Lara sets up Windies win

PRETORIA: Canadian opener John Davison hit the fastest century in Cricket World Cup history yesterday, but wound up on the losing side as the West Indies raced to a seven-wicket victory.
After the Canadians had crumbled from 156 for three to 202 all out, the West Indies reached the modest target in less than 21 overs. Star batsman Brian Lara made 73 off 40 balls and opener Wavell Hinds signaled a return to form, hitting 64 in 31 deliveries including 10 boundaries and three sixes.
In a highly entertaining match, a total of 43 boundaries and 15 sixes were hit by both sides, Carl Hooper’s West Indies hitting 27 of the boundaries and eight of the sixes.
Davison’s hurricane 111 in 76 balls accounted for more than half of his side’s total of 202.
Davison, named “Man-of-the-Match”, said that when he saw his record being flashed on the electronic scoreboard, “it sent a shiver down my spine. I was thinking the air is pretty thin there if the ball is travelling so far.”
But once he was out in the 23rd over with the score at 156 for three, the Canadian innings ended in disarray and the remaining seven wickets fell for 46 runs. The last four batsmen got out in the last over by fast bowler Vasbert Drakes —- three wickets went to his credit and one was run out.
Drakes was the chief destroyer of the minnows, finishing with figures of five for 44. He also took one of the best catches of the tournament to dismiss the 32-year-old Davison, hurling himself backwards in the air on the long-on boundary, to not only stop a certain six but also to ensure that the ball remained stuck to his right palm as he hit the ground just short of the rope.
Davison’s big-hitting more than made up for his team’s dismal 36 all out against Sri Lanka last week for the worst one-day performance by any team in international one-day cricket. This time the first wicket didn’t fall until 96 when Davison’s opening partner Ishwar Maraj was out for 16.
Playing only his fourth one-day match, Davison reached his century with a massive six to mid-on off pace bowler Mervyn Dillon to thunderous applause by a decidedly pro-Canada crowd of about 10,000 at the Centurion Supersports Park.
His hundred came in 86 minutes off 67 balls, the fastest ever at the World Cup, beating former Indian captain Kapil Dev’s century in 72 balls against Zimbabwe in 1983.
 “A lot of credit should be given to Davison for the way he played and the manner in which he played. Maybe it was a good outing for us. It forces us to rethink our plans, our strategy and how to adapt to situations,” Hooper told reporters after the match.
Davison’s century included seven fours and six sixes and equalled the fifth fastest century in any One-Day International matches. He hit one more boundary before getting out Drakes.
Davison rattled the West Indies early on, punishing pace bowler Pedro Collins in the fourth over of the innings after being hit on the ankle and ducking a bouncer. Davison dispatched Collins over gully with a swatted cut and then for a six, the over resulting in 15 runs.
The West Indies began the run chase efficiently with Hinds taking 14 runs off Davis Joseph in the third over. A flick off his leg was followed by a straight drive for two boundaries and a six over the leg, showing a return to form after making a duck, 14 and 18 in the last three matches.
But his partner, Chris Gayle, continued with his bad form, being caught behind for eight with the score at 32.
However, Lara and Hinds belted the toothless Canadian bowling to share a 100-run partnership in 46 balls. Lara made 26 runs in one over off Barry Seebaran, hitting a boundary, a six, a boundary and two sixes. In all, he hit eight fours and five sixes before being bowled by Nicholas de Groot in his first over.

SCOREBOARD

CANADA VS WEST INDIES
Canada Inns
I Maraj c Hooper b Collins 16
J Davison c Drakes b Hinds 111
D Chumney c Gayle b Hinds 19
I Billcliff c Jacobs b Drakes 16
N Ifill c Jacobs b Drakes 9
J Harris c Hooper b Drakes 6
N de Groot run out 11
A Bagai run out 2
A Codrington c Jacobs b Drakes 0
B Seebaran LBW Drakes 0
D Joseph not out 0
EXTRAS (LB3, NB6, W3) 12
TOTAL (All out —- 42.5 overs) 202
Fall of wickets: 96, 155, 156, 174, 185, 190, 197, 202, 202, 202.
BOWLING: Dillon 5-0-41-0 (W1); Collins 7-1-35-1 (NB3, W1); Vasbert Drakes 9.5-1-44-5 (NB3); Carl Hooper 8-1-31-0 (W1); Chris Gayle 9-1-29-0; Wavell Hinds 4-0-19-2.
West Indies Inns    
C Gayle c Bagai b Joseph 8
W Hinds st Bagai b Davison 64
B Lara b De Groot 73
R Sarwan not out 42
C Hooper not out 5
EXTRAS (LB5, NB1, W8) 14
TOTAL (For 3 wickets —- 20.3 overs) 206
Fall of wickets: 32, 134, 177.
Did not bat: Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins.
BOWLING:  Davis Joseph 4-0-47-1 (W2); Austin Codrington 4-0-25-0 (W1); Nicholas Ifill 4-0-46-0 (NB1, W4); Barry Seebaran 1-0-26-0; John Davison 5-0-36-1 (W1); Nicholas de Groot 3.3-0-21-1. (AP)