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A week after 27 all out in pink-ball Test at Sabina Park, Kingston, West Indies suffered a three-wicket loss in the five-T20I series opener against Australia. First, Ben Dwarshuis' four-fer restricted Australia to 189/8 despite a good show by top four batters, including two half-centuries. Then, Cameron Green and debutant Mitchell Owen's fifties, followed by poor fielding by West Indies helped Australia beat West Indies by three wickets to take 1-0 lead in the series.
Chase's blazing fifty
Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bowl first. Brandon King and Shai Hope got the hosts off to a good start. In the fourth over, Cooper Connolly got Brandon King stumped for a 12-ball 18. After powerplay overs, West Indies were 56/1. While Shai Hope played the anchor role, Roston Chase attacked. In the 10th over, he hit Sean Abbott for four fours. He reached his fifty in the 11th over from 25 deliveries. Dwarshuis came back into the attack. He conceded two fours and then got Chase's wicket. The Test skipper scored 60 runs from 32 balls, including nine fours and a couple of sixes. In the same over, Shimron Hetmyer hit a six.
West Indies mess-up in slog overs
In the 15th over, Hope hit Adam Zampa for a six to reach his half-century from 36 balls. Marsh introduced debutant Owen in the 16th over. He delivered with Hope's wicket, but conceded two sixes off Hetmyer's bat. The T20I captain scored 55 runs from 39 balls, including four fours and three sixes. In the next over, Rovman Powell got out for a single-digit score to Sean Abbott. In the same over, Russell got off the mark with a maximum. In the penultimate over, Dwarshuis struck thrice. He got Russell and Sherfane Rutherford's wickets off consecutive deliveries. Then, he got rid of Jason Holder off the last ball of his spell. After Dwarshuis' four-fer, Hetmyer could not do much in the last over. Nathan Ellis dismissed him for a 19-ball 38. West Indies managed to post 189/8 on the board.
Wickets fall, tempo doesn't
In the run chase, Jake Fraser-McGurk fell for a single-digit score. Jason Holder dismissed him with a short ball in the second over. In the fifth over, Russell was introduced into the attack. He conceded three sixes, two of those came off Josh Inglis' bat. The Australian captain departed for a 17-ball 24 to Alzarri Joseph in the sixth over. But, Green did not let it halt the momentum. He hit three sixes on his arrival. Australia were 64/2 after powerplay overs. Akeal Hosein was brought back into the attack and dismissed Inglis who scored 18 runs from eight deliveries. Then Gudakesh Motie got rid of Glenn Maxwell for a 10-ball 11. Owen arrived at the crease and hit Russell for two sixes. Australia were 97/4 after 10 overs.
Owen, Green hit fifties
In the 12th over, Owen stunned Hoesin with three sixes. He had faced the Caribbean left-arm spinner in the recently concluded Major League Cricket (MLC). The onslaught continued. In the 15th over, Green reached his fourth T20I fifty from 25 balls. On the next ball, he lost his wicket to Motie. His 26-ball 51 was laced with a couple of fours and five sixes. In the 17th over, Owen hit a six to reach his fifty. He became third Australian to achieve the feat on debut. Like Green, he got out off the next ball as well. The youngster scored 50 runs from 27 balls, including six sixes. In the 18th over, holder got the wicket of Connolly. He would have dismissed Abbott as well but substitute fielder Jewel Andrew dropped the catch. On the fifth ball of the penultimate over, Dwarshuis scored the winning runs. Australia won the series opener by three wickets in hand and seven balls to spare.
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