Mitchell Owen shone through initially with the ball and then more so with the bat as Australia managed a nervy 3-wicket win over West Indies with 7 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the 5-match series. Mitchell Owen showed his class with the bat when the match was on the line and put on an important stand with Cameron Green of 80 off 40 balls to guide Australia to victory.
Put into bat first, West Indies rode on half centuries from Shai Hope and Roston Chase alongside a vital knock from Shimron Hetmyer to take West Indies to 189/8 with Ben Dwarshuis picking up 4 wickets and others chipping in as well.
Chasing 190 for the win, Australia quickly came off the blocks through captain Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis. But it was Cameron Green and debutant Mitchell Owen who stole the show with half centuries that put Australia in command of the chase. There were some nervy moments towards the end, but the Aussies held their nerves to take a 1-0 lead in the 5-match series.
Ben Dwarshuis 4-wicket haul restricts West Indies to 189.Â
Put into bat first, West Indies openers Brandon King and captain Shai Hope came out to bat. King started off with a bang hitting Dwarshuis for consecutive boundaries in the opening over. Sean Abbott was also not spared as King was dealing in boundaries as two boundaries came in the second over as well. Captain Shai Hope joined the fun on a belter by hitting two consecutive boundaries to end the third over.
The change of bowling did wonders for Australia as Cooper Connolly struck getting rid of Brandon King for 18 off 12 balls laced with 4 boundaries to his name. It was a length delivery on the stumps, King came down the track to slog over midwicket but the ball straightened and beat the batter in flight. Josh Inglis does the rest by collecting it cleanly and whipping off the bails as Australia had a breakthrough. Roston Chase was the new batter in as Hope hit a maximum off Connolly in the same over as the ball went over wide long-off.
Nathan Ellis came to bowl the final over of the powerplay and was hit for a boundary by Roston Chase, his first of the match as the 50 came up for the West Indies in 5.3 overs. There was a mix-up between the batters but both were safe before Hope hit a boundary off Ellis to end the powerplay. At the end of the powerplay, West Indies were well-placed at 56/1. The middle overs were now going to be important for both sides.
Cooper Connolly was taken to the cleaners in the 8th over of the innings he bowled as Hope hit a boundary while Chase hit him for a boundary and a six as 15 runs came off the over. Chase was seeing the ball like a football as he hit Adam Zampa for a six down the ground to complete a 50-run stand for the second wicket. Sean Abbott bore the brunt of Roston Chase in the 10th over as Chase hit him for 4 boundaries in the over including a hat-trick of boundaries to end the over and bring up the 100 for West Indies at the completion of 10 overs. 16 runs came off it as West Indies went into the Drinks Break at the halfway stage at 103/1 in 10 overs.
Soon, Roston Chase completed his 3rd fifty in T20Is off 25 balls as he hit Ellis over backward point for a boundary to get there. Roston Chase then took Ben Dwarshuis apart by hitting him for two consecutive boundaries to start the 13th over. But Dwarshuis had his man and took the revenge by dismissing Chase. The length ball on off-stump, Chase looked to muscle it off the back foot to long-on but mistimed it up in the air. Glenn Maxwell took the catch easily as Chase fell for 60 off 32 balls laced with 9 fours and 2 sixes in the innings.
Shimron Hetmyer came out to bat next and hit a six to get himself going against Dwarshuis. Glenn Maxwell was greeted by the maximum from Shai Hope as West Indies looked good to easily cross the 200-run mark at this stage. Soon, Shai Hope completed his half-century by hitting a one-handed six over long-off to get to his 7th T20I fifty off 37 balls. Adam Zampa finished his spell with 0/30 in 4 overs. At the end of 15 overs, West Indies were 152/2 in 15 overs looking well-placed to get past the 200-run mark as we entered the death overs.
Debutant Mitchell Owen came to bowl and was greeted with the maximum by Hetmyer before the southpaw took the single. Owen struck gold by getting rid of the form set batter Shai Hope for 55 off 39 balls laced with 4 fours and 3 sixes to his innings. The fuller length slower ball wide outside off, Hope went down on one knee and looked to slog it across the line. He got a top edge that went high in the air. Jake Fraser-Mcgurk ran back at backward point and took a simple catch. Rovman Powell was the next batter to come out to bat.
Hetmyer hit a maximum off Owen and showed his intentions clear. But Abbott came back and dismissed Powell for 1. Fuller length delivery on the stumps, Powell chipped it straight to long-on where Maxwell moved to his left and completed the comfortable catch. Andre Russell walked in and got off the mark with a maximum to get the crowd going at Jamaica. Hetmyer continued his assault as he hit Nathan Ellis for two consecutive boundaries to start the 18th over. At the conclusion of 18 overs, West Indies were 183/4 in 18 overs and 200+ was definitely on the cards.
