Johnson lifts Australia to 275 against West Indies Group A Match

A spicy Wanderers pitch and some hearty late-order striking from Mitchell Johnson added heat to what could easily have been a one-sided contest between Australia and the second-string West Indies side. Johnson's unbeaten 73 from 47 balls put Australia back on course for a challenging total of 275 for 8 after a superb spell from Nikita Miller threatened to upset the defending champions.

Johnson was the only Australian batsman besides Ricky Ponting (79) who appeared comfortable on the cracking surface. His fierce, clean hitting brought back memories of his highly entertaining 96 in the Test against South Africa at the same venue this year, when he sent several Paul Harris deliveries into the stands.

This time, he had the benefit of gaps in the outfield as Australia took the batting Powerplay from the start of the 45th over and added an incredible 69 in those five overs. Johnson cleared the boundary three times and finished with his highest ODI score, and as he and Brett Lee posted a 70-run stand they would also have been raring to bowl on the difficult pitch.

Australia looked to be on target for an even heftier total when they reached 148 for 3 in the 31st over after being sent in, but it was then that Miller began to peg things back. A fluent Ponting appeared set for a triple-figure innings before he was lured forward; the ball turned past the bat for a sharp stumping by Chadwick Walton, and the innings turned back onto a more even path, albeit temporarily.

Miller continued to give little away - his ten overs cost only 24 and he didn't leak any boundaries - and another lovely piece of drift and turn beat Cameron White's edge and took the off stump. Sammy, Kemar Roach and David Bernard also chipped in with wickets, although the fast men needed to do more top-order damage given the uncomfortable bounce.

Several balls jagged sharply back or found extra bounce from a good length and one steep riser from Sammy surprised Ponting so much that he dropped the bat when the ball rapped him on the hands. It was more of a concern for Tim Paine, who stayed with Ponting for an 85-run second-wicket stand but was much less fluent than his captain.

Paine eventually fell for 33, caught behind off Bernard having already been dropped by Walton on 16. The runs flowed freely for Ponting, who enjoyed the lack of consistency from the West Indies fast men.

Ponting latched onto any width and was particularly strong against Roach, who lacked control and twice went for 17 off an over as Ponting let loose through the leg side. Ponting was in no mood to be lenient on the weakened West Indies attack after he came to the crease for the second ball of the innings.

Roach had produced a brilliant late inswinging yorker with the opening delivery to bowl Shane Watson and Floyd Reifer's decision to send Australia in for the early-morning start looked good. But the lack of follow-up wickets hurt West Indies and they face a major challenge to hold out Johnson, Lee and Peter Siddle.