Australia have suffered a fourth straight Twenty20 international cricket series loss after Chris Gayle returned to form for the West Indies in St Lucia.
The home team took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, winning by six wickets after reaching their target of 142 in 14.5 overs.
Gayle, who became the first player to score 14,000 T20 runs, smashed 67 off 38 balls.
It was 41-year-old Gayle’s highest score in 20 T20 internationals since 2016.
Gayle, who had totalled just 41 in his five previous T20 internationals, went scoreless in his first three deliveries from Mitchell Starc.
But the left-hander blasted 18 runs off four consecutive Josh Hazlewood deliveries, following a six over long on with three fours.
He took 22 off an over from legspinner Adam Zampa, reaching his half-century with a third successive six before falling to recalled paceman Riley Meredith (3-48 off 3.5).
While Gayle smashed seven sixes, Australia cleared the boundary just twice in another modest batting effort, scoring 6-141 after being dismissed for 140 and 127 in the first two games.
Captain Aaron Finch opted to bat first after losing the first two matches where he asked the West Indies to take first strike.
But Australia managed just 11 fours and two sixes in their 6-141 total.
They scored just 69 runs off the last 10 overs, three fewer than in the first 10.
They struggled against the dual spin attack of Fabian Allen (1-26 off four) and Hayden Walsh (2-18 off four), and veteran medium pacer Dwayne Bravo (1-17 of three).
A fourth-wicket stand of 59 – Australia’s first half-century partnership of the series – between Moises Henriques (33 off 29 balls) and Ashton Turner (24 not out off 22) added some substance to the innings.
Australia didn’t capitalise on their opening stand of 41 from the first five overs.
Matthew Wade (23 off 16) made a swift start, striking four boundaries from cover drives and pulls off his first 10 balls, before being bowled by Obed McCoy.
Finch (30 off 31) got a start but again struggled for fluency after two single-digit dismissals, hitting just two boundaries.
Mitchell Marsh, coming off half centuries in the two previous games, was trapped lbw for nine when trying to sweep at left-arm spinner Allen.
Australia lost just two wickets in the first 11 overs, but lost two in the 12th, both bowled by legspinner Walsh.
Carey was caught at extra cover for 13 off the first ball and Finch fell of the fifth, caught at deep midwicket after Bravo dropped the ball with his first touch but with his second pushed it to the adjacent Lendl Simmons.
Paul
Roar Guru
He seems to be out of favour for some reason but you're right Khawaja could be a really good option, now the tournament is in the UAE and Oman. Those pitches would suit him perfectly.
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
Australia has a good option of playing Khawaja in T20s on slow surfaces especially in UAE as he recently registered a t20 hundred while opening for Islamabad United. I don’t know how many Aussie fans actually know that Usman Khawaja was roped in as a replacement when Islamabad had to put up a squad as PSL decided to finish it’s remaining games in UAE. So Khawaja opened for them along with Munro only missing one game. Here are his stats in UAE back in June: 18(17), 0 (3), 40*(27), 12 (16), 105* (56), 70 (40), 1 (2) (got runout at the non striker end). So he played 7 games, 7 innings, 2 not outs, 1 run out at non striker end, amassing 246 runs 161 balls, with an average of 49.2, a strike rate of 152.79, got everything, a hundred, a fifty and a duck with the help of 31 fours and 5 sixes. Note in last 3 innings he scored a hundred not out, a fifty, and a run out at non striker end. ISU won 5 and lost 3 during it. One more funny fact, he was captaining Islamabad United the day he got that brilliant hundred… I am not sure whether he fits in t20 scheme of things for Australia but definitely he can be considered for the World Cup in UAE.. Here is that knock https://youtu.be/KGj9aAGuz6o
Targa
Roar Rookie
In other news Ireland just thrashed South Africa in an ODI!
U
Roar Rookie
The important thing is that they have the time to focus on those things whilst losing games
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Isn’t that the OP’s point? No one was suggesting this team is 2nd string. Yet the OP suggested that the Aus 2019 was 2nd string and still beat India in India. Hence her comment as to why could Aus learn anything from India.
Mark
Guest
Not sure what you are saying. Neither Short nor Handscomb will be picked for the T20 World Cup, and probably Stoinis won’t. And none of those 3 are currently in the West Indies. My point is that the team that had played in the first 3 matches is nowhere near being 2nd string, and at least 9 or 10 of the players there will be picked for the T20 World Cup in a few months.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Wade, Marsh, Carey, Starc, Hazelwood + Warner and Smith didn't play. Stoinis and Short opened, Handscomb batted 5.
Mark
Guest
This is not a 2nd string team. Wade, Finch, Marsh, Carey, Turner, Agar, Zampa, Starc, Hazlewood all playing and all will be picked in the squad for the T20 World Cup. Yes Warner, Smith, Maxwell and Cummins aren’t there, so it’s not the strongest possible team, but it’s nor 2nd string.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
So far Meredith is not looking up to IPL standard, even if his BBL performances are what got him a top signing this season.
Rossi
Roar Rookie
Apparently they had sore knees?
Paul
Roar Guru
3 for 48 by Riley Meredith suggests IPL's not helping either.
James
Guest
The boundary Gayle hit when he was on 6 was one of the most arrogantly beautifully not beautiful hits i have seen.
La grandeur d'Athéna
Roar Rookie
What can they learn from us? We lost to West Indies here in semi final. Despite so called bench strength we have not won a single major trophy in eight years. Plus Australia is only team to won any form of bi lateral contest here against us in several years. Last t20 series we played against them here, we were whitewashed by second string Australia team. Something tells me they will be fine. I only saw the score cards in cricbuzz because the matches are not being telecasted, to me it seems they send a big bash team. They are not going to send those teams in world cup.
Shriram
Guest
I guess aus needs to learn from England and india to improve your bench strength. Clearly BBL is not helping.