With an undercook squad at helm, will the Calypso be able to retain T20 World Cup?
Defending champions West Indies name World T20 squad without Narine; Rampaul, Chase earn call up
WI vs Aus | Powerful Evin Lewis, disciplined bowlers script Windies' 4-1 win over Aussies
WI vs Aus | 4th T20I: 'Mr. Consistent' Mitchell Marsh hands Australia first win of the tour
The visiting Australian side finally managed to salvage some lost pride after beating West Indies by 4 runs in the 4th T20I to make the scoreline 3-1 in favour of the home team. It all boiled down to the final over where premier Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc held his nerves and bowled a sensational over restricting the swashbuckling Andre Russell under immense pressure. A target of 190 was always going to be a challenging one for any side. However, with the Windies batters firing all cylinders in the 2nd and the 3rd encounter, they would have backed themselves to chase the total down and it looked all more realistic once openers Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis blazed away in their respective knocks and shared a 62 runs partnership in less than 5 overs. It was power-hitting of the highest order as both Simmons and Lewis took the Australian bowlers by the scruff of the neck and displayed some exceptional shots. Adam Zampa was entrusted with the job of bowling in the powerplay and he didn’t disappoint. After conceding a boundary, he castled Lewis with a flatter delivery which zipped through his defence and disturbed the timbers. However, Lendl Simmons went on his merry way even in the final powerplay over, taking West Indies to 75 at the end of 6 overs. The foundation was laid and the rest of the batters needed to bat sensibly to see the run chase through. After a blazing knock in the previous encounter, Chris Gayle was dismissed early by the man with the golden arm Mitchell Marsh. It was the dodgy knock of Andre Fletcher which turned the tides in favour of Australia. The hard-hitting right-handed batsman struggled to time the ball and was eventually dismissed by Adam Zampa after scoring just 6 of 14 deliveries. The middle overs proved to be decisive for Australia as they tightened the screws on the Windies batters putting them under the strife. Despite wickets falling at the other end, Simmons looked in complete command and found the boundaries just when the asking rate crept up. Two back to back wickets of Nicholas Pooran and Simmons again tilted the scales in favour of Australia as Mitchell Marsh continued his dream run in the series. With their backs to the wall, Windies needed some fireworks in the last four overs and it was provided by Andre Russell and Fabian Allen. A good 18th over was followed by a massive penultimate over which almost sealed the deal for the home team. Riley Meredith was carted for 25 runs including three consecutive sixes off the blade of Fabian Allen to bring the equation down to 11 required of the final over. With Andre Russell on strike, Windies looked the clear favourites but Mitchell Starc had other ideas. He went around the wicket and kept attacking the pads and Russell never managed to get under any of the first five deliveries. He refused singles on three occasions but with the power and skill set Russell poses, he would have backed himself to finish it off. However, it was a high-class final over which eventually helped Australia win their first game of the series. Early on in the day, it was Australian skipper Aaron Finch who won the toss and opted to bat. After conceding a boundary, fast bowler Oshane Thomas who was playing his first match of the series came back strongly, bagging the wicket of Matthew Wade with some pace and extra bounce. Mitchell Marsh continued his good work at No 3 blazing his way to a stupendous knock of 75 of just 44 deliveries. Along with his skipper Aaron Finch, Marsh shared a mammoth 114 runs stand to lay the foundation for a brisk finish. Marsh in particular carried on his rich vein of form at his new role. He struck some delightful shots, none better than the lofted extra cover drive of a very good delivery of Hayden Walsh Jr. Finch also got back to some run-scoring form and after struggling for a while, he too got hold of a few and went on to score a half-century. Yet again it was leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr who left a lasting impression on the Australian batting line-up bagging back to back wickets of Finch and Alex Carey. Fabian Allen and Hayden Walsh Jr applied the brakes on the Aussie middle order, jolting their chances of going beyond the 200 mark. Walsh Jr bowled brilliantly bagging three more wickets to eventually restrict Australia to 189 in their allotted 20 overs. Mitchell Marsh was Australia’s top scorer while the leggie was again the most successful bowler from the home team. The score proved to be just enough as Australia eked out a narrow 4 runs victory. Brief Scores Australia 189/6 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 75, Aaron Finch 52, Hayden Walsh Jr 3/27) West Indies 185/6 in 20 overs (Lendl Simmons 72, Mitchell Marsh 3/24, Adam Zampa 2/20) Australia won by 4 runs West Indies lead series 3-1.
