WI beat Oz by 3 wickets; Book berth in Final

Kuala Lumpur , Sep 18 (UNI) Skipper Brian Lara led form the front and scored a magnificient 87 as the West Indies defeated World Champions Australia by three wickets in the DLF Cup tri-series here today.

In the process the West Indians, with nine points in three matches, also booked themselves a berth in the final. Australia have seven points in three matches while India are at the bottom with just two points from as many outings.

The Men in Blue now have an uphill task of winning both of their remaining matches and stay in the hunt at the cost of Australia.

It was a skippers' day all the way at Kinrara Oval today. Led by stand-in skipper Michael Hussey's century Australia posted a daunting total of 272 runs. But Brian Lara was imperious and guided the West Indies to overhaul the target with 16 balls to spare.

The West Indians floundered in the beginning and lost two wickets for 44 runs. However, Lara and Chris Gayle added 151 runs for third wicket to turn the table on to the World Champions.

West Indies start was not auspicious as they lost in-form batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul early caught behind off Brett Lee.

Vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan looked in good nick but couldn't build on to his start throwing his wicket away to Bracken.

It was attacking batting on display all the way from skipper Lara and Chris Gayle. Gayle was particularly severe on Stuart Clarke hitting him for tall sixes.

A few hundred spectators at the Kinrara Oval were treated to batsmanship of highest order with Lara not sparing a single corner of the park without hitting the fence.

To young off breaker Dan Cullen Lara just decided to dance down the track for lofted shots and in the process shattered the bowler's confidence.

Lara and Gayle added hundred runs in just 91 balls for third wicket thus bringing down the asking rate well under five.

With the batsmen scoring at free will, all the bowlers felt the heat but none more than Stuart Clarke. Already taken for severe beating Clarke's seventh over proved to be most costly in which he conceded 23 runs.

Clarke was replaced by Shane Watson and the move paid off when Gayle holed out to Hussey at mid-wicket. Australia sensed a chance to get back in the match. But Lara was in no mood to lower guard. He saw off a threatening spell from Brett Lee and when Cullen was brought once again, Lara just came down the pitch to hoist straight over for a six.

However Lara couldn't stay till the end as he miscued a rising delivery from Lee and offered a simple catch at backward point. Lara 87 came off 81 balls with 11 hits to fence.

When he left, 31 runs were needed to win in almost 10 overs and three wickets fell in quick succession but Bravo played a patient knock of 37 to see West Indies through.

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