Windies crush Australia by 74 runs

Gayle (75no) and Pollard added 65 off 25 balls as the Windies racked up 205-4, the highest score of the tournament.

Despite a defiant 29-ball 63 from captain George Bailey, Australia never recovered from a poor start, crumbling to 131 all out to lose by 74 runs.

West Indies will meet hosts Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo on Sunday.

Chris Gayle on the go today
Chris Gayle on the go today

It was a phenomenal display from West Indies, based around another show-stopping performance by Gayle.

Despite facing only 41 balls in the innings, the left-handed opener still managed to get within 25 runs of a century, smashing six sixes and five fours with a strike rate of 182.

Marlon Samuels helped set the tempo with a breezy 26 and Darren Bravo hit three towering sixes in his 37 off 31 balls.

However, it was Gayle and Pollard, who plundered 63 runs off the last four overs, who really demoralised Australia.

After watching the previously economical Mitchell Starc get carted for 17 in the penultimate over, Bailey took a gamble by throwing the ball to left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty.

It proved a costly mistake as Gayle heaved a six over midwicket before Pollard helped himself to three maximums in a row.

He holed out at long-off off the last ball of the innings to fall for 38 off 15 deliveries, but the damage had been done.

Australia’s best chance of joining their women’s team in the final was always likely to lie with their prolific openers David Warner and Shane Watson.

So when both were clean bowled by leg-spinner Samuel Badree for single-figure scores inside the first five overs, the writing was all but on the wall.

Warner was dismissed off the last ball of the first over when a television replay confirmed that a googly had shaved his off stump and dislodged the bails.

And, after Mike Hussey had top-edged a return catch to Marlon Samuels following a quickfire 18, Watson was castled for seven by one that fizzed on.

Ravi Rampaul then took two wickets in three balls to have Cameron White caught down the leg side and David Hussey caught and bowled off a leading edge as the Aussies slumped to 42-5.

Bailey, not renowned for his ball-striking, led a one-man counter-attack in a blistering 63 off 29 balls, but with the run rate required creeping above 14 per over, his innings was always likely to be a footnote to proceedings.

And so it proved as Pollard removed Pat Cummins and Bailey in the same over, Brad Hogg was stumped off Sunil Narine and Rampaul bowled Starc to wrap up a phenomenal win.

The Windies are through to their first global final since 2004, when they beat England at The Oval to win the Champions Trophy.

 

West Indies won the toss and decided to bat
205 for 4 (20.0 overs)
131 all out (16.4 overs)

 

West Indies 1st Innings – Close
Runs
Balls
4s
6s
Charlesc Wadeb Starc
10
1320
Gaylenot out
75
4156
Samuelsb Cummins
26
2022
Dwayne Bravoc Baileyb Cummins
37
3113
Pollardc Warnerb Doherty
38
1533
Extras8w 6b 5lb19
Totalfor 4205(20.0 ovs)

 

Bowler
O
M
R
W
Starc4.00321
Watson4.00350
Cummins4.00362
Doherty3.00481
Hogg3.00210
D Hussey2.00220
Fall of wicket
16Charles
57Samuels
140Dwayne Bravo
205Pollard

 

Australia 1st Innings – All out
Runs
Balls
4s
6s
Warnerb Badree
1
300
Watsonb Badree
7
910
M Husseyc and bSamuels
18
1230
Whitec Ramdinb Rampaul
5
600
Baileyc Russellb Pollard
63
2964
D Husseyc and bRampaul
0
200
Wadec Badreeb Narine
1
500
Cumminsc Charlesb Pollard
13
1510
Starcb Rampaul
2
500
Hoggst Ramdinb Narine
7
700
Dohertynot out
9
710
Extras2w 3lb5
Totalall out131(16.4 ovs)

 

Bowler
O
M
R
W
Badree4.00272
Samuels3.00261
Rampaul3.40163
Narine3.00172
Russell1.00250
Sammy1.00110
Pollard1.0062
Fall of wicket
2Warner
22M Hussey
29Watson
42White
42D Hussey
43Wade
111Bailey
111Cummins
121Hogg
131Starc

 

Umpires: Aleem Dar, H D P K Dharmasena, R S Madugalle, R A Kettleborough
Australia: Warner, Watson, M Hussey, Bailey (C), White, D Hussey, Wade (W), Cummins, Starc, Hogg, Doherty
West Indies: Gayle, Charles, Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Pollard, Russell, Ramdin (W), Sammy (C), Narine, Rampaul, Badree