WI vs Aus | 4th T20I: Australia look to salvage some pride after surrendering series
The visiting Australian side will look to salvage some pride when they meet West Indies in the 4th encounter at St Lucia. Ever since making a dramatic comeback in the opening encounter, West Indies has been over Australia like a rash and there has been no way back for them. Ever since winning the 2016 T20 World Cup, West Indies did fall off the radar resulting in their decline in the latest T20I rankings. However, with the showpiece event around the horizon, the team seems to be gelling at the right moment. With another five-match series against Pakistan being lined up, the Caribbean outfit is looking in great shape to defend their world title. The majority of the opening encounter was dominated by the Aussies but they lost their plot in the final few overs of the match surrendering the advantage and allowing West Indies to claw their way back and clinch a sensational come-from-behind victory. Since then, it has been a thoroughly professional performance from the home team with the batting and the bowling unit performing as a unit. Chris Gayle’s return to form is a massive boost to the defending world champions while the middle order which failed to live up to their expectations in the series against the Proteas has finally found some much-needed form. Shimron Hetmyer scored a match-winning half-century in the second encounter but it has been Andre Russell’s firepower that has provided the much-needed slate impetus to the home team and resulted in their unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The bowling department has been bolstered with the return of leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr who has been the most successful bowler in the series so far. He has been at his deceptive best bagging 8 wickets in just 3 matches. Obed McCoy has continued his dream run in the series but has been pegged by an injury. With Dwayne Bravo leading the attack, the bowling department looks very settled but with the series already done and dusted, the home team might be looking at changing a few combinations going into the final two matches. On the other hand, Australia has struggled with their inexperienced batting line-up. The only experiment which has worked so far is sending Mitchell Marsh to bat at No 5. He smashed two back to back half-centuries in the first two matches but that wasn’t enough to get his side over the line. Australia has been nowhere close to their best but the reality is they are missing the services of some of their top players. While skipper Aaron Finch hinted at some harsh calls ahead of the showpiece event later this year, the below-par performance in the first three matches might force the Australian team management to bring back all their first-choice players for the World Cup slated to be played in October-November in UAE. The middle-order remains a serious concern for the Aussies but that might be solved once everybody is available for selection. The pace bowling cartel led by Mitchell Starc has shown their class but have lacked consistency. Josh Hazlewood had a wonderful time with the ball in the opening encounter but received some serious stick at the hands of Chris Gayle in the 3rd encounter. Match Details West Indies vs Australia, 4th T20I Venue: Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia Date & Time: July 15th, at 5:00 AM IST and July 14th, at 7:30 PM Local Time Live Streaming: Fan code Pitch Report and Toss The strip at St Lucia has always been a belter and it was no different in the second and the 3rd T20I in the ongoing series. While the pitch for the opening match was a bit two-paced with run-scoring becoming difficult as the game progressed. However, in the next two encounters, the pitch was pretty good to bat on. While the Aussies struggled, the home team made hay with commanding batting performances. Despite teams batting first winning the first two matches, chasing is always a better option on this ground. Weather forecast The temperature is expected to hover around 27 degrees during match time with very little chances of rain for the course of the day. In all likelihood, we should be in for a full 40 overs match. Team News West Indies Obed McCoy left the field after bowling just one over in the previous encounter and it is believed that he is nursing an injury. Veteran speedster Fidel Edwards who replaced McCoy in the 2nd match is also unavailable due to an injury that presents a chance to Oshane Thomas to have look in. Kieron Pollard is yet to recover and Nicholas Pooran will continue leading