe at Arnos Vale.

Ricky Ponting’s reigning champions piled up 290 for seven in the warm-up contest, four more than England managed on the same ground against Bermuda yesterday, thanks to Shane Watson (81) and Michael Clarke (82).

In reply, the Zimbabweans initially struggled to force the ball away on a sluggish surface before Sean Williams struck a well compiled 44.

The Australians used eight different bowlers as the match petered towards its inevitable conclusion and any intensity in their early overs was diluted considerably in the latter stages as Zimbabwe finished on 184 for seven.

It was a combination of Australia’s recent lack of potency with the ball and Zimbabwe’s conservative approach which dragged out the contest through its full course.

Australia, who came into this Caribbean tournament on the back of five consecutive one-day international defeats, fielded only 12 of the 13 players permitted in these practice contests due to their current availability.

Andrew Symonds (shoulder) and Matthew Hayden (broken toe) are currently sidelined while Adam Gilchrist, who remained at home to witness the birth of his third child, only arrived late on Monday night.

Those absences meant Shane Watson, who opened in the triumphant ICC Champions Trophy campaign in the autumn, and Brad Haddin formed a new first-wicket alliance.

They should have been separated in just the fifth over as the Aussies made a sticky start - but Williams fluffed a straightforward chance at point after Haddin, on four, skied a forcing stroke.

Haddin’s aggressive tendencies resulted in a charge to 47, off only 40 deliveries.

It was a fierce assault on Anthony Ireland’s fifth over, which included a straight six amongst four boundaries, which fuelled the run rate.

Watson played second fiddle but reached a half-century when he pulled his 56th delivery, sent down by Ed Rainsford, for four.

Moments later Ricky Ponting, returning from a back injury, nicked an outswinger from Elton Chigumbura.

But Clarke’s energetic innings showed no signs of the troublesome hip problem which put him out of the trip to New Zealand last month.

While Watson profited from a willingness to hit over the top in the first half of the innings, Clarke’s sharp running between the wickets and ability to force into gaps got him to his own landmark a ball quicker than his third-wicket partner.

Each of them deposited full tosses from the Zimbabwean spinners into the stands but eventually perished to misjudgments: Watson looping a cut to backward point and Clarke failing to clear long-off in the death overs.