Chanderpaul blazes in pursuit of 280

A dazzling opening partnership, dominated by the usually dogged Shivnarine Chanderpaul, led West Indies' fantastic charge as they chased 280 in the opening game of the DLF Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Chanderpaul's 92, reeled off in just 82 balls, rattled a rusty Australian bowling line-up and left West Indies comfortably perched (176 for 3) at the halfway stage.
Not many West Indians can claim to outscore Chris Gayle and it was a sight watching Chanderpaul go after the bowling in inspired, almost manic, fashion. The Australians have seen this side of him earlier - three years back, in the carnival atmosphere of the Bourda Oval at Georgetown, he unleashed the third fastest Test hundred - and there was little this inexperienced Australian line-up could do, apart from rue the two tough chances that were dropped, to contain him today. Glenn McGrath took some time to find his groove - it was the first time in nearly seven years that he'd bowled more than four wides in a match - but the rest were quite simply dismantled.
The first boundary came only in the sixth over but the flood that followed was truly sensational. Nathan Bracken was carted for five fours in a space of nine deliveries - the midwicket fence receiving a royal peppering - before he was completely taken apart in the 10th over - when two wristy pick-ups produced a couple of sixes from the Saeed Anwar textbook. Mitchell Johnson, the other left-arm seamer, didn't fare much too better and just when all the attention was focused on Chanderpaul, like some dormant volcano, Gayle awoke. At one point he had 17 off 26 balls and soon reached fifty off 43 thanks to a boundary-filled spell that was as emphatic as they come. He gave himself room, gave the bowlers a clear sight of the stumps, gave them a big chance of getting him and then violently deposited the ball into the stands.
Gayle gave it away after reaching 60, though, steering it straight into the hands of Phil Jaques at point. Chanderpaul pelted a few more fours before receiving a lifter from Johnson and edging to the wicketkeeper, Brad Haddin. Brian Lara survived an inside edge off his first ball but Johnson nailed him two balls later, trapping him in front as he shuffled across the crease. It was a moment that gave the Aussies a lift but even they will know that this is West Indies' match to lose rather than theirs to win.
50 overs Australia 279 for 9 (Clarke 81, Ponting 56) v West Indies
Aggressive half-centuries from Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke, on a two-paced pitch at Kuala Lumpur, put Australia in control of the opening DLF Cup game at the Kinrara Oval. Choosing to bat first, despite the muggy conditions, an inexperienced Australian side overcame a hesitant start to reach 279 for 9 in 50 overs.
Ponting's upbeat half-century, made at more than a run-a-ball, set the tone before Clarke bounced onto the stage and picked up the baton. As the rest of the top order struggled to come to terms with the variable bounce, Ponting and Clarke, in a fine display of improvisation, made the West Indian bowlers, who doled out several freebies, pay for their sloppiness.
Ponting is in the form of his life and that, you will be assured, is just an understatement. While both the left-handed openers - Phil Jaques and Simon Katich - struggled against the spongy bounce, or lack of it, Ponting adjusted almost immediately. The first thing he ensured was to cash in on the lose balls being handed out, flicking away those directed on his pads and slashing when offered width. Next he played the angles, glancing wide of the slips and steering past gully. Thickish edges maybe but Ponting rarely appeared not in control. Nobody could blame him for the way he got out, receiving a shooter from Ian Bradshaw that struck him close to his ankles.
There were good support acts as well - Katich stuck on adhesively and Mark Cosgrove provided a wonderful imitation of what Darren Lehmann used to bring to the table. Katich accumulated quietly - nudging, cutting, more nudging, more cutting. He struggled on occasions, looking ungainly at times but the fact that he was there, while Ponting flowed, kept Australia in control. Cosgrove is one of those batsmen who has the rare quality of irritating the opposition with his stroke production - shuffle, read length, flick; shuffle, read length, nudge and then suddenly burst forth and unleash power. If Brian Lara ever thought of tearing his hair out, nobody should blame him. He made just 34 but did enough to show what an asset he can turn out to be.
With not much known about the surface, Lara felt it best to try some musical chairs. Chris Gayle, who, after all these years is still labeled as an offbreak bowler in scorecards, came on as early as the eighth over but couldn't manage to stop the run-flow. Jerome Taylor, who cranked up pace close to 90mph and then wasted it by spraying it all over the shop, was creamed around. The one statistic, that tells you most things about the bowling - 25 extras, of which 17 were wides - may prove costly. The two Dwaynes - electric fielders on their day - missed direct hits while a flood of extras created problems of their own. West Indies have this habit of starting tournaments sluggishly and it may require an innings of brilliance to pull this one off.—Agencies