the side. The rest of the XI is expected to remain the same as the previous assignment. Meanwhile, if Evin Lewis is fit enough to play, Andre Fletcher might make way for him at the top of the order. Probable Playing XI Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran (c and wk), Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh Jr, Oshane Thomas, Sheldon Cottrell. Australia With the series already done and dusted, the visiting side looks to tinker with their combination in the two inconsequential matches. Ben McDermott and Ashton Agar who missed the previous encounter owing to injuries might return to the XI subject to their fitness ahead of the encounter. Alex Carey who replaced Joshua Philippe in the middle order might retain his place for the 4th encounter. Probable Playing XI Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Moises Henriques, Ashton Turner/Ben McDermott, Dan Christian, Mitchell Starc, Riley Meredith/Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood. Fantasy/Dream11 team Wicket-keepers- Matthew Wade, Nicholas Pooran Batsmen- Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Moises Henriques All-rounders- Mitchell Marsh, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo Bowlers- Hayden Walsh Jr, Josh Hazlewood, Riley Meredith
I will rate this performance very highly, up in No 1 or 2 says Hayden Walsh after match-winning spell
Riding on a sensational display of spin bowling by Hayden Walsh Jr, West Indies managed to register a sensational come from behind victory against the Aussies in the opening T20I to go 1-0 up in the five-match series. The leggie who bagged three crucial wickets of Mitchell Marsh, Dan Christian and Ben McDermott rated this performance very highly and placed this performance at 1 or 2 at the international level. Walsh had tested positive for COVID-19 in Bangladesh and had a pretty mediocre season with the ball in the Super50 tournament. However, his performance earlier today will definitely make him a prime contender for a spot in the T20 World Cup slated to be played in UAE later this year. "Personally, it's a sigh of relief," Walsh said after spinning his team to a memorable victory. "I've been preparing for a long while. After my mishap in Bangladesh where I tested positive for Covid, I didn't really have a good Super50 and I'm really happy that I'm just back. I would put this performance up there, probably one or two." Walsh who was playing an international game after a substantial gap was introduced into the attack a bit late than expected by stand-in skipper Nicholas Pooran. However it worked wonders for his team as after conceding 10 runs in the first over, Walsh Jr was all over the Aussie middle order like a rash and from a commanding position, Australia slipped to a position of relative discomfort. The leggie along with left-arm pacer Obed McCoy ran through the Australian lower middle order and the tail bagging the last 6 wickets for just 19 runs to bowl Windies to a dramatic victory. "To come in when the pressure is on and Australia could have walked the game at that point, I really enjoyed changing the game there," he said. "In the team meetings we talked about the huge wind factor. I just really enjoyed just reading the conditions and reading the situation of the game,” W alsh concluded. The 2nd encounter is slated to be played at Darren Sammy National Stadium in St Lucia tomorrow (Sunday).
West Indies vs Australia | 2nd T20I: Aussies scramble to stop spirited Windies after gifting 1st game
It was a monumental effort from the West Indies to come from behind and register one of their most memorable victories in the T20 format when they defeated Australia by 18 runs in the opening encounter. The visiting side was the more superior team for the major part of the match but failed to rest home the initiative and was eventually skittled out for 127 in 16 overs to hand Windies a comfortable victory. With the 2nd encounter slated to be played tomorrow, Australia will get very little chance to recover from their heartbreak and try to level the series. Meanwhile, the home team will be roaring with confidence after the victory and will look to seize control and take a 2-0 lead in the 5 match series. After being put in to bat, West Indies struggled their way to 145 in their allotted 20 overs which was largely possible owing to a blistering half-century from the blade of Andre Russell. The swashbuckling all-rounder gave the hosts a much-needed late impetus to propel them to a competitive score which eventually proved to be enough as their bowlers staged a dramatic comeback and