The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Ponting steers Australia to victory

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Saturday, Jun 11, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Ponting steers Australia to victory

ARUNDEL: Australia captain Ricky Ponting guided his side to victory with a ball to spare as it got its tour of England off to a winning start by beating the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA) Masters XI by eight wickets here on Thursday in a Twenty20 fixture.

Australia, chasing 168, was coasting as Adam Gilchrist (53) and fellow left-hander Matthew Hayden (79) put on a bludgeoning 131.

But after both openers went Ponting's 31 not out was decisive.

Hayden, whose fifty took just 32 balls, saw current England all-rounder Paul Collingwood hold on to a sharp caught and bowled chance off another hard-hit shot.

From then on with the light fading fast, the rate slowed and 27 runs were needed off the last three overs.

And with 10 needed off seven balls, Gilchrist holed out off England pace prospect Chris Tremlett - who finished with an impressive one for 17 - to the bowler's Hampshire colleague Shaun Udal at deep square leg.

Darren Maddy, who had earlier top-scored with 70 not out in the PCA's 167 for six, bowled the last over. His first ball was struck for six by Ponting and eventually Australia required two off the last two balls.

Earlier, left-arm spinner Michael Clarke claimed a hat-trick after fast bowler Brett Lee took a wicket with the first ball of the tour.

The scores: PCA Masters: 167 for 6 in 20 overs (D. Maddy 70 n.o, P. Collingwood 38, M. Ealham 39; Clarke 3-36) lost to Australia: 170 for 2 in 19.5 overs (A. Gilchrist 53, M. Hayden 79, R. Ponting 31 n.o.)

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