BRISBANE – West Indies proved why they are World Twenty20 champions with a 27-run win over Australia in a one-off fixture yesterday to ease the pain inflicted by a whitewash in the just concluded five-match One-Day International cricket series.
A brisk half-century from opener Johnson Charles set the tone for an imposing 191 while Kieron Pollard snapped up front-line wickets as the Australian run chase screeched to a halt at The Gabba.
The victory was West Indies’ first over Australia “Down Under” in any format for 16 years since the Perth Test in February 1997.
Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges put on 74 to bring the Aussies’ run chase back on course after Darren Sammy removed opener Aaron Finch for four.
However when both men – Marsh (19) and Voges (51) – were run out, Australia lost momentum.
Pollard got rid of Brad Haddin and the debutant Ben Rohrer, the last remaining specialist batsman.
Australia found themselves needing 51 from three overs with only the bowlers at the crease struggling to score off Sunil Narine, Pollard and Tino Best.
Narine collected two for 19 from his four overs, and was the key man with the ball for West Indies since none of Australia’s batsmen seemed comfortable against him.
But Pollard, who set up the victory with his 26 runs and three wickets for 30 runs, was named Man Of The Match as the Australians crawled to 164 for eight.
Earlier, while Chris Gayle was caught for eight after a miscued pull, his opening partner Charles took charge to top-score with a busy knock off 57, in which he turned the ball behind square regularly to keep the runs ticking over.
Charles, who scored a century in the final ODI Sunday, struck seven fours and one six, a whip over midwicket off Nathan Coulter-Nile.
He shared in an 88-run stand with Darren Bravo, but the less adventurous Bravo scored 32 from 27 balls before he was the victim of a terrible mix-up with Kieron Pollard when both found themselves at the same end.
Pollard hit two fours and one six before he was caught at long on off Faulkner for a quick-fire 26. Andre Russell hit 23 from 11 balls to add to the Aussies’ worries.
Faulkner was the best Australian bowler, collecting three for 28 from his four overs. (CMC)
