Cricket: Australia’s late collapse seals West Indies’ win

Twenty20 series drawn 1-1 after hosts win by 14 runs.

BRIDGETOWN:

West Indies defeated Australia by 14 runs to win the second Twenty20 international and draw the two-game series 1-1.

Chasing 161, Australia were well-set at 75 for two but their chase slowed with Marlon Samuels taking three crucial wickets to dismiss skipper George Bailey, Mike Hussey and Matthew Wade.

David Warner top-scored with a 43-ball 58. Fidel Edwards, who had dismissed Shane Watson for nought in the first over, returned to turn the screw by getting rid of Daniel Christian and Brett Lee off successive deliveries in the 19th over and finish with three for 23.

That left Australia seven wickets down and needing 19 off the final over, bowled by Dwayne Bravo. Kieron Pollard took a fine catch to dismiss David Hussey off the fourth ball with 17 still needed and the game was up as Australia finished on 146 for nine.

“It was a great start from the West Indies, I think we pulled it back to about par and I thought we were on course to knock it off,” said Bailey. “ The wicket of Warner was huge.”

West Indies captain Darren Sammy admitted his team should have scored more.

“We knew it was a 180-plus pitch,” said Sammy. “We tried Polly and myself up the order to try and get some momentum. That didn’t work but we kept going. The work we’ve been doing in the camp and throughout the series has been paying off. We want to keep doing well in the Tests and hopefully continue the good results.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2012.