bowled Australia out. There is a lot of ponder upon for the home team especially when it comes to their batting. Despite a powerful lower middle order, the Windies batting line-up has failed to live up to the expectations on a consistent basis which resulted in their below-par outing with the bat against Australia as well. While Russell’s victory will give them a huge boost going forward, the rest of the batting unit needs to come good more consistently for Windies to harbour hopes of defending their world title later this year. The bowling department raised their hands and riding on a brilliant spell of bowling by Hayden Walsh Jr, Windies made a stunning turnaround during the back end of the match. Walsh who was playing his first international game for some time bamboozled the Aussie batsmen with his variations and his three-wicket spell was the main reason behind Australia’s downfall. Obed McCoy who had a terrific time with the ball against South Africa continued his good work and prized out four important to seal the deal for the home team. On the other hand, it will be a difficult pill to swallow for Australia especially after surrendering the opening encounter from a winning position. On the back of a superb spell of fast bowling by Josh Hazlewood, the visitors managed to restrict the Windies to 145 which were by no means a match-winning target under any stress of imagination. Despite losing three early wickets, it was Mitchell Marsh whose heroic batting display tilted the scales in favour of Australia. Moises Henriques began with a couple of sixes as Australia seemed to coast towards the victory target. However, Marsh’s dismissal eventually opened the floodgates for a dramatic collapse which Australia could never really recover from. West Indies vs Australia: Match Details Match No - 2nd T20I Date and Time: July 11, 2021, 05:00 AM IST, 11:30 GMT, July 10 7:30 PM Local time Venue: Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia. Pitch Report and Toss If the opening T20I gives us any indication, the St Lucia strip wasn’t a straightforward batting wicket and looked a bit two-paced. The ball was not coming onto the bat but batsmen who got themselves in managed to strike it big. The slower deliveries stuck on the pitch and Obed McCoy benefited immensely. We might be expecting a batter batting wicket for the second encounter and despite the result of the series opener, the team winning the toss will still be tempted to chase given the history of this ground. Teams batting second has won 8 out of the 14 matches played at this stadium so far. Weather Conditions Temperature is expected to hover around 27 degrees with 40 per cent chance of rain during the time of the match. After a humdinger of a contest in the opening encounter, we will hope that the rain gods stay away and we witness a full match. Team News West Indies The home team won’t look to tinker with their winning combination. A more flamboyant option can be preferred at the top of the order in the form of Andre Fletcher along with Evin Lewis but that will make Lendl Simmons sit out. Despite scoring a run a ball 27 and not looking anywhere close to his best, Simmons might be the preferred option given his experience in this format and the ability to churn out runs in crucial situations. Probable Playing XI Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (c & wk), Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh, Obed McCoy, Fidel Edwards Australia After the heartbreaking defeat, Australia might tinker with their combination. While the bowlers did a commendable job and could see the same unit taking the field tomorrow, there might be a change here and there in the batting line-up. With so many explosive options in the middle overs trying to take on the attack to the Windies bowlers, Australia needs someone who can play the anchor’s role and Alex Carey might be a suitable option. He can play the situation perfectly and has the ability to smash the long ball. Carey could be drafted in place of Philippe but with the head coach preferring Philippe at the middle order, he could get an extended run. The rest of the XI should remain the same. Probable Playing XI Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Josh Philippe/Alex Carey, Moises Henriques, Ben McDermott, Daniel Christian, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood Dream11 team Wicket-keepers- Matthew Wade Batsmen- Lendl Simmons, Moises Henriques, Evin Lewis, Aaron Finch All-rounders- Mitchell Marsh, Andre Russell Bowlers- Obed McCoy, Hayden Walsh Jr, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa.
