Cricket: Australia thrashes World XI

Australia's captain Ricky Ponting (centre) holds the one-day series trophy after his team defeated the World XI team 3-0 in the Super Series. Picture / Reuters

MELBOURNE - Australia humiliated the World XI in tonight's final Super Series one dayer, posting a 156-run win for a 3-0 whitewash.

One-day cricket's best-credentialled batting line-up could only manage 137 in reply to Australia's 5-293 from 50 overs.

It followed Wednesday night's 93-run win and Friday night's 55-run success.

Brian Lara highlighted the poor World XI batting in this series with a first-ball duck tonight, a second-ball duck in game one and five in game two, but he was far from the only culprit in his team.

The Australians again played with much better discipline and were more polished in the field.

Shane Watson capped off a strong series with an unbeaten 66, bowling figures of 4-39 and the run-out of opener Virender Sehwag, who top-scored with 37.

Watson was named man of the match, which he also received after match one, and Adam Gilchrist was named man of the series.

Adding injury to insult, English players Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff have fitness concerns after the series, ahead of the upcoming tour of Pakistan.

Flintoff was taken to hospital for x-rays after the ball hit his right wrist in an attempted return catch today, although he returned to bat.

Pietersen was rested today after suffering a hamstring injury on Friday night while fielding.

Today's win was also notable for the first time in Telstra Dome's five-year history that a ball had hit the roof while in play.

Mike Hussey was robbed of six runs in his top score of 75 not out when his big hit was declared a dead ball at the start of the final over.

Much to Hussey's disgust, the ball hit one of the large struts that hang from the retractable roof, which was closed for these matches.

The world innings started disastrously tonight when Brett Lee bowled Chris Gayle with the second ball.

Kumar Sangakkara, who top-scored in the first two matches, was then out for 13 to heap the pressure on the world middle order.

But Jacques Kallis and Lara then went on successive balls to reduce the visitors to 4-27 and ensure an Australian win.

Earlier, Australia's innings was also teetering when it lost 3-5 to be 5-148.

Hussey and Watson then combined for an unbeaten 145 from 135 balls.

Spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (2-38) and Daniel Vettori (1-34) were the pick of the bowlers after their 10-over spells.

Captain Ricky Ponting also made 68 after winning the toss.

Damien Martyn had made 33 when he was the last wicket to fall in the innings, lbw to Vettori.

It was the first time in this series that a batsman was given out after the match umpire had consulted with the video referee.

While the third umpire has regularly adjudicated on run outs and stumpings, the umpires in these matches have been able to check for close catches or lbw decisions.

Martyn no doubt wished there was such a measure during the Ashes series, when he was twice given out lbw after edging the ball onto his pads.

The official crowd figure of 31,994 brought the series attendance to just under 80,000.

- AAP