Cricket: Tired Aussies lose again

Ricky Ponting is not blaming Australia's exhausting cricket schedule even though the world champions appeared tired as they fell to their second consecutive defeat to the West Indies at St George's, Grenada yesterday.

The tourists lacked their trademark killer punch as the Windies wriggled out of a late hold to win with eight balls to spare, reaching 254 for seven in reply to Australia's 252 at Queen's Park Stadium.

Australia, who still lead the series 4-2, had not lost two consecutive matches since Pakistan won the winter series in Melbourne and Brisbane last June.

Wavell Hinds blasted six sixes in his unbeaten 125 for the West Indies.

"It would be a disappointing end to the tour if we happen to lose the last three games before we went home," Ponting said. "But we were pretty up for the game, we got off to a very good start but things went wrong from there."