Watch the highlights of Australia vs West Indies Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 3rd Final 1988-89 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the third final played between West Indies and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 18th January 1989.
Opener Desmond Haynes and Captain Viv Richards powers to West Indies won on a superior run-rate against Australia with 8-wickets in hand, despite a Dean Jones' dashing 93* and West Indies clinch the their fifth WSC title with 2-1 lead in a rain-marred game of the deciding third final game of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
* Originally required to score 227 off 38 overs, the West Indies needed just 61 from 11.2 overs after further rain disrupted play.
* And with the arrogance that has long characterised their one-day cricket, they achieved the target from just 6.4 overs. The Windies won on a superior run-rate.
Australia scored 226-4 in 38 overs with top scorer by Dean Jones hammered a unbeaten 93 off 82-balls including 8-fours & 2-sixes with strike rate of 113.41.
Allan Border hit a unbeaten 32 off 25-balls including 4-fours with strike rate of 128, Geoff Marsh scored 31 off consuming 72-balls included four boundaries, Steve Waugh blasted a unbeaten 27 off 17-balls contained one-six & a four with strike-rate of 158.82 and David Boon 16.
West Indies best bowler by Viv Richards, Carl Hooper and Courtney Walsh each took one-wickets.
West Indies chased 111-2 in 13.2 overs with top scorer by Viv Richards hammered a unbeaten 60 off 40-balls including 6-fours & 3-sixes with strike rate of 150.
Desmond Haynes hit 40 off 36-balls including 3-fours & a six with strike rate of 111.11 and Gordon Greenidge 4.
Australia best bowler by Terry Alderman took 2-wickets for 22-runs in 4-overs.
The player-of-the-series & match award has been shared by West Indies opener Desmond Haynes and the Australian captain Allan Border.
This match reported by Mike Coward (Third Party Reference from SMH)
The West Indies won another World Series Cup title but the limited-over game may no longer have unlimited appeal to Australian cricket watchers.
To complement their Test series victory, they claimed their fifth WSC trophy in 10 years in ridiculous circumstances when the vagaries of the weather and the flawed rules of the competition cruelly undermined the Australian
cause.
In the grand farce rather than the grand final, the gallant Australians hauled themselves back from the precipice after one deluge only to be swept away helplessly by the next.
Both downpours seriously disadvantaged the Australians who just after 2 pm believed winning the toss was a Godsend. It turned out to be Viv Richards' curse.
Originally required to score 227 runs from 38 overs at 5.97 for victory in the end the West Indies needed only 61 from 11.2 overs.
With the arrogance that has long characterised their cricket - particularly in the one-day forum - they completed their mission from just 6.4 overs Desmond Haynes winning the match in an outrageous manner, clipping Stephen Waugh behind square leg for six.
Under the rules, they won on superior run-rate. And it is those rules that must be examined and overhauled immediately. To say the least it was regrettable that the team that made the running in difficult going throughout were unfairly penalised by a system which made a mockery of a wonderful innings of 93 by Dean Jones.
"It probably is time for a think-tank to come up with a better solution for rain-affected games," Australian captain Allan Border said.
"The odds are stacked so much against the team bowling second that it is not funny. There was nothing more we could have done tonight," added Border who with Haynes shared the Player-of-the-Finals award.
Haynes and the incomparable Richards scarcely could believe their good fortune when umpires Peter McConnell and Terry Prue ordered a resumption just 20 minutes before proceedings would have had to be abandoned.
They made sure of the victory - to go with the successes of 1979-80, 1981-82, 1983-84 and 1984-85 with a sensational unbroken partnership of 107 from 76 balls.
Haynes, also the player of the preliminary matches, finished with 40 from 36 balls and Richards with a thundering 60 from just 40 deliveries with five fours and three colossal sixes.
Sadly, they were booed as they ran excitedly from the ground, grinning broadly and swinging their bats in celebration. Earlier Richards had argued with the umpires who had insisted play continue in a steady drizzle.
Jones, whose temperament and disposition are so well suited to this form of the game, approached his innings in the manner of the invincible heavyweight fighter. Unquestionably the most expressive and daring batsman in the country, he was in irresistible touch after the first and irksome 123-minute delay for persistent rain.
In the company of Border, one of his strongest supporters in the selection room, Jones set his jaw, gritted his teeth and with eyes blazing, played with the awesome power and passion that characterised his unforgettable double century in the tied Test at Madras in 1986 and his rapid-fire limited- over hundreds here in 1986-87.
And when in the 38th and final over he had the knuckle of his right index finger cracked while attempting to pull Curtly Ambrose through square leg he used the parlance of the pug. Jones has had a particularly unproductive time over the past five months and was even dropped from the limited-over team for a match with Pakistan in Melbourne just nine days ago.
With only one first-class 50 to his credit in that time - in Peshawar, Pakistan in the first week of October - he was immediately reinstated and in four consecutives appearances against the West Indies has returned scores of 77, 36, 27 and an unconquered 93.
Contrite after again running out one of his sternest critics, vice-captain, Geoff Marsh, Jones was just 15 when the Australian innings was resumed at 6.14 at two for 83 from 23.1 overs.
To the unrestrained delight of the smallest but most peaceable, good-natured and damp crowd of the finals - 31,900 Jones set - about pulverising the West Indian attack in the 14.5 overs suddenly only available to the Australians.
With a wonderfu! mix of the brilliant and the bizarre, Jones took 78 from 54 deliveries and with wholehearted support from Border and indefatigable and smart Stephen Waugh, enabled Australia to reach a handsome four for 226 - which would be a very pleasing result from 50 overs against the West Indies attack.
Jones, who ran so hard his body was racked with pain, cut, pulled, drove, hooked, glanced, dabbed, chipped and squeezed runs from an an attack headed by Ambrose and Ian Bishop who so rarely have been tested in the heat of a major battle.
He was at his imperious best against Marshall, who has had an unsatisfactory visit by his standards and was highly insulted that 18 were torn from his sixth over.
Jones, with a glance and well-positioned drives was responsible for 17 of them. In such a mood he needed the good grace of those above. And his prayers were answered, Richie Richardson at deep square leg to Courtney Walsh missing him at 32. And at 71 he top edged Marshall but there was a substantial communication breakdown by Ambrose, Walsh, Gordon Greenidge and David Williams who replaced the bilious Jeff Dujon and the ball slipped from the glove of a desperate, sprawling Williams.
To the accompaniment of the chant "Jonesy, Jonesy", he did not lose his head and welcomed the advice and encouragement he received from Stephen Waugh.
Waugh, one of few internationals who looks forward to one-day games, played another sensational cameo role which he ended by audaciously driving Ambrose off the backfoot over extra cover for six.
Another 18 runs came from that last over and Waugh and Jones embraced as they left to a standing ovation.
Jones's unbeaten 93 came from 82 deliveries and included eight fours and two sixes while Stephen Waugh took an unbroken 27 from 17 deliveries.
They steadfastly refused to be pressured or intimidated by the attack and to the bewilderment of Richards they tore 58 from the last four overs and so required the West Indies to score at 5.97 runs an overs to maintain their unblemished record in WSC final series.
Before he was joined by the artful Waugh, Border (32 from 25 balls with four boundaries) had assisted him to add 67 from 54 balls in a critical third wicket stand.
Viv Richards Batting Highlights
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