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  • Australia edge Windies by four runs in 4th T20

Australia edge Windies by four runs in 4th T20


Entering in the second over after the fall of Matthew Wade, Marsh lit up the scoreboard with a Vine-esque loop of inside out lofted drives over extra cover. COURTESY

  • SPORTS
  • AFP
  • Published: 16 Jul 2021, 11:26 AM

An outstanding all-round performance by Mitchell Marsh earned Australia their first victory of the five-match T20 series as the visitors hung on for a four-run victory over the West Indies in the fourth match at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia Wednesday.

With half-centuries already in the first two matches of the series, Marsh flayed the Caribbean bowlers for 75 off 44 balls with six sixes and four fours to pace his team to a challenging total of 189 for six after choosing to bat first. He put on 114 for the second wicket with Aaron Finch, the Australian captain, contributing 53 as leg-spinner Hayden Walsh once again led the West Indies bowling effort with figure of three for 27. Lendl Simmons led off the West Indies chase with a boisterous innings of 72 at the top of the order.

But when he fell to Marsh, one of three wickets for the blossoming all-rounder, the balance of the match began to tilt in favor of an Australian side seeking to avoid an unprecedented four consecutive defeats in the same T20 series.

Spectacular hitting by Fabian Allen and Andre Russell gave the West Indies hope going into the final over but Mitchell Starc was right on target to limit the home side to 185 for six and earn the tourists a measure of consolation after already surrendering the series.

Marsh continues hot batting form

One of the few bright lights in this series for the visitors, Marsh has continued to impress in his audition for the No. 3 role ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year. Entering in the second over after the fall of Matthew Wade, Marsh lit up the scoreboard with a Vine-esque loop of inside out lofted drives over extra cover.

He brought up his third half-century of the series off just 24 balls with another such shot for six off Allen in the ninth over. Having dominated the early stages of his century partnership with Aaron Finch, who had been missed on 2 when an edge went between keeper and slip, rain disrupted Marsh's momentum when the players were taken off the field shortly after Marsh's half-century at the end of the ninth over. When play resumed, Finch seized control of the stand to clatter five boundaries in the space of nine balls across the 10th and 11th overs to bring up his own 34-ball half-century, ending a run of bad form in the first three matches of the series.

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