After dismissing the West Indies for a modest 163, Australia cruised to 166 for two in 35.1 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the seven-match Cable and Wireless cricket series and extend their unbeaten One-Day record to 19 wins on the trot.

The West Indies’ meek surrender of the match after Saturday’s nail-biting two-run loss, left a bitter taste in the mouths of several spectators in the 12 000-strong crowd and they marched out as Australian captain Ricky Ponting completed his second straight half-century.

Ponting struck five fours and a six off 71 balls in an unbeaten 57 while opener Matthew Hayden also got a half-century, making 51 from 87 balls, enriched with four fours and a six.

But it was the Australian bowlers, led by the experienced fast bowler Glenn McGrath, who returned the excellent figures of four for 31 off 10 overs that set up their ninth consecutive limited overs victory over the West Indies, dating back to the 1999 World Cup.

McGrath, who was named Man-of-the-Match, received admirable support from fellow pacers Brett Lee, two for 22, Andy Bichel, two for 27, Jason Gillespie, one for 28, in a fine all-round bowling display by Australia.

Left-arm spinner Brad Hogg also bowled miserly, taking one for 27 in his 10 overs while the sixth bowler used by Ponting, Andrew Symonds, delivered eight tidy overs of off-spin for 22 runs.

Batting first on winning the toss unlike in Saturday’s defeat, the West Indies lost their first five batsmen for a mere 75 runs and only rallied to a relatively respectable total through the efforts of Ricardo Powell, Omari Banks and Carlton Baugh.

Powell top-scored with 32 off 42 balls while the inexperienced Banks and Baugh, both in only their second One-Day International, weighed in with 29 runs each in a rear-guard seventh-wicket partnership of 54 runs which took up 16.3 overs.

The West Indies’ woes started in the day’s second over when another rookie, left-handed opener Devon Smith, also in his second ODI, attempted to pull a short delivery from Lee and gave the fast bowler a return catch.

Marlon Samuels, promoted to No.3 in the batting order, made just six off 23 balls before he inexplicably hooked at a leg-side bouncer from McGrath and gloved a catch to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

Captain Brian Lara (5) and Chris Gayle (28) tried to consolidate the innings but their partnership was worth only 22 runs when Lara flirted at a delivery angled across him by Bichel and snicked a low catch to Gilchrist.

Bichel struck again, seven runs later when Gayle, who was kept quiet by the miserly McGrath even though he cover-drove and lifted Lee over extra covers, was lured into a drive and Gilchrist pouched the resulting edge.

The slide continued when Ramnaresh Sarwan (14) got a thick edge to a drive off a slower delivery from Gillespie and was well caught by Hayden, diving to his right at first slip.

The aggressive Powell raised the West Indies’ hopes of reaching a respectable total with six meaty boundaries before he tried to pull a short ball, pitched outside off-stump from Hogg and spooned a high catch to McGrath at long on.

That left the West Indies in wobbly waters on 103 for six but Banks and Baugh rode their luck after both were dropped off Symonds’ friendly trundlers to add 54 runs for the seventh wicket.

Baugh, missed on four when Symonds spilled a return catch, swung Hogg over midwicket for six while Banks, who escaped on six when Gillespie floored a chance at long-on, powerfully hammered the same bowler for a straight four.

But with overs running out, Lee was recalled for a second spell and quickly induced Banks, who faced as many as 76 balls, during his knock, to miscue a hook shot for Gilchrist to take the resulting lob.

McGrath swiftly wrapped up the innings in the 49th over, yorking Baugh and Drakes and trapping last man Corey Collymore leg-before-wicket in the space of five balls.

In response, Australia cantered to their target with Hayden sharing successive half-century stands with his opening partner Gilchrist, who made 27 off 28 balls, and his captain Ponting.

Gilchrist was the more aggressive of the openers, hooking Dillon through square leg for four and following up with a straight-driven four off the same bowler, much to the chagrin of a spectator in the Air Jamaica Stand, who quipped ‘Bring Back Courtney’.

Ironically, the Dee Jay in the Mound Stand had just welcomed Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, the two great former West Indian bowlers, on stage but their presence could not inspire the toothless bowlers on the field of play.

Seamer Collymore, who was hoisted over long on for six by Hayden, made the break through when Gilchrist holed out to Samuels inside the deep midwicket boundary.

Ponting joined Hayden and with little fuss or fanfare, they casually put on 70 runs for the second wicket in 14.1 overs to irritate the spectators.

So nonchalant was Hayden that he reached his fifty by using the reverse sweep shot to gather three runs off the gentle off-spin from Banks.

Seemingly satisfied with his effort, Hayden calmly lifted Banks to long on where Collymore took the catch.

Symonds replaced Hayden and even before formalising the result with a safe pull through wide long on off Collymore to end on 17 not out, the spectators in the Eastern Stand and the George Headley Stand were making their trek home.

WEST INDIES innings

C.Gayle c wkp. Gilchrist b Bichel 28

D.Smith c & b Lee 1

M.Samuels c wkp. Gilchrist b McGrath 6

B.Lara c wkp. Gilchrist b Bichel 5

R.Sarwan c Hayden b Gillespie 14

R.Powell c McGrath b Hogg 32

O.Banks c wkp. Gilchrist b Lee 29

C.Baugh b McGrath 29

V.Drakes b McGrath 1

M.Dillon not out 3

C.Collymore lbw b McGrath 0

Extras: (b-2, lb-4, w-9) 15

Total: (all out, 49 overs) 163

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-21, 3-43, 4-50, 5-75, 6-103, 7-157, 8-160, 9-163.

Bowling: McGrath 10-2-31-4 (w-1), Lee 7-0-22-2 (w-2), Gillespie 9-0-28-1 (w-2), Bichel 5-0-27-2 (w-1), Hogg 10-3-27-1, Symonds 8-0-22-0 (w-3).

AUSTRALIA innings

A.Gilchrist c Samuels b Collymore 27

M.Hayden c Collymore b Banks 51

R.Ponting not out 57

A.Symonds not out 17

Extras: (lb-10, w-3, nb-1) 14

Total: (2 wickets, 35.1 overs) 166

Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-120.

Bowling: Dillon 10-0-45-0 (w-1), Collymore 8.1-1-35-1 (nb-1), Banks 10-0-42-1, Drakes 1-0-6-0, Gayle 6-0-26-0 (w-2).

Third match: May 21, Castries, St Lucia

Fourth match: May 24, Port of Spain, Trinidad

Fifth match: May 25, Port of Spain, Trinidad