West Indies vs Australia | 1st T20I: Russell and bowlers stage epic comeback as hosts take 1-0 lead
Nicholas Pooran had a dream start to his T20I captaincy career as West Indies staged a stunning turnaround to win the opening T20I against Australia by 18 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the 5 match series. After dominating for the major part of the game, the lower order fell like a pack of cards as the Aussies were skittled out for 128 in just 16 overs. The dramatic come from behind victory was largely possible due to a swashbuckling knock from Andre Russell and some exceptional bowling from Hayden Walsh Jr and Obed McCoy. At the halfway mark, West Indies would have been a tad disappointed with a score of 145. It was always an under-par score and the bowlers needed to give a great account of themselves for the hosts to stand a chance in the game. The visitors lost their skipper Aaron Finch early but it was Matthew Wade who blazed his way to a quickfire 33 of just 14 deliveries. He took Andre Russell by the scruff of the neck and smashed him for back to back sixes before perishing trying to slice one over the deep point fielder. Wade and Joshua Philippe was dismissed in quick succession but the target looked within reach and the middle and the lower middle-order batsmen just needed to bid their time at the crease to claw their way towards the target. However, they opted for a different approach and started taking the Windies bowlers head-on. The ploy to experiment with Mitchell Marsh at No 3 worked wonder as the stylish right-hander notched up his maiden T20I half-century. He looked in stupendous touch and struck 5 fours and a couple of sixes during his stay at the crease. Moises Henriques started off in a dramatic manner helping himself to back to back sixes in the first two deliveries. The duo looked set and secure at the crease but Henrique’s dismissal at a crucial juncture of the game opened the floodgates for a possible collapse. Marsh was dismissed immediately after reaching his half-century and it was the leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr who suddenly turned the game on it’s head. Pooran decided to hold Walsh back but with 41 required off the last 10 with 7 wickets in hand, the hosts looked dead and buried. However, the wrist-spinner had other ideas as he spun around the Aussie middle and lower-middle order bagging the wickets of Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott and Daniel Christian. Still, the match looked in Australia’s grasp but they let that slip in the 16th over bowled by Obed McCoy. The left-arm pacer who had a terrific time with the ball against South Africa did his reputation no harm and scalped four big wickets to turn the game in his team’s favour. McCoy trusted his back of the hand slower deliveries and wiped out in the tail in no time. Eventually, the home team sealed a comfortable 18 runs victory. Earlier in the day, it was Aaron Finch who won the toss and put the hosts in. Openers Evin Lewis and Lendl Simmons came out to open. Hazlewood bagged the dangerous Lewis in his very first over and that never really allowed the Windies top order to set the tone for their star-studded lower middle order. Lendl Simmons did strike some lusty blows during his run a ball 27 but the overall run rate was nowhere close to where the hosts would have wanted to be. Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran got off to starts but the much-needed late impetus was provided by none other than Muscle Russell. Andre Russell looked in sensational touch right from the word go and the Australian bowling attack had no answer in front of his onslaught. He took both the spinners and pacers apart smashing his way to a 28 ball 51 which included 3 fours and 5 sixes. All-rounder Fabian Allen who returned to the XI after missing out on the series decider against South Africa finished off the innings with a big six to get West Indies to the 145 mark. In the end, it proved to be enough as an inspired bowling performance by the home team saw them taking a 1-0 lead. Brief Scores West Indies 145/6 in 20 overs (Andre Russell 51*, Josh Hazlewood 3/12) Australia 127 all-out in 16 overs (Mitchell Marsh 51, Obed McCy 4/26, Hayden Walsh Jr 3/23) West Indies won by 18 runs
Andre Russell, Shimron Hetmyer return in West Indies provisional T20I squad for high-profile summer
The Cricket West Indies announced a 23 man provisional squad for the upcoming t20is series against three teams i.e. South Africa, Australia and Pakistan this summer. Andre Russell, who last played an international match in March 2020 has returned to fold after one year. Alongside him, hard-hitting middle-order batsman Shimron Hetmyer and bowlers Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas, and Hayden Walsh Jr have also made a comeback in the side after not being picked for the Sri Lanka series in February this year. However, this is just the provisional squad from which the main squad will be picked ahead of each series. The squad member for the time being will quarantine and train in St. Lucia ahead. Their first assignment will be a match series against Proteas which would be played from June 26 at the Grenada National Cricket Stadium. Roger Harper the Lead Selector of CWI said that the team has been picked keeping in mind the upcoming T20 World Cup to be held in India. He also confirmed that these 23 members will remain the core of the team going forward. “This Provisional T20I Squad gives us the opportunity to continue to build towards the upcoming World Cup and to determine our best squad and our ideal eleven,” Harper was quoted as saying by the West Indies cricket official website. Head coach Phil Simmons feel that this squad has got all the ingredients required to go on and defend their title won five years ago. “These upcoming T20Is are crucial in terms of our preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup. We have assembled a very solid squad — with experienced world-class match-winners and some exciting young talented players, ready to explode onto the global stage and do great things for West Indies cricket," he said. Captained by Trinidadian Kieron Pollard, this team still has many people including Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons who were involved in their 2016 World Cup win against England. Windies Provisional Squad: Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran (vc), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr