AUSTRALIA v WEST INDIES

At Melbourne, January 18 (day/night). West Indies won by four wickets. Toss: Australia.

A tense, low-scoring match was closer than the deciding margin indicated. After Boon and Taylor scored 39 off the first ten overs West Indies choked the run supply with tight bowling backed by sharp fielding. Between the 20th and 30th overs Australia added only 13 while losing three batsmen. Ambrose made sure they did not prosper at the end, claiming three of the last four wickets. Boon and the Waugh brothers were all run out by direct hits, Mark Waugh for the fourth time in five one-day internationals following his run-out in the Third Test.

West Indies started uncertainly, losing three for 23, until Lara and Hooper set them on course for their target of 148 with a partnership of 86. But Lara was caught in the gully in the 33rd over, off his 100th delivery, and two more wickets fell cheaply. When Bishop joined Hooper 22 more were needed and runs were hard to come by. The batsmen remained calm, however, to see West Indies to their sixth triumph in eight World Series competitions, and their fifth in five sets of finals against Australia.

Player of the Finals: C. E. L. Ambrose.

Attendance: 72,492.