Australia beat Windies by 73 runs
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australia maintained their unbeaten run in the one-day tri-series with victory over the West Indies by 73 runs at the Adelaide Oval.
Fast bowler Brett Lee took four wickets for 38 runs as the West Indies collapsed to 196 all out in reply to the hosts' 269 for eight from 50 overs.
With five matches played, Australia are already assured of a place in the final with the West Indies and Pakistan battling for the second spot.
Lee was twice denied a hat-trick, dismissing openers Wavell Hinds for 0 with the first ball of his first over and Chris Gayle for 2 with the first ball of his second as the West Indies slumped to three runs for two wickets.
Having survived that hat-trick ball Shivnarine Chanderpaul progressed to 55 in a third-wicket stand with Ramnaresh Sarwan worth 92 runs, before Lee returned to the attack to inflict another devastating blow to the West Indies' hopes.
First West Indies captain Brian Lara was caught and bowled by Lee for 29, and then wicketkeeper Courtney Browne was trapped lbw with the next delivery.
"I always try to make sure that I'm fully fit so that if I get the opportunity to go out there I can give my best and hopefully I've done that," said Lee.
"I've done a lot of bowling in the nets with my training partner Andrew Symonds. I've been working on a few different balls and I've felt that with every game I've got a bit better."
Australia had been put under early pressure in their innings as Pedro Collins ripped through the top of their order on his way to collecting his first five-wicket haul in one-day cricket.
The Caribbean paceman dismised Australian captain Ricky Ponting for a duck, and also sent Matthew Hayden (3) and Darren Lehman (4) back to the pavilion with single figure scores.
But Simon Katich steadied Australia's innings with 76 from 86 balls, before becoming Collins' final victim of the day.
In an impressive performance by Australia's tailend batsmen, Lee (38 not out) and Jason Gillespie (44 not out) also helped to bolster the hosts' total.
