SYDNEY, Australia (CMC) — A disciplined West Indies unit exploited bowler friendly conditions to restrict Australia but rain had the final say in the contest, forcing the third One-Day International of the five-match series to be abandoned yesterday.

Winning the toss and bowling first on a helpful Sydney Cricket Ground strip, the Windies bowled out Australia for 225 off 49.5 overs to give themselves a chance of winning their first match of the series.

In reply, they had reached six without loss after five balls from left-arm seamer Doug Bollinger when rain swept across the ground, causing a near two-hour break in play and forcing match officials to set a revised total of 151 from 24 overs.

Only one ball was possible on resumption, however, as rain again drove players from the field, this time for good.

It was a disappointing end to a match that promised so much especially after the tourists had mounted a sterling bowling effort to undermine the Aussies and set up a potential victory.

Seamer Ravi Rampaul, leading the attack in the absence of injured rookie pacer Kemar Roach, captured four for 61 while his new ball partner Dwayne Smith claimed three for 45.

Medium pacer Darren Sammy, in for his first match of the series as one of two changes to the squad from the Adelaide ODI on Tuesday, picked up two for 46.

Kieron Pollard, trundling his seemingly innocuous medium pace, proved miserly during the middle orders in taking one for 26 from nine over while left-arm spinner Nikita Miller was equally stingy in conceding just 35 runs from his quota of 10 overs.

The performance was a far more controlled effort from a side that had been ragged in their two previous performances, when they lost in Melbourne and then Adelaide to fall behind 0-2 in the series.

Vice-captain Michael Clarke top scored with a patient 46 from 74 balls and Mike Hussey carved out a busy 44 from 53 balls but neither could stamp their authority.

Australia’s new opening pair of Tim Paine and Adam Voges were unconvincing in putting on 28 from 42 balls before Paine, in for rested wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, was bowled for 16 hitting across the line to the last ball of the seventh over from Rampaul.

Four balls and two runs later, Voges followed him lbw for eight to a full length delivery from Smith, leaving Australia having to start all over.

Captain Ricky Ponting, who made 22 from 36 balls, added 48 from 66 balls for the third wicket with Clarke, but there was no acceleration from the two usually free-scoring batsmen.

Ponting played on to Sammy in the 19th over and Cameron White’s attempted cut ended up in wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin’s gloves for 17 at 107 for four in the 30th over.

The Windies completed a superb period when Clarke gave Ramdin his second catch, as he attempted to loosen the shackles by charging Sammy in the 38th over at 144 for five.

Hussey and James Hopes, who scored 30 from 34 balls, then combined in the most productive stand of the innings in adding 50 for the sixth wicket.

Gathering their runs primarily in ones and twos with boundaries a rare treat, both batsmen batted sensibly to ensure Australia got within sight of the 200-run mark.

Hussey was finally bowled by a straight one from Smith and four runs and two balls later, Hopes also departed when he flicked a full delivery to Narsingh Deonarine at mid-wicket at 198 for seven.

Wickets continued to tumble by Ryan Harris blasted three fours and a six in 21 to provide some late fireworks for the hosts.

Bollinger’s first five balls to Gayle, which yielded four byes and two wides, signalled a heated battle ahead but rain quickly cooled such premonitions.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA innings (max: 50 overs)

+T Paine b Rampaul 16

A Voges lbw b Smith 8

R Ponting b Sammy 22

*M Clarke c wkp Ramdin b Sammy 46

C White c wkp Ramdin b Pollard 17

M Hussey b Smith 44

J Hopes c Deonarine b Rampaul 30

M Johnson c Pollard b Smith 2

N Hauritz b Rampaul 2

R Harris c Pollard b Rampaul 21

D Bollinger not out 0

Extras (lb5, w12) 17

TOTAL (all out, 49.5 overs) 225

Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Paine, 7 overs), 2-30 (Voges, 7.4), 3-78 (Ponting, 18.4), 4-107 (White, 29.1), 5-144 (Clarke, 37.1), 6-194 (Hussey, 47), 7-198 (Hopes, 47.2), 8-202 (Hauritz, 48), 9-206 (Johnson, 48.4), 10-225 (Harris, 49.5).

Bowling: Rampaul 9.5-0-61-4, Smith 10-0-45-3, Sammy 10-0-46-2, Pollard 9-2-26-1, Miller 10-0-35-0, Gayle 1-0-7-0.

WEST INDIES (target: 151 runs from 24 overs)

*C Gayle not out 0

T Dowlin not out 0

Extras (b4, w2) 6

TOTAL (without loss, 1 over) 6

Did not bat: L Simmons, N Deonarine, W Hinds, K Pollard, +D Ramdin, D Smith, D Sammy, N Miller, R Rampaul.

Bowling: Bollinger 1-0-2-0.

Result: Match abandoned.

Series: Australia lead the five-match series 2-0.

Toss: West Indies.

Umpires: B Bowden, B Oxenford.

TV Umpire: P Reiffel.