Australia confirm their favouritism with 93-run semi-final win

Australia qualified for the ICC Under-19 World Cup final against South Africa on Saturday but the West Indies with a little more patience might have pushed them a lot closer than the final 93-run margin of victory in today's semi-final.

By confining the Australians to 252/8 when they batted first in cool overcast conditions on the reserve day at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, the West Indies gave themselves a chance.

They had pulled the Australian scoring rate back from a possible 280-plus and, while the job remained in front of them, they got into a good position at 102/2 in the 22nd over.

But just as the West Indians had utilised spin to peg back the Australians, so the Australians did in even more masterly fashion when, between the 20th and 40th overs, the West Indies were only able to score 61 runs.

The innings' of the two sides were similar in construction, based largely around high third-wicket partnerships. In Australia's case theirs, between captain Cameron White and opener Craig Simmons was worth 84 runs but, having come on the top of 84 runs scored by the first two wickets, it had a much more solid base.

Simmons, who was named man of the match for his 84 off 110 balls, played a fine innings, hitting eight fours and a six, while White kept the score moving through the middle of the innings, playing some deft late cuts during the early part of his innings and then working the ball around the ground more later. He was finally out caught from Alcindo Holder's off-spin for 64.

The West Indies stand of 82 runs was more by necessity after the two openers, including the big-hitting Donovan Pagon, were out with only 20 on the board. Tonito Willett and captain Narsingh Deonarine combined well to not only get settled but to get the scoring rate moving at an acceptable level.

It was then that White made his decisive move. The introduction of left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty for the 20th over, followed a few overs later by the arrival of left-arm chinaman bowler Beau Casson had the desired effect.

Deonarine was first to go for 40 and then Willett tried to hold the innings together but eventually departed the eighth man our for a lovely 83 off 123 balls.

Whereas earlier, the Australian lower order had a chance to hit out to build on the earlier work, the West Indian middle and lower-order had not only to survive but also keep the scoring rate moving.

With such superbly tight bowling, they had no show. Doherty bowled his 10 overs through to finish with two for 26, Casson took two for 28 off nine and Jarrad Burke came into quickly polish off the end of the innings with final figures of two for 17.

Ten overs remained after the last eight West Indies wickets had fallen for 57 runs.

White said afterwards while it was disappointing not to get more runs if someone had said before the game they would get 250 he would have been happy with that.

He was disappointed to get out when he did. He was a little concerned once the West Indies got to the position of 102/2 but was delighted with the way his bowlers responded.

Despite the fact the side had to wait an extra day and would have only tomorrow to prepare for the final, they were still feeling fresh and were "ready and well prepared."

Australian coach Wayne Phillips said he had been delighted with the way the team had gone throughout the tournament and they were justifiably going into the final feeling confident.

"There has always been tremendous rivalry between Australia and the West Indies and today was no exception," he said.

West Indies coach Gus Logie said they were happy to be in the semi-finals, and while they hadn't made the final they had done well, especially when the side's batting had rarely clicked during the tournament.

They had hoped to put up a good fight against the Australians and while beaten he felt there were some significant lessons learned because the tournament had been good preparation for the future by the players.

He said that while the West Indies don't have the quality of fast bowlers of their recent history, the wickets in the West Indies were more conducive to spin bowling nowadays and it was not unknown for teams at youth level to have good spinners, a feature reflected in the side's bowling in Christchurch.

He believed the Australians would win the tournament.

"They have been quite consistent and have set a standard for us all to follow."

Logie also thanked New Zealand Cricket and the ICC for staging the tournament.

"The grounds and facilities have been tremendous. We will have very fond memories of this tournament. Having everyone staying at the one venue here made it a nice little community and it was a good thing for players to experience this sort of thing," he said.