AUSTRALIA BLAZE THEIR WAY TO VICTORY

Captain Gilchrist made 114 and Ponting scored an unbeaten 147 as Australia made a nonsense of their target of 337, winning with 4.1 overs to spare.

Sussex made a breakthrough when Jason Lewry had the out-of-form Justin Langer caught at second slip, but Ponting joined his skipper in a third-wicket stand of 151 in 23 overs which effectively settled the contest.

Gilchrist was dropped by Adams on 12 and then Lewry spilled a head-high chance when he was trying to reach his hundred with a boundary. Instead he took two to go to this third century of the tour.

He was eventually stumped off off-spinner Mark Davis for 114, made off 102 balls with 19 fours and two sixes.

Ponting and Simon Katich did much as they pleased after tea as Australia cruised to victory, the third-wicket pair putting on 131 in 22 overs.

Ponting batted himself back into form ahead of the Test with his second century of the tour and he hit the winning runs with his 17th boundary. The Tasmanian also swatted three sixes while Katich, favourite to replace Steve Waugh at Headingley, was 40 not out.

Earlier, Damian Fleming (3-20) and Brett Lee (2-27) had produced excellent new ball spells as Sussex slumped to 31-5 in their second innings before Murray Goodwin revived them with a run-a-ball 28 which included six boundaries and enabled his side to declare on 68-5 after 85 minutes batting in the morning.

Gilchrist was happy with his side's workout. "There was time in the middle for Ricky Ponting and others including myself," he said.

"Brett Lee and Damian Fleming bowled with a great deal of rhythm and that has given them a lot of confidence.

"Chris Adams deserves credit for opening the game up by declaring and offering some entertaining cricket for the patrons. We have had a solid workout which is what we look for between the Tests."

SWASHBUCKLING GILCHRIST LEADS AUSTRALIAN RUN CHASE

Gilchrist promoted himself to opener and scored his third tour hundred off just 96 balls as Australia reached 215-2, chasing 337 to win in 68 overs, off 38 overs at tea.

None of the Sussex bowlers was spared in Gilchrist's breathtaking assault although it wasn't a chanceless knock. He was dropped at second slip off Jason Lewry when he had made just 12 and then Lewry spilled a head-high chance at mid on, Gilchrist collecting two runs to move to his century.

He fell with the score on 208 for 114, smartly stumped by Nick Wilton as he made room to cut off-spinner Mark Davis. Gilchrist added 151 in 25 overs with Ricky Ponting who batted his way back to form with an unbeaten 67.

In contrast Justin Langer's slim hopes of replacing Steve Waugh in the Test team looked to have disappeared when he was caught at slip off Lewry for 14.

AUSTRALIANS SET 337 FOR VICTORY

Adam Gilchrist opened the innings with Justin Langer and at lunch Australia had reached 32-0 from six overs although Gilchrist had a scare in the third over when Chris Adams just failed to cling on to a flying edge at second slip off Jason Lewry when he had made 12.

Earlier, Australia declared their first innings on their overnight 86-2 and in 20 overs batting Sussex reached 67-5.

Adams mixed up his batting order, but Sussex soon discovered there would be no easy runs before they could declare.

Brett Lee, bowling with much more menace after switching to the Cromwell Road End, removed makeshift opener Bas Zuiderent and Umer Rashid as he took 2-27 from ten overs while Damien Fleming swung the ball consistently in an eight-over spell which brought him 3-20 including the wickets of Mark Davis and first innings century-maker Richard Montgomerie in the space of three balls.

At one stage Sussex were 31-5, but Murray Goodwin hit six fours in a run-a-ball 28 while Michael Yardy, who was dropped by Mark Waugh off Lee on 13, helped him put on 37 in six overs before the declaration.

© CricInfo

Date-stamped : 10 Aug2001 - 22:32