Adam Gilchrist plundered the fastest limited-overs international 100 by an Australian to steer the world champions to a series-clinching 55-run win on Friday over the World XI.
Gilchrist reached 100 off 73 balls, five balls fewer than the record he already owned. His 103 contained four sixes and eight boundaries, setting the tone for Australia’s 328 for four.
The World XI, needing at least 6,5 runs an over and a record total against Australia to keep the series alive, raced to 125-1 with Chris Gayle (54) and Kumar Sangakkara (61) flaying an under-strength bowling attack.
But the world combination stuttered at Gayle’s dismissal and then lost three middle-order wickets for six runs after Sangakkara was run out. They never recovered — ending all out for 273.
Australia, who won the opening match by 93 runs, clinched the limited-overs section of the Super Series with a match to spare.
Gilchrist, who had a lean run in Australia’s upset Ashes series loss to England, said he had taken time to ”clear my head” last month, and felt more confident for it.
He said his 12th one-day international 100 was ”very satisfying … especially against that bowling line-up”.
”It’s been a really satisfying couple of days. To win that series, and win it so convincingly, is really, really pleasing.”
Australia captain Ricky Ponting (66), who shared a 63-run second-wicket stand with Gilchrist and a run-a-ball 103-run partnership with Damien Martyn (54), said Australia have confirmed their number-one ranking.
The Australians were considered vulnerable coming off their first Ashes series loss to England in 18 years.
”We’re just playing very good cricket, it’s as simple as that,” said Ponting. ”The way we batted today, it’s as good as you’d see any team bat anywhere in the world.
”It was always going to be hard for them to chase that total.”
Australia have answered their critics, Ponting said.
”It was a great challenge there for us — we heard some things coming into the tournament that we were a bit vulnerable,” he said. ”I think we had some points to prove that I think we’ve proved over the last couple of games.”
Super sub Gayle, who replaced Muttiah Muralitharan when the Sri Lankan spinner had bowled his allotted overs in Australia’s innings, opened with Virender Sehwag (21 off 15 balls).
Gayle and Sangakkara then put on 98 in 75 balls before the West Indies batsman was caught behind off Shane Watson.
When Sangakkara was run out after a mix-up with Jacques Kallis, the World XI lost momentum.
Brian Lara (five) had another failure and Kallis (11) was run out by Ponting as the World line-up slumped to 157-5.
”We had a chance, after 20 overs we were on track to win, we just didn’t quite get it right,” said World XI captain Shaun Pollock, adding that two run-outs reflected his squad’s limited time to prepare.
Flintoff (42) and Rahul Dravid rallied the total to 220 before the chase ran out of steam.
Kevin Pietersen (16) had to bat with a runner after straining his right hamstring in the field. He is in doubt for Sunday.
For Australia, Nathan Bracken finished with 3-43 and rookie fast-bowler Stuart Clark, replacing injured pace spearhead Glenn McGrath, returned 2-55.
The World XI fast bowlers didn’t fare well.
Flintoff, who picked up 24 Ashes wickets, returned 1-64 in eight overs — giving him 1-130 in the series.
After a threatening opening over, Shoaib Akhtar finished with 0-61, Shaun Pollock had 0-48 and Kallis went for 33 runs in three overs.
And the slow-bowlers weren’t as effective as they were on Wednesday. Muralitharan deceived Katich with a doosra and returned 1-43.
Daniel Vettori, who took 4-33 in game one, returned 0-54 and part-timer Sehwag bowled Gilchrist, finishing with 1-20.
Pollock said he will not be treating the third match as a dead rubber.
”On Sunday, we want to come out and play as well as we can and try and pick up as much confidence as we can, leading into the Test match,” he said.
A six-day Super Test starts on October 14 in Sydney. — Sapa-AP