KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – West Indies broke a five-year losing drought against Australia when they held their nerves to seal the second One-Day International in a tense finish at Arnos Vale here yesterday.
Set a modest 158 for victory after rain had earlier reduced the game to 40 overs per side, the Windies recovered from losing opener Kieran Powell to the first ball of the innings, to reach their target with 10 balls to spare and snatch a five-wicket victory under the Duckworth/Lewis Method.
The win was engineered by the enigmatic Kieron Pollard who blasted four sixes in an unbeaten 47 from 61 balls.
His 64-run, fifth wicket stand with fellow Trinidadian Dwayne Bravo proved invaluable, after the West Indies had lost two quick wickets for seven runs to slump to 74 for four in the 19th over.
Bravo scored 30 from 49 balls but even after he was run out with victory in sight, there was no customary collapse, as Carlton Baugh entered to lash two fours and a six in an unbeaten 18 off 17 balls, to see the Windies home.
In fact, it was the diminutive Jamaican who sealed the victory, launching left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty over the ropes at deep mid-wicket, to send a capacity crowd into frenzied celebration.
The victory, the Windies’ first over Australia since the 2006 Champions Trophy, drew them level in the five-match series following their disappointing 64-run loss in the first ODI on Friday.
Earlier, mystery off-spinner Sunil Narine claimed four for 27 as West Indies bowlers once again bowled superbly on a difficult batting wicket, to restrict Australia to 154 for nine.
After a total of two-and-a-half hours play was lost to rain in the morning, Australia’s batsmen struggled on the dodgy Arnos Vale surface, with a few getting starts but failing to carry on.
David Hussey top-scored with 37, captain Shane Watson got 25 while Mike Hussey scored 24 and George Bailey, 21.
Narine, in only his fifth One-Day International, once again proved difficult to get away as he bowled an unforgiving length.
Pacer Kemar Roach (2-23) bowled with pace and accuracy to claim the first two wickets to fall – David Warner for 13 and Peter Forrest without scoring – as Australia slipped to 19 for two in the seventh over.
Watson clipped a catch to substitute Devendra Bishoo at short mid-wicket off Sammy at 46 for three in the 14th over but the Hussey brothers, Mike and David, added 31 for the fourth wicket.
Mike counted just one boundary in his 52-ball knock before he edged a drive at Narine behind to give the beanpole Trinidadian his first wicket.
David Hussey continued to assume the sheet anchor role as Bailey stepped up the scoring, gathering two fours in his 26-ball innings.
He seemed to be upping the ante when he slashed a slower ball from medium pacer Dwayne Bravo to Samuels at point and 20 balls and 12 runs later, Daniel Christian (6) was run out after he and Hussey hesitated over a single.
With the Aussies tottering on 121 for six in the 34th over, Narine then ran through the lower order.
He had Matthew Wade (3) caught by Pollard at square leg off a top-edged sweep and two balls later, claimed the prized wicket of David Hussey, bowled trying to cut one too close to him after the right-hander had faced 62 balls and struck four fours.
Narine’s fourth victim was Clint McKay who missed a heave and was calmly stumped by Carlton Baugh.
West Indies were off to the worst possible start when Powell offered no shot to pacer Brett Lee and was palpably lbw.
Aggressive opener Johnson Charles and Marlon Samuels pulled the Windies around with a 42-run second wicket stand, however.
Charles faced 37 balls and stroked two fours and a mighty six over long-on off Lee while Samuels got 20 from 37 balls before he was yorked by Watson in the 11th over.
Charles and Darren Bravo (16) had posted 25 for the third wicket when Bravo refused a second run and left his right-handed partner stranded mid-pitch in the 16th over.
With seven runs added, Bravo dragged on to Doherty, leaving the Windies in familiar turmoil at 74 for four.
His older brother, Dwayne joined forces with Pollard to reignite the innings.
As expected Pollard was the aggressor, twice clearing the boundaries at mid-wicket and long off, with effortless blows.
Even when Bravo departed, Baugh kept his cool in a 25-run, sixth wicket partnership off 30 balls with Pollard, that saw the Windies home.
