BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Reuters):

Australia captain Ricky Ponting said his side had got all they wanted out yesterday's one-sided victory over debutants Ireland which booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals.

The Australia captain won the toss and fielded, his side bowling the Irish out for just 91 before knocking of the total inside 13 overs.

"We wanted to look after our run rate in this game if we could. The best way to be in control of that is to bowl first and hopefully bowl teams out cheaply and get the runs quickly," said Ponting.

"I said before that I wanted Hussey and Symonds to get some time in the middle but we didn't really think we would bowl them out for 90. I thought they might have got 150 or something like that and so those guys would have had more time out there. But everything is on track, we are going well."

Overawed

Ponting said that the Irish may have been overawed by coming up against the world champions.

"I think the Irish boys would have been a little bit nervous about the game today playing against Australia, probably playing against some people who they have sat back and watched on television over the years.

"It can become a bit daunting that situation, but when you have got McGrath and Tait bowling at their best on a new wicket with the new ball it is always going to be difficult - that could have happened to any team today, that we knocked the top order over," he said.

Ireland coach Adrian Birrell said his team's confidence had taken "a bruising".

"We really struggled against their bowlers," Birrell told reporters. "We survived against the others but didn't survive here. They looked a different class.

Gruelling experience

"It seems like every team we come up against is better than the last. We said that about New Zealand but this was a gruelling experience - to face that sort of pace from one end and consistency from the other. McGrath has been the best bowler in the world for a long time and we struggled against him.

"It hurts to be beaten like this," Birrell added. "We have taken a beating against these guys but we have to focus on the next game and pick ourselves up but there is some bruising there."

Captain Trent Johnston, who was playing against the country in which he was raised like team- mates Jeremy Bray and Dave Langford-Smith, was philosophical about the result and said he remained proud of his team for playing without fear.

Johnston would now do all he could to ensure Ireland return to their competitive best against Bangladesh tomorrow, he said.

"It would mean everything (to beat them)," Johnston said. "We have come here to put Irish cricket on the map. It's a huge game for usand it is the one game we looked at and thought 'we could win this'."