It may be an inconsequential final game of the Australia vs West Indies series but both teams will have something to play for at the MCG in Melbourne. We’ll have coverage from 2.20pm AEDT.
Australia will be looking for a 5-0 clean sweep, their first such whitewash since beating Pakistan in that much-maligned home series in 2009-10.
That they will be without a plethora of players because of injuries and early departures to India, may not affect that desire.
Shane Watson will lead the team in the absence of Michael Clarke and George Bailey, both of whom are struggling to retain fitness from their injury issues.
For someone who was till recently a doubtful to make it to the playing 11 given his own concerns, this will do his confidence good.
Clarke will be replaced by Shaun Marsh in the playing 11.
There will be others who will miss the game for Australia.
Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell are on their way to India for the Test tour and Brad Haddin and Xavier Doherty could make it back to the team.
With Nathan Coulter-Nile brought into the squad, it remains to be seen whether he will get a chance to make his international debut this game.
Difficult to see Australia carry two inexperienced bowling options given Ben Cutting’s presence in the side.
West Indies will hope for one last hurrah in the ODIs but the way they have played, it is difficult to see how they can turn things around.
They do have not much fuel left in their tanks in terms of personnel strength.
What they need is for Chris Gayle to fire but before that they will hope he can pass his late fitness test to make it to the 11.
With Tino Best having proved a point or two with one of the spells of his career last game, he will come out firing yet again.
What Best and Sunil Narine – the other exceptional bowler for West Indies this series – will hope for is to have some runs on the board to play with, unlike what has been the case so far this series.
While the general interest in the game will be low, things could get spicy if West Indies can come out all guns blazing one last time this ODI series.
Live coverage of the game begins from 2.20pm AEDT.
Adrian Gale
Guest
This is most probably why only 18 thousand turned up in Sydney and 21 thousand turned up tonight. Did they have to give away tickets tonight like the first odi v sri lanka???
Adrian Gale
Guest
I agree with one of the twitter responses - 5 matches too many in this series of Australia A v West Indies matches. Remember that the West Indies only rank above sides like Bangladesh in Tests and Odi matches so 5 nil was not a surprising result. I think that only because the selectors treated this series as a selection trial that the West Indies were able to get so close in the last few matches - They don't seem to have the application to play more than T20 cricket.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
West Indies did manage to run the Aussies close tonight but it wasn't enough. In fact with Australia resting many of their players, West Indies would have fancied themselves but as their rankings in ODIs show, they aren't that good yet in this format. Coach Otis Gibson has often spoken about the need to climb up in the ODI rankings but this was certainly not the way to go around doing that. Adam Voges is declared the man of the match for his first international century that helped Australia dig themselves out of the hole they found themselves in at 2/2. That's it from me, will be back for the one-off T20I at Brisbane on Wednesday. Ciao!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Tino Best wants to swing them away obviously but does not get too much bat on it before scooping it to Coulter-Nile for an easy catch...McKay's controlled it well since that first ball six. That's that then, Australia have emerged victorious to take the series 5-0. The last time they did that was way back in 2009-10 against Pakistan although they did win another series 6-1.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Did I just say improbable? McKay's smoked McKay over the long-off fence for a six! That suddenly puts the pressure on the bowler despite having 18 runs to play with off five balls... ...and that's that...Sammy's edged one to the keeper off the next delivery! Nine down and 18 away.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Clint McKay will bowl the last over as expected. Sammy on strike.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
It's in the realms of the improbable now. They need 24 off the last over.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Single off the second ball of the over to Sammy means that Roach has to face Faulkner. They run for a bye and that allows Sammy to get back on strike. Sammy gets another one. It's gotten steep now, 26 off eight.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Sammy fails to get anything off the first ball of the penultimate over. West Indies still need 29 and they have only 11 balls to get them in. All on Sammy as he faces Faulkner.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
But Johnson gains some sort of a revenge by sending back Sunil Narine. The leg-stump's knocked back and Johnson has another three-wicket haul! 29 needed from 13. Two wickets standing.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Late resistance from the West Indian captain? A couple of runs followed by a spanking couple of fours brings the required rate down to 12 again!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Johnson will finish off his spell now. He's taken 2/39 in nine.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Faulkner has just bowled a beauty of an over! As if getting the danger man Pollard out was not enough, he concedes only one in the over. That's right, 1 run in the 47th over chasing a required rate of 11! 40 needed from 18.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And that seems to be that then, Pollard's been dismissed! Faulkner gets his first for the night and it is a big one this. Pollard had to get a few off the middle of his bat and all he can do is to spoon it to Finch, who does not drop it this time. He wanted to smash it over long-on but fails to clear him there. Two dots against Sammy to follow. 41 needed from 21.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And the over is round off with two singles off the last two deliveries too! West Indies are 41 away with four overs and four wickets remaining. Faulkner will bowl two out of them, while McKay and Johnson should bowl one apiece.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Mitchell Johnson concedes a couple of singles before Sammy plays out two deliveries without a run. Getting tougher for the West Indies. 43 needed off 26
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The wicket has brought with it the invariable slowing down of scoring. Only three singles off that over. 45 needed in 30 and a big over has to be around the corner.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Oh god, Thomas has been run-out now and it is down to Darren Sammy to get them home with Pollard. It was tapped to the off-side and he rushed off for a single to Shaun Marsh who did not field it too well. But it is a good throw to Faulkner who takes the bails off to leave Thomas out of his crease. Played well till he was there but should have continued on. 47 off 34.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Faulkner will bowl the 45th and expect Pollard to await for his slower ones and go after 'em. Single off the first ball to the big man. 47 needed from 35
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
They have been able to maintain that asking rate of around eight. 50 needed from 38 balls with Mitch Johnson trying his best to restrict them. Or pick up a wicket. Pollard's been pretty patient.