Australia have lost to the West Indies by four wickets in the rescheduled second game of their three-game ODI series, which is level at 1-1.
Australia lost 5-22 to collapse to 6-45 in the 13th over before a patient Matthew Wade and his bowlers combined to add some much need substance to the innings, before it ended at 187 on the first ball of the 48th over.
In reply, Mitchel Starc (3-26) took two wickets in his second over and legspinner Adam Zampa (2-43) also troubled the hosts, as West Indies slumped to 5-72 in the 15th over.
Starc took two wicket in his second over, Zampa bowled two batsmen with wrong’uns and Ashton Turner captured his first ODI wicket as returning wicketkeeper Shai Hope (38) was the only top-order batsman to get going.
A sixth wicket stand off 93 in 20 overs between Nicholas Pooran (59 not out off 75 balls) and Jason Holder (52 off 69) put the West Indies back in control and they cruised to victory with 12 overs to spare.
Pooran was dropped twice, on 26 and 49, at mid-off and slip by Moises Henriques and Wade respectively.
The game was postponed just before it was scheduled to start early on Friday (AEST) after a positive COVID-19 test in the West Indies camp.
The match started 48 hours later at the scheduled time of the third ODI, after 152 people involved in the series retested and were found to be COVID-negative, with the final match of the series pushed back to Tuesday (AEST).
Wes Agar (41 off 36 balls) equalled his best score in any format to top score for Australia.
After the quicks did the early damage the West Indies spinners took over on a pitch offering significant turn.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (3-30 off 10) ripped through the Aussie middle order, taking three wickets in six balls.
Australia’s problems started with the fourth ball of the innings when Ben McDermott was caught behind for no score.
Josh Philippe was next to go, out for 16 when he pulled a ball from Alzarri Joseph (3-39) and was caught at deep backward square leg.
Three balls later, Holder had Mitchell Marsh caught behind for eight.
Hosein bowled Australian captain Alex Carey (10) and dismissed Henriques (4) and Turner (1) in his next over.
The fightback started with Wade (36) adding 51 runs for the seventh wicket with Starc (19) and then 32 with Zampa (36).
Agar and Zampa further frustrated the hosts with a partnership of 59 runs from just 53 balls before the last two wickets fell to successive deliveries.
Australia were allowed to make a change to the side originally selected for the ODI, with Agar replacing fellow quick Josh Hazlewood, who dropped out with a calf problem.
© AAP
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