Matthew Hayden cracks blistering 158 as Australia pile up 322 for 6

St Peters, Antigua, Mar 27 (UNI) Matthew Hayden cracked his second successive century as he smashed a quickfire 143-ball 158 to propel Australia to a commanding total of 322 for 6 against hosts West Indies in the first Super Eight league match of the cricket World Cup at Sir Vivian Richards Ground here today Hayden who had cracked the fastest hundred -- 68-ball 101 in the World Cup against South Africa on March 24 -- took time to settle down and faced 19 balls before he opened his account, but once he got into the groove, the bowlers scurried for cover.

Playing in his 138th one-dayer, the 35-year-old left handed Queenslander was both professional and merciless in his treatment of the Windies bowlers as he scored his ninth ton of his career. He showed no hurry to go after the bowlers, bid his time and once he found his rhythm, the bowlers were sent on the leather hunt. He belted four sixes and 14 fours during his stay at the crease.

West Indies skipper Brian Lara took a calculated risk by putting Australians in after winning the toss as this was the first ever major match at this venue, but the manner in which the defending champions batted showed that there was nothing to fear from in this virgin track.

The home side made an early breakthrough when Daren Powell beat Adam Gilchrist with sheer speed and had him inside-edging for wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin to take neatly. With the ball swerving around, Gilchrist and Hayden began cautiously and Hayden was in fact scoreless when his partner fell in the fifth over.

Gilchrist made seven off nine balls and the team total was 10 for one when he departed after 4.1 overs.

That brought captain Ricky Ponting to the crease and 66 runs came for the second wicket in a shade over 10 overs. It was an indication of the sort of form Ponting is in at the moment. He moved on light feet and hit the ball hard, every boundary being sweetly-timed and exquisitely placed as he took the bowlers on.

Ponting was run out by a direct hit when he took on Ramnaresh Sarwan at mid-off. Till then, Ponting, whom Sir Vivian Richards described as a ''batsman with a bat that looks like a door'', had looked in ominous touch, getting to a typically brisk 35 from 36 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and a sweetly-timed six over deep backward square leg off Powell.

It was, in fact, due to a bit of bravado that undid the Aussie skipper as he played the ball straight to the fielder and charged down, gambling on the fact that Sarwan would have just one stump to aim at. The fielder, however, steadied himself before releasing the ball and Ponting was a foot short on the television replays.

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