BRISBANE: An explosive David Warner slammed 75 and Mitchell Starc grabbed four wickets as Australia beat the West Indies by 31 runs here at the Gabba on Friday to clinch the Twenty20 series 2-0 in the build-up to defending their World Cup title.

The home team were cruising at 95-1, but they lost three wickets for five runs, including Warner, as the visitors got back into contention.

The dangerous Tim David came to the rescue with an entertaining 42 off 20 balls, including three big sixes, to steer them to 178-7.

The hosts clinched the first match by three wickets, and the West Indies wanted a win in what was their last game before the World Cup, where they face Scotland in the preliminary round first-up on Oct 17.

But they managed just 147-8 in reply, with Starc taking 4-20, his best figures in a T20.

They had few answers to Warner, who punished anything short, hitting 10 fours and three sixes in his 41-ball blitz.

Finch was on the teamsheet to open alongside Warner after coming in at four in the first game, but after Australia were sent into bat it was Cameron Green who again strode to the crease.

And for a second match, the all-rounder failed to fire, out for one.

Warner raced to his 23rd T20 half-century, bringing up the milestone off 30 balls.

They reached 88-1 at the halfway mark, but the visitors pounced soon after with both players falling within six balls.

Finch was caught at mid-off by Rovman Powell off Obed McCoy for 15, snapping an 85-run partnership, then Warner departed caught and bowled by Odean Smith.

Glenn Maxwell’s poor run of form continued, run out for one as Australia stumbled to 100-4, losing three wickets for five runs. But David steadied the ship before getting trapped lbw by McCoy.

The West Indies’ chase started poorly with Kyle Mayers out in the first over to a reflex catch by Starc off his own bowling.

Brandon King (23), Pooran (2) and Johnson Charles (29) all fell in the space of 17 runs to leave them trouble at 76-4 after 11 overs and they never recovered.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

D. Warner c&b Smith 75

C. Green c Holder b Joseph 1

A. Finch c Powell b McCoy 15

S. Smith b Joseph 17

G. Maxwell run out McCoy 1

T. David lbw McCoy 42

M. Wade c Mayers b Joseph 16

P. Cummins not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-6) 10

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 20 overs) 178

DID NOT BAT: M. Starc, A. Zampa, J. Hazlewood

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-10 (Green), 2-95 (Finch), 3-96 (Warner), 4-100 (Maxwell), 5-156 (David), 6-172 (Smith), 7-178 (Wade)

BOWLING: Mayers 2-0-19-0 (1w), Joseph 4-0-21-3 (1w), Holder 3-0-27-0 (1w), McCoy 3-0-33-2, Hosein 3-0-22-0, Smith 3-0-24-1 (3w), Cariah 2-0-28-0

WEST INDIES:

K. Mayers c&b Starc 6

J. Charles c Wade b Green 29

B. King st Wade b Zampa 23

N. Pooran c Finch b Starc 2

J. Holder c Green b Starc 16

R. Powell c Wade b Cummins 18

A. Hosein c Warner b Cummins 25

O. Smith b Starc 4

A. Joseph not out 11

Y. Cariah not out 2

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-2, W-4) 11

TOTAL (for eight wickets, 20 overs) 147

DID NOT BAT: O. McCoy

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-6 (Mayers), 2-56 (King), 3-62 (Pooran), 4-73 (Charles), 5-92 (Holder), 6-122 (Powell), 7-133 (Hosein), 8-143 (Smith)

BOWLING: Starc 4-0-20-4 (2w), Hazlewood 4-0-19-0, Cummins 4-0-32-2 (1w), Green 4-0-35-1 (1w), Zampa 4-0-34-1

RESULT: Australia won by 31 runs.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2022