SYDNEY, Australia – RAVI RAMPAUL compensated for the injured Kemar Roach with grand style earlier today (Feb. 12) in West Indies’ third One Day International against Australia, but torrential rains made his 4 for 61 all for naught as the match was cancelled.
West Indies struggled to make a mark in their first two encounters of their limited overs tour and yet another loss due to injury did not seem to bode well for the team leading into today’s match.
Rampaul eased into a leadership role, however, and brought some much needed life into the bowling attack.
Captain for the West Indies, Chris Gayle, won the coin toss and sent Australia to bat first. The hosts also decided to rest a number of their top players for the match and West Indies were happy to apply early pressure to the changed lineup.
Series newcomers Tim Paine and Adam Voges opened for the Aussies, but by the sixth over Paine (16) was bowled on some nice bounce from Rampaul. Voges left in the next over when he was caught lbw by Dwayne Smith, managing to only add eight.
Australia Captain Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke stemmed the flow of wickets momentarily with a promising 48-run partnership, but Roach replacement Darren Sammy proved his worth on a lengthy delivery that pulled Ponting (22) out of form and caused him to inside edge the ball into the stumps.
Clarke would go on to top score for the day with 46, while Michael Hussey gave a valiant effort in the middle order as the skies continued to grow gloomy.
Hussey teamed up with James Hopes to scratch out another 50-run partnership, but it was an uphill battle for much of the day as the flat wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground prove quite friendly for the bowlers in its unpredictability.
When the duo was dismissed in the 46th and 47th overs respectively thanks to Smith and Rampaul, it only took Rampaul and company two more overs to clean up the remaining three wickets.
Apart from Rampaul’s effort, Smith ended the day at 3 for 45 and Sammy proved his worth with 2 for 46 to leave Australia with a total of 255/all out from 49.5 overs.
With threatening skies, West Indies eventually took to the crease and the fans eagerly anticipated watching yet another showdown between Gayle and his Australian nemesis, Doug Bollinger.
Bollinger opened yet again with a strong, crowding attack on Gayle and nearly struck him in the head on the fifth ball. Rain then interrupted play and there was little hope for the match to be completed.
Match officials shortened the chase to just over 20 overs for West Indies, but the rain only relented long enough for the first over to be completed before the match was officially called off.
Having lost their best chance yet to garner a win in the ODI series because of the weather, the pressure will now be doubled on the West Indies as they head to Brisbane on Sunday (Feb. 14).