Ben Dwarshuis turned it around as he first got rid of Andre Russell. Fuller length outside off, Russell cleared his front leg and looked to go big down the ground. He mistimed it and the ball goes flat and hard to long-off. Green runs in to slide forward and took it inches above the ground. Russell departed for 8 off 6 balls and in the very next ball Sherfane Rutherford went for a golden duck. Back of the length delivery outside off, Rutherford looked to take it on and went for the pull to mistime it. Abbott from deep backward square leg ran in and kept his eyes on the ball till the last moment to complete a fine catch. Dwarshuis was suddenly on a hat-trick. Jason Holder survived the hat-trick ball.
But he too fell to Dwarshuis in the same over as he went for a silver duck. Fuller length at the stumps, Holder cleared his front leg and smoked it down the ground. He did not pick the change in pace and ended up chipping straight down the throat of Maxwell. Dwarshuis picked up 3 wickets for 1 run to change the complexion of the match. Gudakesh Motie joined Hetmyer at the crease.
Nathan Ellis picked up the big wicket of Hetmyer in the third ball of the final over to peg West Indies further back. Ellis bowled a fuller length wide outside off, Hetmyer backed away and slapped it down the ground. It went to the right of long-off. Green moved swiftly to his right and timed his jump to perfection to pull off a stunner. Both the umpires got together and deemed it was a clean catch. Hetmyer departed for 38 off 19 balls laced with 2 fours and 3 sixes to his name.
Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie played out the last few balls with Motie surviving a close run out save. Just 5 runs and a wicket in the final over as West Indies were pegged back and restricted to 189/8 in 20 overs. Just 23 runs scored in the last 4 overs of the innings. Just 6 extras given by the fielding side.
Australia came back well with the ball with Ben Dwarshuis leading the way with his 4/36 in 4 overs. He was ably supported by others around him. Sean Abbott finished with 1/40 in 4 overs. Cooper Connolly finished with 1/24 in 2 overs. Nathan Ellis bowled a brilliant last over with figures of 1/31 in 4 overs. Adam Zampa went wicketless in his 0/30 in 4 overs. Glenn Maxwell’s only over went for 11 runs. Debutant Mitchell Owen bowled a single over and got a wicket in his 1/14 in 1 over. It meant Australia fancied their chances of getting 190 to win the match and take the lead in the series.
Mitchell Owen, Cameron Green 50s guides Australia to a nervy winÂ
Captain Mitchell Marsh and Jake Fraser-McGurk walked out to bat for the Aussies. Marsh made his intentions clear as he hit a maximum off Akeal Hosein in the opening over of the contest. Jason Holder struck in the second over of the innings as Jake’s prolonged poor form continued. It was a back of a length delivery outside off, Jake looked to flat bat it over mid-off but got hit on the toe end of the bat. The ball went into the straight into the hands of Alzarri Joseph who take a simple catch as Jake fell for 2 off 7 balls.
Josh Inglis came and joined Mitchell Marsh in the middle. Akeal Hosein bowled a tidy over before Marsh hit a maximum off Holder and in the same over Inglis hit him for a boundary. Andre Russell came into the attack and was dispatched for a maximum by Mitchell Marsh. Josh Inglis hit him for two consecutive sixes when he came on strike as the first over of Russell yielded 20 runs for the Australians.
Alzarri Joseph came into the attack and struck for West Indies getting rid of Mitchell Marsh caught behind via a successful DRS. Fuller length outside off swinging in a bit, Marsh went for the lofted drive down the ground but got the faint edge to the keeper. It was given NOT OUT but the spike was visible and the decision was overturned. The dangerous captain departed for 24 off 17 balls laced with 3 sixes to his name.
Cameron Green came in and hit three magnificent sixes off Alzarri Joseph to close out the powerplay. Green showed his intentions clear as the powerplay ended with Australia at 64/2 chasing 190 for the win. Akeal Hosein came back for another spell and got the prized scalp of Josh Inglis for 18 off 8 balls laced with a boundary and a six to his name. Fuller length on the leg stump from around the wicket turning away a tad bit, Inglis got down on one knee and went for the slog sweep. He got a top edge that went high in the air. Joseph settled underneath it to take a good catch running back from short fine leg as the West Indies had a wicket just after the powerplay.
