The Roar
The Roar

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Matt Wade sets up Australia's Caribbean final win over the West Indies

Matt Wade could become a specialist bat. (AFP / Glyn Kirk)
Expert
27th June, 2016
8

Wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Wade at last vindicated his selection over Peter Nevill with an unbeaten 57 to lead Australia to a 58-run win over the West Indies to capture the tri-series final at Kensington Oval in Barbados this morning.

It was world champion and world number one Australia’s 90th ODI final, well ahead of next best India’s 62.

But Australia didn’t bat as well as their lofty status suggests, with Nathan Coulter-Nile and leggie Adam Zampa replacing James Faulkner and Stuart Boland for the decider.

On a wicket that had an uneven bounce and gripped, Wade watched the gun Australian batsmen all fail to crack 50.

Opening batsman Aaron Finch went close, with 47 off 41 with six fours and just one six. He had no trouble facing Shannon Gabriel’s 145 km/h deliveries, but fell to Kieron Pollard’s 115 clicks delivery, finding Marlon Samuels at deep midwicket.

Ever-reliable skipper Steve Smith was the next best, with 46 off 59, with just four boundaries before he top-edged Gabriel to Samuels at midwicket with an uncharacteristic shot.

Mitchell Marsh played one of his most controlled digs last time out against the Windies with an unbeaten 76, and looked set to repeat the dose until he chopped Benn on after 32 from 45 with just four boundaries.

George Bailey got frustrated after 15 dot balls, so it came as no surprise when he chopped Carlos Braithwaite on trying to steer him behind point, ending his 22 off 44 dig, with two boundaries.

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Usman Khawaja’s 14 off 14 with three fours never had a chance to blossom by nicking Jason Holder to the keeper.

And then the ever-unreliable Glenn Maxwell, trapped in front by Gabriel in the same over as Smith’s dismissal.

Maxwell’s last seven ODI digs – 0, 6, 0, 0, 3, 46*, and 4, average 9.9 – suggests this cowboy should get on his horse, and ride into the sunset.

Step up Wade, who pottered around like an old hen for what seemed too long, before he cut loose.

Helped along the way by Mitchell Starc (17), Coulter-Nile (15), and Zampa (5), Wade took control to end up with 57 not out off 52 with just two fours, and three sixes – the last six fittingly off the last ball of the innings, clearing Braithwaite over the wide mid-on fence.

The Australian total of 9-270 was definitely defendable, thanks to Wade.

It was Mitchell Starc’s time to shine.

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Every time Starc was rested in this tournament Australia lost, every time Starc played Australia won.

But it was another Mitchell who destroyed the Windies’ top order – Mitchell Marsh.

In a sensational burst of just five overs, medium-pacer Marsh sent Johnson Charles (45), Darren Bravo (6), and Marlon Samuels (6) packing at a personal cost of 3-5.

Australia’s leading wicket-taker in this tournament, Adam Zampa, got rid of the dangerous Pollard (20), leaving the Windies in tatters at 5-105 off 27 overs – still 166 short.

But never underestimate what the Windies can do when push comes to shove. Perfect case in point being the team needing 19 off the last over in the T20 final against England, and Braithwaite slammed four successive sixes off Ben Stokes to see the Windies crowned champions.

Denesh Ramdin, Holder, Braithwaite, and offie Sunil Narine were all capable of heroics, but Josh Hazlewood took over where Marsh left off, capturing 5-50 off 9.4, and the Australians were home by 58 runs.

While Marsh and Hazlewood bowled Australia to victory, it was Wade who set up the winnable target and that made the keeper my man of the match.

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The scoreline – Australia 9-270, West Indies 212.

West Indies are to be congratulated for reaching the final as the eighth-ranked ODI side, denying fourth-ranked South Africa a berth

If the stand-off between the West Indies Board and Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy, and Andre Russell can be resolved, the Windies will be a mighty tough side to beat.

But the ultimate salute belongs to Steve Smith and his troops, who overcame patchy form, injury, and retirements of key players to win the tournament,

Missing from Australia’s last year’s world championship side were David Warner with a broken finger, and the retired Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, and Brad Haddin.

That left Smith, Finch, Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Maxwell, with James Faulkner dropped today for Coulter-Nile.

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