AUSTRALIA maintained their dominance over the Windies, cruising to a five-wicket victory to lead their one-day international series 4-0 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

For West Indies, Kieron Pollard, who is also the man of the match, played an amazing innings to prop up the score to 220 after they were 55 for six at one stage. 

But the Windies score was easily overtaken by the Australians, who knocked 221 for 5, securing victory with 31 balls to spare and will now go after a series clean sweep in Melbourne on Sunday.

If not for Pollard’s 109 off 136 balls it would have been an even more emphatic victory for Michael Clarke’s team who always had control of the run chase under lights.

Shane Watson followed up his 122 in Wednesday’s 39-run series-clinching win in Canberra with 76 off 84 balls and skipper Clarke hit 37 off 65 balls before he was out gloving down the leg-side to express bowler Tino Best with the scores level. 

Watson had a bit of luck along the way when he was dropped on 32 by wicketkeeper Devon Thomas and Sunil Narine botched a run-out with the Australian opener well out of his ground when on 51. 

He was finally out when he could not get out of the way of a rearing Best delivery and was caught behind.

Adam Voges, in the team for injured George Bailey, made 28 off 39 balls before he holed out to Darren Sammy off Andre Russell and Clarke was the last man out with the scores tied.

Glen Maxwell came in and hit the winning run with Matthew Wade not out 13.

Best ended with two for 38, and Narine two for 34.

Pollard scoring his third ODI century and his second against Australia had to curb his usual aggressive batting style as the Windies threatened to repeat their total of 70 in the first ODI of the series in Perth.

Mitchell Johnson ripped into the West Indies top order removing Johnson Charles (0) Kieran Powell (9) and Darren Bravo (4) to have the tourists wobbling at 17 for three.

Bravo’s brother, Dwayne, lasted eight balls for his three before he was given out leg before wicket to Maxwell on review.

Narsingh Deonarine, in for injured Chris Gayle, got a thick edge off Ben Cutting to Aaron Finch at second slip for 10. Wicketkeeper Devon Thomas went for seven after a long review concluded that the ball carried to Finch at slip for Cutting’s second wicket.

Andre Russell put on 35 runs with Pollard for the eighth wicket before he holed out to Maxwell at long-off off James Faulkner for 18 off 17 balls.

Sunil Narine joined in the best partnership of the innings of 64 before he was caught behind off Clint McKay for 23.

Best was run out for one in a mix-up with Pollard in the final over.

Scores

West Indies 220 (Pollard 109*, Johnson 3-36, Cutting 3-45)

Australia 5 for 221 (Watson 76, Narine 2-34, Best 2-38)