Warne leads Aussies to easy victory

Australia crushed South Africa by 246 runs today in the First Test in the three-match world championship showdown at the Adelaide Oval.

Set 375 runs for an unlikely win on deteriorating pitch, South Africa never recovered from an overnight 17 for two before being skittled out for 128.

Fast bowlers Glenn McGrath, who took three for 13, Jason Gillespie (2-23) and leg-spinner Shane Warne (3-57) ripped through the second-innings batting to see Australia wrap-up the game just before tea.

Warne, who took 5-113 in the first innings, claimed a match-haul of 8-170 for his best match figures at the Adelaide-Oval in his 96-Test career and was named man of the match.

Jacques Kallis played a lone hand scoring 65 not out in four hours while the rest capitulated meekly.

Australia captain Steve Waugh said: "It was certainly a good team effort. We had to work hard today and I thought our bowling was outstanding.

"It's always hard to bat last on this wicket. It's a bit up and down, and Shane was always going to be hard to play on the last couple of days.

South Africa skipper Shaun Pollock offered no excuses for the defeat and said: "I think we've got to look for as many positives as we can find but overall our performance was average.

West Indies batsman Brian Lara will be out of action for at least six weeks because of a hairline fracture in his left elbow.

Lara collided with fielder Marvan Atapattu in the West Indies's eightwicket defeat by Sri Lanka in the triangular one-day competition in Kandy on Saturday. The West Indies play Sri Lanka in the final of the competition tomorrow which also involved Zimbabwe.