Australian all rounder Sean Abbott starred on his home ground with a standout all-round display as Australia overcame tricky batting conditions at the SCG to take a 2-0 lead in the ODI series. Sean Abbott‘s career-best 69 led a lower-order fightback for the home side then, after it was West Indies’ spinners who caused most problems, Australia’s quicks did the damage to the chase.
Abbott finished with 3 for 40 – his third wicket coming courtesy of a stunning catch by Cameron Green at midwicket – to go alongside his half-century and for good measure added two well-judged catches. Will Sutherland, one of two debutants for Australia, claimed his maiden international wicket by removing Romario Shepherd. Josh Hazelwood, who was called up for this game as Australia managed their resources, showed his class with three scalps.
Pitch, Toss and playing 11
Australia are poised to face West Indies in the second ODI of their three-match series at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday, February 4. Following a convincing victory in the first match , Australia was eager to clinch the series. Conversely, West Indies was keen to stage a comeback and stay competitive in the overall contest.
The Sydney Cricket Ground boasts a batting-friendly track where the ball seamlessly meets the bat. On the flip side, pacers encounter difficulties extracting extra bounce and pace from the surface, leading to their challenges on this pitch. Spinners, however, tend to find their groove in the later stages of the game. Overall a high-scoring match is expected to unfold at this venue, with the team winning the toss likely opting to bat first to set a formidable target on the scoreboard.
West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl first . Australia handed out debuts to world record holder Jake Fraser-McGurk, who replaced Travis Head at the top of the order, and allrounder Sutherland. Sutherland’s father James, the former Cricket Australia CEO, was at his cap presentation along with sister Annabel who had flown in early ahead of the rest of the Australia women’s squad to attend the game.
Xavier Bartlett and Lance Morris were rested after their debuts at the MCG with the selectors wary of there being three games in five days. West Indies rested Kavem Hodge and Hayden Walsh from the first match and Alzarri Joseph and Kjorn Ottley took their places in the playing 11.
Faltered start for Australia as West Indies spinners Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase chokes Australian top order
After put into bat first, Fraser-McGurk’s first international innings was brief but not dull. He swiped and missed at his first ball, was beaten by the bounce from his second, clubbed his third straight of mid-on and launched his fourth into the second tier of the Bill O’Reilly Stand. With his fifth it was all over, as he edged Alzarri Joseph to the keeper.
Joseph had a second when Josh Inglis drove to backward point and when Steven Smith chopped on against Matthew Forde, Australia were 50 for 3 in the eighth over.
By then Green was up and running having played three sumptuous drives in consecutive deliveries against Joseph but having had his flying start pulled back he miscued to mid-on. In the next over Marnus Labuschagne drove Motie to cover to leave Australia 91 for 5 and more than 33 overs still to bat.
Matthew Short- Aaron Hardie’s crucial partnership and Sean Abbott’s masterful 69 carries Australia to 258 for 9 at end of innings
Short and Hardie, two of the less experienced players trying to forge their way in the one-day side, batted steadily in a sixth-wicket stand of 51. Hardie was given a life on 18 when he reverse-swept to cover but Carty spilled the chance above his head. However, it didn’t prove costly as Hardie gave his innings away when he pulled Motie to long-on.
When Short also fell to Motie it was left to the lower order to nurse the innings through. Scoring was hard work for Sutherland, who was brilliantly caught at cover by Greaves. Scoring was hard work for Sutherland, who was brilliantly caught at cover by Greaves, but Abbott cleared the fence three times in four overs with the first blow leaving a spectator needing treatment when he was struck in the pavilion.
A half-century partnership between Matthew Short and Hardie steadied Australia for a while but Motie dismissed the set batters in successive overs to finish with excellent figures of 3 for 28, leaving Australia struggling at 167/7 after 35 overs.
West Indies would have hoped to keep Australia to a manageable total but Abbott and Sutherland ensured the hosts put up a competitive score, adding 57 for the eighth wicket. Romario Shepherd ended the partnership but Abbott, who reached a 54-ball fifty, struck two sixes off Shepherd to power his side past 250 before being dismissed by the same bowler. Sean Abbott failed for a career best score of 69 which ensured Australia reach 258 for 9 at the end of the innings.
Australia had been 91 for 5 and later 167 for 7, as Gudakesh Motie claimed 3 for 28, when Abbott dominated the closing stages with Sutherland offering support in an innings-high stand of 57. Abbott’s final score was the joint fifth-highest for Australia from No.8 and below in ODIs.
