CATEGORY:SPORTS(CRICKET) ----------------------------- INSIDE GRENADA SATURDAY April 28,2007 by Wallace J.A Australian wicketkeeper/ batsman, Adam Gilchrist, smashed an unbeaten 149 runs from only 104 deliveries - which included 13 fours and 8 sixes - to assist his team in attaining a comprehensive 54-run victory over Sri Lanka in the 2007 World Cup final played at the Kensington Oval, Barbados today. Gilchrist not only scored the fastest 100 in a world cup final (72 balls) but also scored the highest total in a world cup inning. He was adjudged man-of-the- match. The final, which featured the two strongest teams in the competition -Australia vs. Sri Lanka -, was reduced to 38 overs per side as a result of heavy rain and a damp outfield at Kensington Oval this morning. Australia won the toss and decided to bat first. Opening batsmen Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist were able to establish a partnership of 172 runs before Hayden was caught by Jayawardene off the bowling of Malinga for 38. The two Aussie openers took the wind out of the sails of the Sri Lankan team and laid the foundation for Australians mammoth total of 281/4, setting Sri Lanka a total of 282 for victory at an average of 7.42 runs per over. To win the game, Sri Lanka required a Herculean effort from at least one of their batsmen. That was not to be. Tharanga was the first Sri Lankan batsman to go after 2.1 overs, scoring only 6 runs. He was caught by Gilchrist off the bowling of Bracken. Sanath Jayasuriya (63) and Kumar Sangakkara (54) were the only two Sri Lankan batsmen who seem to take the fight to the powerful Australians. Sri Lanka suffered a further setback when rain interrupted their innings and the players had to get off the field. When their returned, they were required to make 269 runs in 36 overs based on the Duckworth-Lewis formula. In the end, Sri Lanka managed to amass 215/8 in their allotted 36 overs. The end of the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies marks the end of the illustrious cricket career of Glen McGrath, the lanky Aussie fast-bowler. He was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament (26 wickets) and was rightly voted man-of-the-tournament. Matthew Hayden, who was in menacing form throughout the world cup, scored the most runs in the tournament (659 runs). The Australian cricket team played all their matches in the 2007 World Cup without losing any. They demonstrated a high level of commitment, dedication, seriousness and professionalism throughout all their matches which saw them winning all their games by large margins. The Aussies will undoubtedly remain a formidable team in world cricket and the other cricket nations will have to take their cricket to an entirely new level if they intend to dethrone the formidable Aussies.