†AUSTRALIA v WEST INDIES 1988-89

At Sydney, January 18 (day/night). West Indies won by eight wickets being set a revised target of 108 in eighteen overs. Toss: Australia. The World Series Cup of 1988-89 could hardly have had a less satisfactory ending. The toss virtually decided it, not because the pitch, now being used for the third time in seven days, cracked up, but as a result of the regulations, which, in the event of much rain, are too heavily loaded in favour of the side batting second.

There were two stoppages, the first of two hours during Australia's innings, the second of 85 minutes soon after West Indies had set out to make 227 to win at 5.97 runs an over.

When the players went off for the first time Australia were 83 for two. Left with only another 14.5 overs' batting after the resumption - it had by then become a 38-overs match - they scored a further 143 runs, Jones giving a particularly brilliant display. When the West Indian innings was interrupted they were 47 for two after only 6.4 overs, Richards being in spectacular form after Greenidge and Richardson had been out in the first over. With the rain relenting soon after nine o'clock, just in time for the match not to be abandoned and another started next day, West Indies found their requirement reduced from 180 in 31.2 overs to 61 from 11.2 overs. Most sides would have expected to achieve that, if with nothing like the power and disdain with which Richards and Haynes managed it. Richards's 60 not out came off 40 balls. In the post-mortem Australia's captain called for the regulations to be revised; Richards was happy with them as they were.

Man of the Finals: A. R. Border and D. L. Haynes (shared).

Attendance: 31,900.