THE consolation for the West indies at the MCG last night was there weren't many people there to seem them humiliated by Australia.
A sparse audience of 15,538 tunred up - the lowest MCG attendance for an Australia - West Indies game in the 39-year history of one-day international cricket - watched the Aussies romp to a 125-run victory after it shredded the West Indians for for 199 in only 36.5 overs.
It made it the third clean sweep of the summer for Australia, with skipper Ricky ponting later being Player of the Series.
"I'm really proud of the team and what they've been able to achieve all summer," Ponting said.
"We know how long and hard for us but to finish off the series tonight the way we have is very satisfying."
Historically it is worth noting where this match sits in greater scheme of things.
Up until last night the lowest MCG crowd for an Australia-West Indies one-day international was 19,210 way back in February 1984. In all 50-over aside matches Australia has played there the average attendance is 40,409 and the mean for these two sides head to head is 52,467.
Plus bear in mind that these two sides meet in Hobart tomorrow - even later in this one-sided Windies tour - in front of a sell-out crowd in a Twenty20 international. Say no more.
After Australia posted its mammoth total of 5-324 the tourists were primed for early execution within four overs of starting their unlikely run chase.
Opener Travis Dowlin went second ball of the innings for a duck after being trapped lbw by Doug Bollinger and then in his next over the exuberant left-arm Sydneysider claimed the big wicket of Windies skipper Chris Gayle.
Gayle showed his intent when he top edged two consecutive attempted hooks for six but then his urgency saw him punch the next delivery straight to Michael Clarke at cover to be out for 14 off only five balls.
Narsingh Deonarine was bowled by Ryan Harris in the very next over to leave the tourists reeling at 3-19 with the innings just 23 overs.
Only Keiran Pollard (48 off 51 balls) and to a lesser extent Lendl Simmons (29 off 44) and Darren Sammy (47 not out 41 ) late in the innings threatened to give any real cheek.
Earlier the tour-weary Windies stumbled and fumbled their way through 50 overs in the field. They bowled untidily - five of the seven men used went for more than 50 runs - dropped five catches and the afternoon was littered with misfields.
Accordingly all seven Australian batsmen used scored 20 or more as their collective 21 fours and eight sixes underscored a loose attack and delivered an Australian run-rate of 6.48 an over.
Opener Shane Watson blasted 51 off as many balls to dominate an 81-run first wicket stand with Brad Haddin (32 of 42 balls). Then skipper Rick Ponting (61 off 55 balls) and his deputy Michael Clarke (47 off 58) rattled on 104 for the third wicket from just 101 deliveries before an even more explosive finale to the innings that saw James Hopes bludgeoned 57 off only 26 balls.
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