Cricket/World Cup Group A:Australia captain Ricky Ponting displayed dazzling footwork against Scotland yesterday to strike a fourth World Cup century and lead the world champions to a 203-run win in their opening Group A match in St Kitts .
Ponting lofted five sixes in his 113 from 93 balls, breaking Indian Saurav Ganguly's previous World Cup record of 23. He also became the sixth person to score 1,000 World Cup runs with his opening boundary, a sweetly timed on drive.
By the end of his innings he had scored a total of 1,111 World Cup runs, second only to another Indian, Sachin Tendulkar.
Glenn McGrath, who needed 11 wickets before the match to overtake Wasim Akram's World Cup record tally off 55, then took three for 14 on a pitch freshened by rain as Scotland succumbed for 131 for nine in reply to Australia's 334 for six.
Opening bowler John Blain did not bat after leaving the field during the Australia innings. Scotland captain Craig Wright told a news conference Blain had strained a calf muscle and was also suffering from a viral condition.
Wright won the toss and decided to field on a steamy, overcast day, a decision which suited Ponting.
"I was going to bat anyway so losing the toss was fine," he said.
Australia openers Adam Gilchrist (46) and Matthew Hayden (60) reunited following the latter's return after breaking his right toe in New Zealand last month to put on 91 for the first wicket.
Relishing a good pitch and the short boundaries at Warner Park, Hayden marched down the pitch to on-drive Paul Hoffman for six in the seventh over. He also hit six fours before he was lbw pushing forward in off-spinner Majid Haq's first over.
Meanwhile, impressive slow bowling and a captain's innings from Steve Tikolo helped Kenya to a seven-wicket win over Canada in the opening World Cup Group C match. The Africans reached their target in 43.2 overs having restricted Canada to 199 all out. Tikolo, 35 and playing in his fourth World Cup, struck a patient 72 not out including seven fours and a six to guide his side home with Maurice Ouma chipping in with 58.
St Kitts Scoreboard
AUSTRALIA BEAT SCOTLAND BY 203 RUNS
Australia Innings
A C Gilchristlbw b Brown 46
M L Haydenlbw b Haq 60
R T Pontingb Wright 113
M J Clarkeb Haq 15
B J Hodgec Hoffmann b Rogers 29
M E K Husseyst C J O Smith b Hoffmann 4
S R Watsonnot out 18
G B Hoggnot out 40
Extrasb1 lb2 w5 nb1 pens 0 9
Total 6 wktsInnings Complete (50 overs) 334
Fall:1-91, 2-139, 3-193, 4-256, 5-274, 6-276.
Did Not Bat:N W Bracken, S W Tait, G D McGrath.
Bowling:Hoffmann 10-0-57-1; Blain 4-0-29-0; Wright 10-0-58-1; Brown 9-0-86-1; Rogers 10-0-52-1; Haq 7-0-49-2.
Scotland Innings
D F Wattsb McGrath 9
R M Haqrun out 16
N S Pooniab Tait 1
R R Watsonc Bracken b McGrath 6
G M Hamiltonc Gilchrist b McGrath 3
D R Brownc Watson b Hodge 19
C J O Smithb Hogg 51
C M Wrightlbw b Tait 4
G A Rogersrun out 6
P J C Hoffmannnot out 0
J A R Blainabsent 0
Extraslb9 w6 nb1 pens 0 16
Total(40.1 overs) 131
Fall:1-21, 2-27, 3-32, 4-37, 5-42, 6-89, 7-104, 8-131, 9-131.
Bowling:Bracken 6-1-12-0; Tait 8-0-45-2; McGrath 6-1-14-3; Watson 7-1-18-0; Hogg 7.1-1-16-1; Hodge 6-0-17-1.
•St Lucia: Canada 199 v Kenya 203-3 (S O Tikolo 72 no, M A Ouma 58) Kenya beat Canada by 7 wkts
