Player of the Match
Player of the Match

So Australia take 1-0 lead in this two match series, which means they cannot lose. But I guess all that is secondary at the moment as all times are trying to fine-tune their combinations for the World Cup. Gnasher's report should be up soon. We will be back on Friday with the second T20I. Till then, take care. I will read some of your comments and add them before signing off.

Kamran: "Can we please also have a graph for the win predictor? So we can see where and by how much it changes (retrospectively)." --- We are working on it!

A stat from Sampath: Matthew Wade in T20I chases since Oct 2021: 5 innings, 166 runs, 0 dismissals, 161.16 strike rate.

Zaidi: "What a thriller, difficult to decide between Finchy and Hazlewood for man of the match. I think MOM should be Hazlewood for his early breakthroughs which help Aussies to restrict WI under 150." ---- You can always check our MVP list, which is almost our equivalent for Player of the Match. Our algorithm gave Hazlewood more points than Finch, but he was only third on our list.

Rayen: "Pity for Alzarri and Holder who bowled their hearts out. WI should seriously consider flying in Hetmyer who was the missing piece today. Reifer and Mayers literally gave away the match in both the innings. A tough lesson to take for the Windies" --- Not sure about Mayers, think he batted well to give West Indies a quick start. In an ideal world, Hetmyer would have been here tonight, no doubt.

ShahSafeer: "Odean Smith has tried his best to take his team over the line, he's done a good job at either side of their two innings. Cottrell has tried to make life easier for himself and his country but fielders did not let me him do that, it was quite an over! "

Aaron Finch is the Player of the Match: We were a bit sloppy in the field and with the bat. Lucky to get across the line. We just kept losing wickets. But Wadey the cool head in the end... It would have been nice to see the side through but we crossed the line in the end. [On Green opening] We would probably swap it in the next game. We want to tinker around and get all basis covered before the World Cup.

Nicholas Pooran: Defending 146, we had our chances but we messed it up. I am happy the guy came out, having Australia 54 for 5 but we didn't capitalise on key moments. Finchy and Wade played well. Kyle Mayers batted well, Cariah did well in his first game, Alzarri bowled well.

Time for the presentation ceremony.

10.00pm So, Starc and Australia eventually tumble over the line. It wasn't a daunting total, looked under par at the halfway stage but the West Indies bowlers showed great fight. Cottrell struck twice in the powerplay. Joseph, Holder and Cariah kept the pressure on through the middle overs. Smith bowled an excellent 19th overs, leaving 11 for Cottrell. But Wade hit his first ball for four to release the pressure. When he offered a chance, Reifer failed to grab it. And eventually, Starc knock off the winning runs off the penultimate ball. Wade once again demonstrated his finishing skills with an unbeaten 39 off 29 balls, and while it was a far from perfect batting effort from Australia, Finch's fifty is a big box ticked ahead of the World Cup.

19.5
2
Cottrell to Starc, 2 runs, Australia seal it with a ball to spare. Short of length outside off, Starc almost forehands it to the right of extra cover. And he is coming back for the second. The throw is not a strong one. It's not even over the stumps. Charles had to move it to his right to collect it. But Starc stumbles before crossing the line - just like Australia tonight - as he collides with Charles. The keeper is too far away from the stumps and even fails to release the ball

Two needed from two

19.4
2
Cottrell to Starc, 2 runs, another slower one. Slightly fuller than good length around off. Starc looks to go big, gets a top edge to the left of Mayers at short third. He runs around and seems he has got it but he ends up just away from the ball. Perhaps it brushed Mayers' fingertips
19.3
1
Cottrell to Wade, 1 run, length outside off, Wade goes on the back foot and aerial towards deep cover again. Only a single this time
19.2
2
Cottrell to Wade, 2 runs, Reifer drops the catch, and possibly the match. Another slower one. This time just of length outside off. Wade goes aerial and ends up hitting in the direction of deep cover. Reifer comes in but loses his footing. Looks to complete it with a tumble but ends up grassing it

Seven needed off five

19.1
4
Cottrell to Wade, FOUR, a slower one gone wrong. Short and down the leg side and Wade pulls it to the right of short fine leg

11 needed from the final over. Cottrell has got the bowl. There's a deep-backward square leg, deep midwicket, long-off, long-on and deep cover

