4th T20I, Gros Islet, July 15, 2021, 05:00 AM
189/6(20.0ov)
185/6(20.0ov)
Australia beat West Indies by 4 runs
Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
Man of the Match
Mitchell Marsh
Commentry
Right then! That is all we have for you from this exciting game of cricket! The series has already been won by West Indies but there is still one more game to go. The last game will be played on 16th July at 1930 Local (2330 GMT). So do join us for that. Till then, take care and goodbye!
Aaron Finch, the Australia skipper, says that it is really good to get a win against West Indies. Adds that Marsh got off to a flier so he took the backseat and tried to take his time. Mentions that the rain breaks were short so that didn't hamper their concentration. Adds that they bowled really well in the middle. Further adds that Starc bowled an excellent last over and he knew if he executes his plans then it will be difficult for the batter to hit him for runs.
Nicholas Pooran, the West Indies skipper, says that they didn't start properly and let the batters get away from them. About Thomas, says that he started really well but it was unfortunate that was hit for runs in the Powerplay. Adds that he is a young guy and will learn from it. About their batting, says that they needed to bat well in the middle overs and credits Starc for how he bowled. Finishes by saying that Walsh has been very impressive.
Mitchell Marsh is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH, says that he wanted to go on after getting to his half-ton, they have had a chat about it and they needed someone to go onto score a big one. States it is always nice to get a couple of wickets and they defended really well against a good Windies side. Adds they had enough, 190 was above par, the wicket got slower as the game went on but the Windies' side came hard and they are pleased they could defend it.
Earlier in the game, Finch and Marsh batted really well to give Australia a very strong platform. At one point, they looked like they would get over 200 but Walsh led the comeback for the hosts and restricted them to 189. In the end, it was enough as Australia won by 4 runs!
West Indies got a good start with Simmons and Lewis providing with early fireworks. But Lewis fell and that changed things. Gayle could not last long and Fletcher went back for a timid score after struggling for a while. Still, they were in control with Simmons playing a good knock in the middle. They did struggle in the middle overs as the bowlers took the pace off the ball and Zampa bowled really well. They lost Pooran and Simmons of consecutive balls which meant that they had two new batters at the crease with the required rate climbing up rapidly. Allen and Russell batted well to bring things back in their sight. Allen in particular was brilliant as he hit the penultimate over for 25 but Russell could not finish things off for his team.
Australia were under the pump in the first few overs but Zampa broke through to get them back in the game. Marsh then took the wicket of Gayle to ease things further. The bowlers bowled really well in the middle overs as they bowled quite a few slower ones and yorkers to make it difficult for the Windies' batters. Zampa finished with 2 wickets for just 20 runs in his two overs and then Marsh took another 2 wickets in the 16th over and ended his spell with just 24 runs for his 3 wickets. They had 36 to defend in the last two but Meredith leaked 25 runs in that over to tilt things back in the favor of the hosts. But Starc bowled one of the best overs in T20 cricket against Russell to get them over the line with 4 runs.
What an exciting finish it was and Australia have held their nerves to win this one. Their first win of the series and they will be pleased with this!
In over# 1
6
0
0
0
0
0
Mitchell Starc 37/0(4)
19.6
6
SIX! This one goes over the ropes but it won't matter as AUSTRALIA HAVE WON THE GAME BY 4 RUNS! This is full and on middle, Russell heaves it over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie. A huge roar of joy from the Australians. Take a bow, Starc, you have defended 10 against one of the biggest hitters in the world. Pretty sure very few would have bet against Russell from getting those runs. The tall left-armer though has rose to the occasion and GIVEN THE AUSSIES THEIR FIRST WIN OF THIS TOUR!
19.5
.
In the air... has that gone all the way? No, it lands in the park, just ahead of deep mid-wicket and Russell still does not run which means, Australia just need to bowl a legal delivery to win the game. This is a full toss, a knee-high full toss but at a tremendous pace. Russell swings, it goes off the splice up in the air but lands ahead of deep mid-wicket. So if no extras, Australia will win it.
19.4
.
4 dots in a row! Now the next one has to go for a biggie or at least a boundary for Windies to stay in the game. Brilliant from Starc! From around the wicket, he is cramping Russell for room by angling it into the pads, Russell swings but misses to get hit on the pads. He is bowling with a lot of pace. Not easy to hit those.
19.3
.
Three dots in a row! The next one has to go to the fence! Another low full toss on the pads, Russell once again hits it to the man at deep mid-wicket.
19.2
.
Russell does not take the single! He wants to do it himself and rightly so. Starc though bowls this full again and on the pads, difficult to hit those over the ropes, it is heaved towards deep mid-wicket.
19.1
.
Nails the low full toss, on the pads. All that Andre Russell can do is push it towards long on. Dot ball as he denies the single. Excellent blowing by the experienced bowler.
Hayden Walsh walks out to bat. Who will bowl the final over? Both Starc and Behrendorff have one left. Aaron Finch has gone with Starc to defend 11 from these 6 balls.
In over# 1
0W
6
6
6
1
6
Riley Meredith 57/1(4)
18.6
W
OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! An anti-climatic end to the over as Allen has edged one to the keeper. 11 needed then from the final over. A superb hand by Fabian. He has surely done his job. He had to go for another one and he does try to do that. Riley bowls it full and outside off. Allen reaches out for it, it goes off the outside edge and the keeper takes it. A wicket to end but the damage was done earlier on. 25 from it.
The ball needs to be changed now as Allen has hit it to the part of the ground from where it cannot be retrieved. Meanwhile, Aaron Finch and Dan Christian are having a word with the bowler.