Ponting admits Australian lapses

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Australia captain Ricky Ponting made no excuses after his team succumbed to a 10-run defeat against West Indies.

"We were outplayed in just about all aspects of the game," he said. "We knew it was going to be tough chasing but we made it harder than it should've been.

"We lost early wickets and then again at vital times but congratulations to West Indies who played very well.

"The game was there to be won and we weren't good enough. Now the next game (with England) becomes very important."

<a onClick="javascript:launchAVConsoleStory('6065842'); return false;" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm">News conference: Australia captain Ricky Ponting</a>

That match is in Jaipur on Saturday, with Andrew Flintoff's team also looking to atone for an opening defeat by India.

"We've got a couple of days to get away and work hard, talk about where we came up short in this game and hopefully improve in the next one," Ponting said.

The skipper highlighted the superb fifth wicket partnership of 137 between Brian Lara and Runako Morton - who he dropped on 40 - as a key factor in the contest.

"They played particularly well, we couldn't get the one wicket we needed - if I'd held on to that catch it might have been a bit different," he added.

"They probably got away a little bit but we were pretty happy chasing that total."

There were moments when I was a bit nervous but the guys helped me Ramnaresh Sarwan

West Indies paceman Jerome Taylor did the damage late on to help clinch victory.

He removed Mike Hussey and Brett Lee at the end of his ninth over before bowling Brad Hogg at the start of the 10th.

The 22-year-old Jamaican was unaware he had taken a hat-trick, saying: "I didn't realise because I was thinking about getting the opposition out - that was the main focus.

"After realising the pitch didn't have much pace, we had to let the ball do the work off the surface."

Ramnaresh Sarwan stood in as skipper in the field after Lara injured his back while batting.

"I got the full support of my team, there were a few moments when I was a bit nervous but the guys helped me," he said.