END OF OVER:
19 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 135/7 (11 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.10, RRR: 11.00)

  • Mitchell Starc2 (2b)
  • Matthew Wade32 (26b)
  • Odean Smith3-0-19-1
  • Alzarri Joseph4-0-17-2
18.6
2
Smith to Starc, 2 runs, a length ball at the stumps. Starc goes hard and aerial. Didn't time it well but manages to get it to the left of the bowler. And they come back for the second, which means Wade will be on strike for the final over

A virtual free hit for Starc. Think Wade told him as much

18.5
0
Smith to Starc, no run, length ball outside off and angling away. Starc throws his bat at it but misses

Starc now. Australia need 13 off eight

smudgeon: "regardless of the outcome, this has been a very entertaining match. great taster for the world cup."

18.4
W
Smith to Cummins, OUT, 141.3kph. A length ball around off, Cummins once again attempts a big hit towards midwicket. Misses and the ball hits the off stump

PJ Cummins b Smith 4 (9m 7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 57.14

13 needed off nine now

18.3
1
Smith to Wade, 1 run, length outside off, punched towards deep backward point. Good shot but only for one
18.2
1
Smith to Cummins, 1 run, a length ball around off, Cummins goes for the big hit but isn't in control. Luckily, he gets it between the converging short midwicket, deep midwicket and long-on
18.1
0
Smith to Cummins, no run, 139.6kph. A length ball at the stumps, Cummins could only defend it back

15 required from 12 balls. Smith to bowl

END OF OVER:
18 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 131/6 (15 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.27, RRR: 7.50)

  • Matthew Wade31 (25b)
  • Pat Cummins3 (4b)
  • Alzarri Joseph4-0-17-2
  • Jason Holder4-0-30-1
17.6
0
Joseph to Wade, no run, 145.4kph. Short of length, Wade goes for the pull but is late to it as the ball skids off the surface. Drops on the off side

Sriram: "Ever since Wade made a comeback into Aussie set up he has been batting at a different level, similar to what happened to Rizwan"

17.6
1w
Joseph to Wade, 1 wide, Full but way, way outside off

Just three from the over so far

17.5
1
Joseph to Cummins, 1 run, full on the stumps, drills it towards long-on
17.4
2
Joseph to Cummins, 2 runs, full outside off, squeezes it out through covers for two
17.3
0
Joseph to Cummins, no run, full around off, works it on the leg side but cannot get past short midwicket
17.2
0
Joseph to Cummins, no run, a length ball outside off. Cummins pushes at it with little footwork. Gets beaten

Cummins now

17.1
W
Joseph to Finch, OUT, Joseph strikes. Full on the stumps. Finch looks to go over deep midwicket perhaps but fails to middle it. Holder comes in from long-on and completes the catch near mid-on region

AJ Finch c Holder b Joseph 58 (69m 53b 6x4 0x6) SR: 109.43

END OF OVER:
17 | 9 Runs | AUS: 127/5 (19 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.47, RRR: 6.33)

  • Aaron Finch58 (52b)
  • Matthew Wade31 (24b)
  • Jason Holder4-0-30-1
  • Odean Smith2-0-15-0

Omor Faruq Adna: "Joseph, Holder, McCoy, Smith and Akeal not a bad bowling lineup."

16.6
1
Holder to Finch, 1 run, almost in the blockhole. Digs it out towards long-on
16.5
2
Holder to Finch, 2 runs, full on the stumps, flicked towards midwicket and sprints back for the second
16.4
4
Holder to Finch, FOUR, one-bounce four. The mid-off was up and Finch just lifted it over him. Focusing more on holding his shape than trying to hit it hard. He had backed away early, Holder followed him with a slower one but Finch just lifted it over the fielder
16.3
0
Holder to Finch, no run, full on the stumps, looks to hit it hard towards leg side. Gets an inside edge onto the pads

Back to over the wicket

Australia 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st15DA WarnerC Green
2nd6MR MarshC Green
3rd35AJ FinchC Green
4th1AJ FinchGJ Maxwell
5th1AJ FinchTH David
6th69AJ FinchMS Wade
7th6MS WadePJ Cummins
8th13MS WadeMA Starc