Gilchrist, Mark Waugh destroy Windies

Adam Gilchrist made a golden debut as Australia's one-day cricket captain here Sunday when he oversaw another victory against the West Indies in a day-night limited-overs match at the 'Gabba Ground here.

Only four weeks after becoming Australia's 41st Test captain, Gilchrist took charge of the one-day team for the first time, combining with Mark Waugh (112 not out) to set up a massive nine-wicket win in the tri-nations competition match.

Gilchrist (98 from 122 balls) stepped into the captaincy at the last minute when regular leader Steve Waugh withdrew with a groin injury.

Shrugging off the extra responsibility, Gilchrist led with confidence and flair in the field as the Windies, after winning the toss, made 234 for eight from their 50 overs.

Then Gilchrist teamed up with Mark Waugh to steer Australia towards 236 for one from 43.4 overs, leaving the home team with 6.2 overs to spare.

The Australian opening stand of 206, before Gilchrist was eventually trapped by Ricardo Powell in the 39th over, was the best first-wicket partnership in one-day cricket in Australia and the highest Australian partnership against the West Indies.

It fell just 18 runs short of the highest Australian stand of all time in limited-overs ranks.

But the pair prospered only after some early luck.

Gilchrist received his second big surprise of the day when he was dropped by Wavell Hinds, at mid-on, after scoring just two runs. It was a simple catch that would have been taken by most of the 35,168 fans in the capacity crowd, typifying the Windies' disastrous summer. Australia's win became painfully predictable after that.

Waugh was content to work 31 singles in his first 50 runs before opening his shoulders to reach his 15th one-day international century from 123 balls.

Gilchrist's runs came at a comfortable rate, reflecting his knock of 87 in the Sydney Test 11 days ago after he was dropped from the first ball.

Australia's dominance has set the scene for another predictable one-day series as the Windies and Zimbabwe struggle to cope with the all-round might of the home team, holders of the one-day World Cup.

While the Windies managed a respectable total, they needed to produce an extra special effort in the field to have a real chance of beating the high-flying Australians on a Gabba ground which has long been friendly to one-day batsmen.

The complete scoreboard

HIGHEST PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE FIRST WICKET AGAINST THE WEST INDIES

                                                    Runs For date venue
Gilchrist & Waugh           206 Aus 14/01/2001 Brisbane
Jadeja & Tendulkar      176 Ind 9/11/1994 Cuttack
Stewart & Trescothick 171* Eng 15/07/2000 Chester-le-Street
Knight & Stewart              165 Eng 29/03/1998 Bridgetown
Atherton & Gooch           156 Eng 25/05/1991 Manchester
Smith & Wood                   135 Aus 10/02/1985 Melbourne
Boycott & Willey              135 Eng 30/05/1980 Lord's
Anwar & Wasti                   131 Pak 16/09/1999 Toronto

Mail Cricket Editor