Australia's ruthless professionalism was as evident as ever as they demolished the United States in their opening Champions Trophy fixture at The Rose Bowl.

In bowling out USA for 65, the lowest total in Champions Trophy history, then knocking off the runs in 7.5 overs they showed all the mercy of a cold-eyed squad of assassins.

Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie took four wickets apiece and conceded only 29 runs between them, and Adam Gilchrist ended the game with an enormous six to leg.

The Australian run rate was so quick that it was superior to New Zealand's in their 210-run defeat of USA and, were the match between the two antipodean sides to be rained off, Australia would qualify for the semi-finals.

But what was most impressive about Australia was how their performance levels never dipped for a moment.

Kasprowicz looks in the form of his life at the age of 33, fighting with every sinew to add another five-wicket haul to the one he took against Pakistan at Lord's last week.

The fact that he was giving 100 per cent to the cause was even more evident in one brilliant sliding stop which stopped the ball inches short of the rope.

Gillespie's intensity spirit was written all over his face as he sledged the number 11 batsman for scoring a run off an edge, with the same seriousness such he might have shown against Michael Vaughan in a Test match in Sydney.

The introduction of Kasprowicz and Gillespie hastened the USA downfall after the opening spells of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath proved less penetrative.

McGrath bowled accurately but lacked some of the nip of old, whereas Brett Lee was hostile but not consistent enough in his lines to pose a steady threat, though his fast outswinger to dismiss Mark Johnson for a duck second ball of the day was a beauty.

The other wicket to fall before Kasprowicz's introduction was a farcical run out in the second over, when Leon Romero attempted a quick single to leg, but had to negotiate his way around the bowler and was inches short when Damien Martyn threw the stumps down.

After 10 overs USA were 32-2, with the capable Guyana-born batsman Steve Massiah showing some form with the bat, having driven Lee for two boundaries in one over.

But Kasprowicz, as Gillespie was to do a little later in the innings, showed characteristic Australian nous in realising that most of the USA players lacked the technique to deal with full, straight balls.

His second ball, a reverse legcutter was edged by Rohan Alexander wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, and a full offcutter trapped USA captain Richard Staple lbw in his next over.

With so many wickets tumbling Massiah began to chance his arm by hitting over the top, but skied Kasprowicz high to Darren Lehmann at mid off. The next ball brought another lbw as Tony Reid was trapped plumb in front.

Kasprowicz's run of four wickets came to an end as Gillespie came into the attack to take the next four in similar style with fast, full balls.

Aijaz Ali, on one, edged a Gillespie legcutter to Gilchrist and Rashid Zia also fell lbw to a straight ball.

The ninth wicket came just two balls later wicket in an almost identical fashion as another Gillespie full-pitched straight ball trapped Donovan Blake lbw for a duck.

Last man Howard Johnson got off the mark with an edged single, provoking a few angry words from Gillespie, but his edged four in Gillespie's next over provoked an ironic smile from the bowler.

Then Gillespie picked up the final wicket when a fast straight ball hit the top of Johnson's middle stump.

In chasing the runs, Matthew Hayden and Gilchrist went for their shots from the word go to ensure they surpassed the New Zealand run rate, with Hayden bludgeoning Howard Johnson straight down the ground and pulling him with intimidating power.

But the American had his revenge when he induced an edge from Hayden, whose 23 had taken just 17 balls.

Gilchrist had been slower to get into his stride but was to finish the match in the most emphatic style.

Australia: RT Ponting (capt), AC Gilchrist, ML Hayden, DR Martyn, DS Lehmann, A Symonds, MJ Clarke, B Lee, MS Kasprowicz, JN Gillespie, GD McGrath.

USA: RW Staple (capt), MR Johnson, RP Alexander, SJ Massiah, LC Romero, A Ali, R Zia, JH Desai, CA Reid, HR Johnson, N Javed.

13 Sep, 2004