Watch the highlights of Australia vs West Indies Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1st Final 1988-89 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the first final played between West Indies and Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne in 14th January 1989.
Allan Border's masterclass 78 before Merv Hughes' openers wicket and his superb last over as Australia pulled off a thrilling 2-run victory over West Indies, despite a fighting 48-run stand for the nine-wicket between Ian Bishop and Curtly Ambrose and take a 1-0 lead in a low-scoring thriller of the first best-of-three finals of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
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Australia scored 204-9 in 50 overs with top scorer by Allan Border cracked a 78 off 103-balls including 6-fours & a six.
Dean Jones scored 36 off consuming 75-balls without a boundary, Steve Waugh struck 33 off 38-balls included 3-fours and Geoff Marsh 18.
West Indies best bowler by Curtly Ambrose claimed a five-wicket haul for 26-runs in 10-overs including two maidens, Malcolm Marshall took 2-wickets and one for Courtney Walsh.
West Indies scored 202-9 in 50 overs with top scorer by Ian Bishop hit a unbeaten 33 off 40-balls including 2-fours.
Carl Hooper hit 33 off 44-balls including 2-fours & a six, Jeff Dujon scored 27 off 43-balls included a boundary, Richie Richardson 24 and Curtly Ambrose 23.
Australia best bowler by Terry Alderman, Merv Hughes, Peter Taylor and Simon O'Donnell each took one-wickets.
This match reported by Phil Wilkins (Third Party Reference from SMH)
"MERV mania" reigned at the Melbourne
Cricket Ground as a Merv Hughes firestorm scorched the West Indies before a crowd of 75,000.
The Victorian folk hero set his MCG masses roaring as he dismissed champion openers Gordon Greenidge (five) and Desmond Haynes (six) in his first four blistering overs. When new-ball partner Terry Alderman (2-29) sent back West Indies captain Viv Richards (14), caught behind point by the inpirational Allan Border running from slip with Geoff Marsh at his elbow, the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup final lurched into Australia's grasp.
Yet Australia eventually won a thriller by just two runs - 9-204 to the West Indies' 9-202 - after needing four runs from the last delivery.
The West Indies were resurrected from oblivion by a 48-run stand from 62 balls by Curtly Ambrose (23) and Ian Bishop (33 not out) in a ninth wicket partnership.
It was only Australia's second win over the West Indies at the MCG in a decade. The teams now fly to Sydney for the second of the best-of-three-game final series on Monday. The winners will receive $32,000.
Hughes (2-34) has developed legendary pro- portions since his 13 wickets of the Perth Test. When wicketkeeper Ian Healy flashed away horizontally for a leg-side catch from Greenidge's inside edge, the celebrations were immense in Bay 13.
"Bring him on at both ends!" suggested a banner. Hughes beat Haynes for pace as the Barbadian attempted to screw the ball away in the speedster's following over and the MCG erupted at the lbw decision.
The final was marred by controversy over the run out of Malcolm Marshall (18) with doubt whether the ball was lodged in wicketkeeper Healy's gloves as he jolted the bails from Border's superb throw.
Marshall protested vehemently to square leg umpire Steve Randell as he left the wicket and Ambrose walked across the MCG wagging his head in frustration.
Earlier, Border returned to the arena of his Boxing Day disaster of a duck in his 100th Test to be Australia's early hero. Border (78) drilled a monstrous six over mid-wicket and reproduced his marvellous back cut in a 103-ball innings with six boundaries against the West Indies.
But it was Border's arch-rival Ambrose (5-26), the man who yorked him for 0 in what was to have been the triumph of his century of Tests, who brought his downfall yesterday. Having left Australia's top-order in disorder with the wickets of openers David Boon (0) and Marsh (18), Ambrose returned for his second spell to end the critical 99-run partnership by Border and Dean Jones (36) Ambrose delivered a shin-high full toss which Border crisply guided to midwicket only for Greenidge to snare the sharp head-high catch.
When Ambrose finally rammed his last ball into Hughes' pads to close Australia's innings at 9-204, the Antiguan had effectively put the West Indies in charge of the first final.
Ambrose has become a phenomenon in his 10 months of international cricket since he broke into the West Indies team on March 12, 1988. In 11 Tests he has taken 49 wickets. In 17 limited-over internationals, he has captured 41 wickets.
It has been an amazing first year of international cricket for the lofty fast bowler.
The 25-year-old pace-man will sweep the boards of every major individual prize in this summer's competitions despite Haynes' success in the preliminary series. Border's superlative batting was a far cry from the mediocrity which has marred his cricket this summer.
His performance was preceded by a startlingly impressive net practice on Friday when his old timing and footwork suddenly flowed back into his game. With it all blossomed the usual Border assurance.
Two beautifully guided shots from successive deliveries from Richards whirled away behind point in the West Indies captain's fifth over. But the six hit over midwicket from Richards' ninth over would have made even the great West Indian a pale shade of green.
Before last Tuesday's innings of 60 against Pakistan at the MCG, Border's top score in five limited-over innings was 18 not out. His best score in three Tests was 41. Hopefully, after struggling for much of the season, Border will expand his MCG distinction into the last two Tests.
The final began in honeyed warmth, made immediately the better for the vast Melbourne crowd by Border's winning the toss. Predictably, Ambrose threw Australia off-stride in his opening spell. In his third over, he skidded the second delivery off the seam for the catch at the wicket from Boon (0).
Last summer's Cricketer-of-the-Year has found the game less enjoyable and rewarding this
season. It was a heaven-sent occasion for Jones to march to the wicket, inspired by his fellow Victorians. Inexplicably, the Test No 3 batted at 5.
Marsh (18) seemed at ease in his 50-minute stay then Ambrose beat him with a slower, full-pitched in-swinger and umpire Steve Randell was in no doubt about the lbw decision.
Border saw a Bishop ball whistle by his helmet without any action by Len King then engaged in a spat with the Victorian umpire in the Trinidadian fast bowler's second over.
The delivery swung away down the leg side from Jones and wicket-keeper Jeff Dujon sprawled away to save the byes. To Border's anger, umpire King failed to signal a wide and pleaded with him for consistency. Before the final, opening West Indies batsman Haynes was named Benson and Hedges Player-of-the-Series from the 12 preliminary games.
Haynes tallied 43 points from four of the West Indies eight games. clearly surpassing the efforts of Geoff Marsh, who earned 34 points, and Steve Waugh, with 24.
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