Glenn Maxwell was the next batter in and got a boundary away off Alzarri Joseph. Gudakesh Motie came into the attack and was greeted with a boundary by Maxwell. But Motie had his revenge next ball dismissing Maxwell for 11 off 10 balls. Fuller length on off-stump slowing the pace with grip turning away, Maxwell backed away and looked to go over covers, got the top edge and went straight into the hands of Sherfane Rutherford at covers. This brought Mitchell Owen to join Cameron Green in the middle.
Andre Russell was brought back into the attack and Owen decided to take him to the cleaners. He hit a maximum off the first ball of the over over long-off and hit the final ball of the over for the maximum down the ground over long-off as 18 runs came off the over. At the halfway stage Australia were 97/4 in 10 overs needing a further 93 runs off 60 balls with 6 wickets in hand. Soon, the 100 came up for Australia in 10.2 overs while Owen survived a close run out by diving to his crease full length and saving himself.
Akeal Hosein came back for his final over and was hit for a maximum by Mitchell Owen as the ball went out of the stadium. Hosein got the outside edge off Owen who looked to cut but Hope failed to collect the ball as a tough chance went down. Owen added insult to injury by smashing consecutive maximums after that to end the over as 20 runs came off it with Hosein ending his spell. Cameron Green was not left far behind as he smashed a boundary and a six off the following over from Holder and it ended with 4 byes to end the over. 16 came off it.
There was a close call in the 15th over as Owen survived a run out chance at the bowler’s end as the ball missed Motie’s fingers and hit the stumps directly. Luck was with the Aussies as well. Green then hit a six followed by a boundary to complete his half-century off 25 balls. His 4th fifty in T20Is. But Green fell the very next ball to Motie. Short ball turning away, Green rocked back to pull it away but miscued it down to long-on where Jason Holder took the catch. Green fell for 51 off 26 balls laced with 2 fours and 5 sixes to his name. Australia were 158/5 in 15 overs needing 32 runs off 30 balls with Cooper Connolly joining Mitchell Owen in the middle.
Roston Chase was introduced into the attack for the first time in the evening and Connolly hit him for a maximum as 11 runs came off the over. Mitchell Owen soon hit Alzarri Joseph for a maximum down the ground to complete his half-century off 26 balls on his debut game. Joseph had his man in the end as Owen fell next ball. Short of a length angling in, Owen backed away and looked to pull but got cramped up. The ball flew to long-on where Jason Holder took another catch. He fell for 50 off 27 balls laced with 6 sixes and 0 fours. Ben Dwarshuis came in to join Connolly in the middle.
Connolly hit a boundary off Joseph to end the 17th over as Australia got closer to the target. Jason Holder came and got rid of Connolly in the 18th over. Short and wide outside off, Connolly slashed it hard and got the outside edge to Shai Hope for 13 off 8 balls with a boundary and a six in the innings.
Sean Abbott came to the crease next. Then in the final ball of the 18th over, substitute fielder Jewel Andrew dropped the catch. Holder bowled short and slow outside off, Abbott half-heartedly pulled it to deep backward square leg where Andrew dropped a sitter and a couple of runs taken. Australia needed 5 off 12 balls now.
The winning moment finally came for Australia in the 5th ball of the 19th over as the short ball outside led stump from Joseph was pulled to deep backward square leg for a single to end the match as Australia got over the line with 3 wickets and 7 balls to spare. 11 extras given by the West Indies bowlers and fielders.
The West Indies bowlers bowled well on a batting paradise. Jason Holder finished with 2/32 in 4 overs. Alzarri Joseph finished with 2/39 in 3.5 overs. Gudakesh Motie bowled a miserly spell of 2/29 in 4 overs. Akeal Hosein’s spell was spoilt due to an over as he finished with 1/35 in 4 overs. Andre Russell’s 2 overs went for 37 runs as he had a night to forget overall. Roston Chase bowled a single over for 11 runs. Mitchell Owen was awarded the Player of the Match for his spectacular performance with the bat.
What Lies Ahead.Â
Australia have gone 1-0 up in the series and the next T20I also takes place in Jamaica on Wednesday 23rd July morning IST. It will be Andre Russell’s farewell T20I. Can the hosts give a perfect farewell to the Jamaican legend or will the Aussies go 2-0 up in the series?
Only time will tell as the match is a couple of days away. Action comes fast and furious in this series and the first match was a hard fought one and we expect both teams not to give an inch in the remaining part of the series. Let’s see how things pan out from here.
Also Read:Â WI vs AUS : Australia Keen To Assert Dominance Over West Indies In T20Is