Australia overpower Scotland

Cricket:  Scotland captain Craig Wright reflected on a poor batting display after his team's World Cup defeat at the hands of…

Cricket: Scotland captain Craig Wright reflected on a poor batting display after his team's World Cup defeat at the hands of Australia today.

Ricky Ponting and Glenn McGrath shone as Australia inflicted defeat on Scotland by the second-highest margin in World Cup history in today's Group A opener in St Kitts.

Australia captain Ponting (113) plundered a record-equalling fourth World Cup hundred as a largely disciplined attack proved unable to contain him and conceded 334 for six.

Scotland's batsmen therefore knew they had no realistic chance of causing an upset - and once they ran into McGrath (three for 13), it required some sensible batting from Colin Smith (51) to salvage pride on the way to 131 all out and a 203-run loss.

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Wright said at the post-match presentation: "I thought we competed really well, for the first 45 overs of their innings particularly.

"But the last five overs of their innings and the first 10 of theirs really killed us.

"Colin played well, so we can take some credit there. We did well on a small ground with a quick outfield against some top-class batting.

"But our batting did not start well - and that put us on the back foot straight away."  PA