A number of Australia’s top order made starts without converting with four of the top seven falling between 26 and 41 before Abbott showed his prowess with a 54-ball half-century and struck consecutive sixes in the penultimate over before dragging on. In the 20 overs between Motie and offspinner Roston Chase there were just two boundaries as the spinners proved tough to get away.
But Australia lost one of their spin resources for the second innings with Matt Short, who made 41, unable to field due to hamstring tightness. He was to be assessed in the coming days but must be doubtful for Canberra on Tuesday given the short turnaround.
It meant all of Australia’s spin would be in the hands of Adam Zampa, so the early inroads made by the quicks were important.
This chase in front of experienced bowlers wasnt being going to be easy for the West Indies who after their bowling effort would be ruining themselves have let Australia slip away with 250 + target on the board to chase and their bad start just indicated the same.
Bad start for West Indies sets them on backfoot early in the chase.
Aaron Hardie was given the new ball and started with an excellent spell that included two maidens as he found late movement. He claimed the opening wicket when Alick Athanaze skied to mid-off where Abbott added to his impact on the game.
Hazlewood then had Justin Greaves taken by Sutherland at mid-off and when Sean Abbott joined the wicket-taking, finding Kjorn Ottley’s edge, West Indies were 34 for 3. Captain Shai Hope and Keacy Carty, who played superbly at the MCG for 88, rebuilt for 13 overs before Hope was beaten by a ball from Hazlewood which kept low and smashed off stump. Soon after, Abbott struck again to end Carty’s promising stay with a thick edge to the keeper and things faded away.
Sean Abbott’s show with the ball and in the field brings curtains to West Indies innings as Australia wins the series 2-0 and the match by 83 runs
Carty and Roston Chase tried to get West Indies back on track but Abbott ended the former’s stay on 40. The regular procession of wickets for West Indies did not cease as the pacers ran through the lower order. Sean Abbott bagged his third wicket with the dismissal of Chase, and Adam Zampa finished it off in the 44th over with the scalp of Gudakesh Motie as all the Australian bowlers bagged at least a wicket.
Australia’s 83-run win helps them clinch the series. Sean Abbott starred with the ball like he did earlier with bat. West Indies were in with a chance when they had 91 for 5 but the hosts stitched decent partnerships regularly to finish with 258 on a pitch where 220-odd seemed par. The chase had to start well if the visitors were to be in with a chance.
But Hardie and Hazlewood removed the inexperienced openers within the first five overs. Kjorn Ottley looked solid at times but tried to drive Abbott up and over cover and got nicked off. Hope was solid but with 29 off 65, it was real slow. Keacy Carty was more brisk, he stitched a decent stand with the skip but Abbott again got his man.
Player’s views and Road Ahead
Shai Hope Losing West Indies captain said :
“We stuck to our guns and bowled really well. I must commend the bowlers for restricting them to 258. It was not an easy surface but we have to find ways to score freely. The batters had to raise their hands today,”
Steve Smith winning Australian captain said :
“Was a nice finish. Challenging start to the game, they bowled well and it was a tricky surface but our lower middle-order batted beautifully. Thought 250 was par and we came out and defended. (Fraser-McGurk) Looked like he was enjoying himself, he hit that big six. Sutherland bashed it in on a length and bowled well, good to see them do well,”
Sean Abbott for his all round performance 69 runs with the bat and 3 for 40 with the ball and 2 catches in the field was given the Player of the Match said :
“The situation I found myself in, I had to be risk free to begin. Thought 220 would be competitive after seeing the wicket. Very good group to be around. Your cricket is still moving forward even if you’re not playing every game,”
“Enjoying every bit of it, especially the last few months. I love getting out there and playing in front of some friends and family. Got only one game in the World Cup but got a lot before that, gave me a chance to go out in the nets and grind it out, grateful for the staff that allow me to do that,”
This was West Indies’ best chance to level a series in Australia and take it to the decider but they have floundered that opportunity. First, they allowed Australia to recover from 167/7 to 258/9 and then the chase never really got going. The top three batters departed cheaply, Hope and Carty steadied the innings with a 50+ stand and once that was broken there was not a lot of application shown.
The pitch at the SCG was not a belter – there was movement right through the game, the bounce was uneven and it was also a bit two-paced. Australia’s pacers made the most of that and kept picking wickets at regular intervals with Hazlewood and Abbott scalping three apiece. It was Abbott’s knock early on that took Australia to a competitive total and he was at forefront with the ball as well, it was truly Sean Abbott’s day at the SCG.
Match 3 on Tuesday at Canberra now remains a dead rubber with Australia to whitewash a series against West Indies who will try to salvage some pride in the final ODI match.
