It has been an amazing tour here in the West Indies on this Australia's Road to the ASHES 2009. The itinerary for the ASHES was announced in April this year and this started the Aussies road to the ASHES as it is just over a year away and all venues and dates are final.
If you can cast your minds back to the Test Series, it saw the Aussies win an entertaining series 2-1, but it wasn't without its shocks.
The first Test saw the Windies win the toss and bat. Two big 100's to Chanderpaul and Sarwan saw the West Indies score 340. The Aussies in reply scored 302 traiing by 38 runs. A Gayle 50 helped his side to 213 in the second with a lead of 251. Australia collapsed for 167 to lose by 84 runs.
Fidel Edwards scored MOM.
The second Test was a little more exciting. The West Indies batted again and another Gayle 50 brought the Windies 1st innings to 223. Two 50's to debutant Ronchi and Captain Ponting saw the Aussies take a 35 run lead with 258. Gayle, Smith and Morton all scored 50's to help the Windies to 275 and take a 240 run lead into the final day. David Hussey scored a quick fifty but it was a Ponting 50* that clinched the 2nd Test in a 1 wicket thriller. POnting won MOM.
Australia clinched the Series in an easy 3rd test win. Hayden's 88 saw Australia to 256 in the first innings. A gayle masterclass 100 kept the windies in the match only 10 runs behind. Hayden's brilliant 125 in the second innings saw the Aussies get 251 with a lead of 261 to defend. The Aussies bowlers easily dispatched the Windies for 180 and Australia had won the Frank Worrell Trophy. Hayden MOM, Gayle MOS.
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The 5 match ODI series was reduced to 3 by rain. But the Aussies One Day horror continued losing 2-1.
The first ODI was a tame one. the WIndies scored 272 thanks to sarwan and Chanderpaul 50's. Than Australia had a horror collapse. Being bowled out for 182 losing by 90 runs, despite a Ponting 81.
In the Second ODI the Aussies fought back. 309 thanks to a Marsh 70 and Clarke 100, put the Australian's in a commanding position. They bowled out the struggling WINDIES for 237 to win by 72 runs. Clarke MOM
In the fifth ODi it was very wet and the West Indies claimed the series 2-1 scoring 185 and bowling the luckless ozzies out for 167. Marsh got MOM AND...... Man of the Series goes to.... Shivnarine Chanderpaul for two 50's and top scoring with 172 at 57.33. Marsh also did well in his debut series. scoring 140 at 46.67.
Chris Gayle was named Man of the tour with 380 runs at 42.22 with three 50's and a 100. Sarwan also did well with 367 runs and Ponting scored 343 at 42.88 with four 50's.
Fidel Edwards and Stuart Clark were the pick of the bowlers.
So it has been an amazing tour on Australia's road to ASHES glory They won the Test series 2-1 but lost the ODI series 1-2. We hope to see you next time when the Aussies take on SRi Lanka and pakistan in a TRI-Series being held in Sri Lanka.
1st Post updated and Wel done to Pakistani Army the sole winner of the quiz predicting West Indies i have donated ur 250,000 VCash prize to you.