Hayden fell 30 runs short of the highest individual World Cup score

Live Scores-Hayden puts Windies to the sword

Matthew Hayden struck a second straight ton and highest World Cup score by an Australian to help post a big total in the Super 8 opener against West Indies.
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The opener survived a series of early scares before moving through the gears to fire 158 off 143 balls in Antigua.

It was a fabulous knock, supported well by Ricky Ponting (35) and Michael Clarke (41), as Australia posted 322-6.

Shane Watson (33) also played his part with a cameo, while Daren Powell (2-53) finished as the Windies' best bowler.

The innings was all about Hayden's class, though, and his knock, in the first match to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium, was as swashbuckling as anything Sir Viv himself might have produced in his pomp.

However, the Queensland opener did not have things all his own way after Brian Lara had won the toss and asked Australia to bat, with overhead conditions and a fresh pitch suggesting the bowlers would get some early assistance.

And so it proved as Powell and Jerome Taylor both extracted movement off the seam to beat Adam Gilchrist's and then Hayden's bat twice in the first four overs.

The pressure told in the fifth over when Gilchrist feathered a sharp Powell inswinger behind to Dinesh Ramdin and Australia looked like they might struggle to post a score.

However, having taken 18 balls to get off the mark, Hayden soon showed all his quality.

He combined with Ponting, who looked in ominous form, to share a 66-run partnership before his captain fell to a fabulous run-out throw from the covers from Ramnaresh Sarwan.

The fielder only had one stump to aim at as Ponting attempted a quick single, but his aim was true.

That brought Clarke to the crease and Hayden soon shook off his early-innings stutters to hit fluency and reach his 50 in 70 balls.

In that time, Dwayne Smith missed a chance to run him out when his throw from long-on missed by a whisker, while Lara could have accounted for Clarke had he hit from mid-on.

Daren Powell celebrates the early wicket of Adam Gilchrist

Dwayne Bravo's (2-49 off seven overs) introduction ensured the latter was not too expensive, the all-rounder snaring Clarke leg-before for 41 in only his third over.

But, despite wickets tumbling at the other end, Hayden made the most of his reprieve as he continued to move through the gears before reaching his ninth ODI century off 110 balls.

Andrew Symonds (13) then edged Marlon Samuels (1-58) behind after an unconvincing knock, while Mike Hussey's patchy form continued when he played a wide, full Powell delivery onto his stumps.

But the Windies had no answer to Hayden, who combined with Shane Watson to share a 31-ball half century stand with sixes and fours all round the wicket.

A short rain delay did for Hayden's remarkable concentration as he holed out to Samuels at long-off off Bravo attempting another six.

However, his knock, combined with Watson's cameo of 33 from 26 balls, brought 99 off the last 10 overs and ensured the Windies face a tough task to maintain their 100% record so far in this competition.