Australia's Glenn McGrath unsuccessfully appeals to dismiss new Zealand's Lou Vincent during the first semi-final match in the ICC Champions Trophy in Mohali yesterday. McGrath claimed three wickets and the man-of-the-match award as Australia advanced to the final. - Reuters

MOHALI, India (CMC):

SHOULD THE West Indies defeat South Africa today to reach the final of the ICC Champions Trophy on Sunday in Mumbai, their opponents will be Australia.

The world champions completed an efficient 34-run win over trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the first semi-final yesterday at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.

Ricky Ponting's side set the Black Caps 241 for victory, and dismissed them for a respectable 206 in 46 overs to reach the final of the competition, dubbed the Mini World Cup, for the first time in its brief history.

New-ball bowler

McGrath resorted to his usual role of new-ball bowler and set Stephen Fleming's side back with three wickets for 22 runs from his allotment of 10 overs to earn the man-of-the-match award.

McGrath had opener Lou Vincent caught at second slip for one, Hamish Marshall caught behind for five, and bowled Peter Fulton for two when the batsman offered no stroke to a ball moving back.

Brett Lee assisted in the demolition job taking two for 31 from eight overs, and left-arm medium-fast bowler Nathan Bracken picked up two for 36 from seven overs.

Daniel Vettori, who Mike Hussey dropped on five off Bracken, hit seven boundaries in the top score of 79 off 103 balls to spare New Zealand some blushes, after they plunged to 35 for six in the 15th over.

Vettori - batting at eight - added a record 103 for the seventh wicket with fellow left-hander Jacob Oram, whose 43 from 59 balls included five fours, and raised New Zealand optimism, if nothing else.

Australia, put in to bat, benefited from half-centuries from skipper Ponting and all-rounder Andrew Symonds to reach 240 for nine from their allocation of 50 overs.

Both batsmen scored 58, but Ponting lashed nine fours from 80 balls, and Symonds three fours and one six in a run-a-ball knock.

Ponting shared two successive, but vital half-century stands. He added a crucial 66 for the third wicket with Damien Martyn, after Australia plummeted to four runs for two wickets inside the first three overs, then put on 53 with Mike Hussey.

Martyn made 26, and Hussey got 35, as he and Symonds consolidated for Australia in a fifth-wicket stand of 65 before the World champions lost their last four wickets for 29 runs in the space of 26 balls.

Australia innings

A. Gilchrist c Oram b Mills	3
S. Watson c Fulton b Mills	0
R. Ponting c Vettori b Mills	58
D. Martyn lbw b Vettori	26
M. Hussey c H. Marshall b Franklin	35
A. Symonds b Bond	58
M. Clarke c Vettori b Mills	14
B. Lee b Bond	5
M. Johnson run out	3
N. Bracken not out	15
G. McGrath not out	0
Extras (lb-6 nb-3 w-14)	23
Total (for nine wkts - 50 overs)	240
Fall: 1-3 2-4 3-70 4-123 5-188 6-211 7-220 8-223 9-236 Bowling: K. Mills 10 - 1 - 38 - 4 (w-1), S. Bond 10 - 0 - 55 - 2 (w-6), J. Franklin 8 - 1 - 48 - 1 (nb-2 w-2), J. Oram 10 - 1 - 43 - 0 (nb-1), D. Vettori 10 - 0 - 41 - 1, N. Astle 2 - 0 - 9 - 0. New Zealand innings L. Vincent c Ponting b McGrath	1
S. Fleming c Ponting b Bracken	15
N. Astle b Lee	0
H. Marshall c Gilchrist b McGrath	5
P. Fulton b McGrath	2
J. Oram st Gilchrist b Symonds	43
B. McCullum c Martyn b Bracken	1
D. Vettori b Johnson	79
J. Franklin c Gilchrist b Watson	8
K. Mills c Gilchrist b Lee	21
S. Bond not out	9
Extras (lb-7 nb-2 w-13)	22
Total (all out - 46 overs)	206

Fall: 1-16 2-20 3-30 4-30 5-34 6-35 7-138 8-159 9-180 10-206

Bowling: B. Lee 8 - 0 - 31 - 2 (nb-1 w-5), G. McGrath 10 - 2 - 22 - 3 (w-2), N. Bracken 7 - 1 - 36 - 2 (w-3), M. Johnson 7 - 0 - 38 - 1 (nb-1 w-2), S. Watson 7 - 0 - 27 - 1, A. Symonds 7 - 0 - 45 - 1.

Result: Australia won by 34 runs.