Gros Islet in St. Lucia will host the first of two T20Is between Australia and the West Indies and we’ll bring you the live scores and commentary of the action starting at 5.00am AEST this morning.
After Australia and West Indies played out a hard-fought ODI series that ended 2-2, it will be a change in format as they feature in the T20Is. It a form of game that West Indies should like even more, and could close the gap between the two teams further.
Not that the ODI series showed there was much between the two teams.
Australia’s batting, barring the fifth ODI, showed signs of missing Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke – two stalwarts who will not be a part of the T20Is either.
Fortunately for Australia, they have the batting line-up to perform in this condensed form of the game; the three Ws, Watson, Warner and Wade to be at the forefront of driving the side to a good position.
There will be a change in captaincy as well, with George Bailey taking over from Shane Watson. Funnily, Watson will now be Bailey’s deputy after leading him in the ODIs!
Of the rest of the line-up, Daniel Christian could get a look-in while James Pattinson, who missed the ODIs because of an injury, may get a nod as well.
West Indies have blended youth and experience in their squad. While Chris Gayle continues to miss out, pace bowlers Fidel Edwards and Krishmar Santokie, batting all-rounders Dwayne Smith and Nkrumah Bonner and left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin join the squad.
Smith, after his solid performances in the Bangladesh Premier League, could be expected to get a look-in while Edwards should replace Kemar Roach. The rest of the 11 could bear a similar look to the one that played in the ODIs.
The two teams have played each other five times in T20Is and after their first two wins, West Indies have lost three in a row.
The most recent defeat came in the World T20 game of 2010 at the same ground when a Gayle-led West Indian side was bowled out for a paltry 105 – a target that Australia achieved with ease.
Expect this game to be a lot closer than that one.
We will bring you the coverage throughout this first T20I of the series between West Indies and Australia from Gros Islet and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds from 5.00am AEDT.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The second and the final T20I will be played on March 30. Till that time, have a good time ahead!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Australia have taken a 1-0 lead, despite Pollard's late assault and thanks to Watson's all-round performance. Watson first ended with figures of 1/16 in four overs and then smashed 69 of 43!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! Short and Bailey pulls it away for an easy boundary and complete a comprehensive win. Bailey completes the winning run and ends unbeaten on 21 while Husseyl ends up not-out on 59 from 45 balls.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! Easily done by the Aussies, Hussey gets his 50 with the neat guide thorugh the cover region. Two needed two overs now!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
7 needed from 14 and a single off Narine''s last over.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
SIX! Hussey began slowly but he is taking toll of this flat pitch. Short of a good length and almost flat-bats it over the long-off fielder. Reqd. rate's down to below six now.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Incidentally it is George Bailey at four. 2/119 in 15 overs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Six singles off the Mathurin over takes them closer to the win. 32 required fro 30, and this is happening easily here.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
OUT! Mathurin takes the wicket of Watson but it is almost in the Aussie bags now. Watson scored 69 from 43. 38 needed from six overs with the ball swinging back into the batsmen.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
SIX! Taste of his own medicine for Pollard and he is not enjoying it. Watson has deposited the Pollard off-cutter over mid-wicket for a biggie! 1/99 in 12, only 52 needed from 48 now.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! Bludgeoned away by Watson, pulled for a four! 57 for the ODI captain...
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! Delicately guided it to the third-man region where there is no fielder and he has got to his half-century here. Only 38 balls for it... ...well-played by the deputy captain, an innings that did not have only slog shots and yet came so quickly for Watto.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Kieron Pollard has been afforded the ball...
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bravo concedes eight, which is well done by the Australian pair considering not a boundary was hit. 1/83 in 11. The required-rate's around 7.2 an over, which is not such a big deal.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Dwayne Bravo, who took the new ball in all the five ODIs, will now come into the attack.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Only three singles off the Narine over. Which means that the Aussies have scored 1/75 in their first 10. Which also means that they need to score as many off their last 10 to tie the game. And one more to win.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Narine will bowl his third. Will the Aussies see him off or go after him like the way they had done in the fifth ODI?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! Cut away to the third-man fence and Hussey has now got another four! That is 10 runs off two balls and the run-rate's back to where it was earlier. 1/72 in 8.5
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
SIX! That almost came out of nowhere from the Hussey bat! So far, Hussey wasn't doing too much hitting but suddenly he decides to take Sammy on. Pitched up and slowly caressed over long-off - it goes over the fence!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Sammy, who gave away six runs in the first, will continue.