Symonds strikes to secure Australia win

All-rounder Andrew Symonds snapped up three wickets in one over as Australia

All-rounder Andrew Symonds snapped up three wickets in one over as Australia

cruised to a 74-run win over West Indies in their triangular limited overs series day-night match today.

Off-spinner Symonds removed Marlon Samuels (57), Ridley Jacobs (24) and Mahendra Nagamootoo (three) in his ninth over to plunge West Indies to 139 for seven in the 41st over in their pursuit of Australia's 267 for six from 50 overs.

Samuels and wicketkeeper Jacobs had restored some hope to West Indies with a fifth wicket stand of 48 after they slipped to 84 for four.

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West Indies eventually limped to 193 for seven off their 50 overs, with Symonds finishing with four for 35.

Man-of-the-match Ricky Ponting had earlier played the major role with the bat after Australia won the toss in the opening game of the tournament in which Zimbabwe are also competing.

Ponting struck 73 from 100 balls, adding 111 for the second wicket off 134 deliveries with Mark Waugh, who made 51 off 67 balls.

Australia ended with a flourish as Symonds (38 not out) and Damien Martyn (42) shared a sixth-wicket stand of 74 off 52 balls, including 15 off the last over of the innings from paceman Nixon McLean before Martyn was run out off the final ball.

West Indies lost their first wicket when Glenn McGrath had Wavell Hinds caught at gully by Ponting for one in the third over of the innings.

They plunged into more trouble when left-arm paceman Nathan Bracken took a wicket with his 16th ball on debut to remove Sherwin Campbell, caught at deep third man by Michael Bevan for four to make the score nine for two.

All-rounder Ian Harvey put Australia in a strong position by capturing the key wicket of Brian Lara, who was caught behind by a diving Adam Gilchrist for 28.

Harvey snared the Trinidadian left-hander with a rising ball that left him off the pitch and he followed it, getting a thick outside edge. Lara put on 48 off 78 balls for the third wicket with Samuels.

After Symonds' triple strike, West Indies captain Jimmy Adams, batting down the order, finished on 25 not out and Laurie Williams was 26 not out.

They shared an unbroken eighth-wicket partnership of 54 as West Indies played out their final nine overs with no chance of victory. REUTERS