World Champs Windies put on a show to beat Aussies in T20

Sammy celebrates the fall of an Australian wicket. Photo by WICB.
Sammy celebrates the fall of an Australian wicket. Photo by WICB.

Brisbane, Australia – West Indies demonstrated why they are the kings of Twenty20 cricket as they put on a spectacular show against Australia at the Gabba on Wednesday night.

The Windies blasted 191-6 off their 20 overs on a superb batting surface, and then restricted the home side to 164-8 off 20 overs in the one-off T20 International.

The World T20 champions recorded their first victory of the tour and in doing so also won their first match in Australia for 16 years. The last win was in the Test match at the WACA Ground in Perth back in February 1997.

Johnson Charles gave the innings a rollicking start with 57 off 35 balls – to follow up the century he made in the fifth ODI on Sunday. He added 88 with Darren Bravo (32) while allrounders Kieron Pollard (26 off 17 balls), Andre Russell – 23 not out off 11 balls, and Darren Sammy – 20 off seven balls provided an injection of power in the second half of the innings.

Pollard returned with the ball to take 3-30 – the best figures of his T20 International career – while Sunil Narine again proved too good for the Aussies with figures of 4-0-19-2. The magnificent allround performance earned Pollard the Man-of-the-Match award.

“We knew we had to come here and try to salvage something from the tour so the commitment was always there and the fight was there as well. We played as a team and came away with an excellent result,” said the 25-year-old Pollard.

“We went about doing what we needed to do. It is the shortest format of the game so you always expect it to be exciting, and we brought that excitement and entertainment with us tonight and put on a display for the crowd who came out to watch us.”

Pollard was one of the leading players in the West Indies team which won the ICC World T20 Championship in Sri Lanka last year. In recent matches he has hit top form – with an unbeaten century in the fourth ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground followed by 45 in the fifth ODI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He said Wednesday’s performance was needed after they endured a tough series in the 50-over format.

“It was good to get a win in the version of the game where we are the champions of the world. We lost the One-Dayers but everyone was still upbeat. We didn’t let the defeats get us down too much…we just knew we had to rebound and look to be dominant in tonight’s game. It was a matter of keeping our heads up and going out and ‘representing’ for West Indies cricket,” Pollard said.

“This match was good for me as I was able to do the job with bat and ball. No matter what job I’m called on to perform for the team I’m always up for it,” he said, adding: “I was pleased with my bowling. I have not been doing a lot of bowling recently, so I just tried to show what I can do…just do what the team needed at that particular point and time.”

The West Indies will depart from Australia on Thursday afternoon and are due to arrive back in the Caribbean on Friday afternoon.

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23 Comments

  1. Orchid
    February 14, 2013

    I saw them play at the WACA and must say that they were very disappointing in Australia. The consistency is not there in the lineup. When Gayle and Pollard are not firing, the win is iffy. I agree with the comments that the concentration span is limited hence the team playing better at the short game.

  2. egbert vigille
    February 14, 2013

    We really missed Marlon Samuel in Australia I am positive we would have won at least one odi. Gayle is a waste of space

  3. Friday
    February 14, 2013

    Darren Sammy does nothing for west indies team its better he go play kiddies cricket!

    • Affection8
      February 14, 2013

      Give Sammy a break. You can play cricket better than he.

    • Just Looking On
      February 14, 2013

      I wonder if you were the captain of the team, what would you think of yourself…. typical ignorant! Same on you!

  4. westgirl
    February 14, 2013

    well well well, i wonder if the world will stop spinning if everyone has a positive view. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WEST INDIES TEAM. Whatever the version of the game; a win is a win.
    looking forward to the game in DA.

  5. Happy
    February 14, 2013

    We will start inning the longer foms someday…..I have hope.
    Teamwindies

  6. look it
    February 14, 2013

    samefull after a white wash to be jumpimg for joy

  7. cleanup
    February 14, 2013

    well put on your pads and go down and bat

  8. Open Bats
    February 13, 2013

    I am a West Indian Cricket Supporter to the Bone. I just wish our cricketers could play with a little more sense. The game today proved that their concentration span is very limited. Thats what they need to work on and they will be fine. HOPE WINS IN THE OTHER VERSIONS WILL BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

  9. lala
    February 13, 2013

    they work better under pressure

  10. cod capi
    February 13, 2013

    we,re really the t20 champs

  11. peeps
    February 13, 2013

    we are proud of you guys

  12. Anonymous
    February 13, 2013

    Chris Gayle needs to be replaced.

    • Affection8
      February 14, 2013

      People have their moments. Gayle cant shine all the time. others have to step up and stop depending on one man. so because he is not in form replace him? come on. Should we replace you? lol

  13. February 13, 2013

    That’s my kind of cricket.No regrets in the time i spent supporting them.

  14. %
    February 13, 2013

    On a whole the entire tour was disappointing, and we must not forget this 20T team that played the WI was not Australia’s strongest.Gayle was very disappointing. He has a severe problem with left arm swing bowling.Also we must not lose touch of the fact that our players are not consistent performers.One player shining per match will rarely bring a team constant victories. We need at least three players per match doing very well. There is a paucity consistency in this current team.
    Anyway the 20T victory is still welcome. Happy for Charles,i will always love my small island players.

  15. Channel 1
    February 13, 2013

    Windies, y’all need to strive for greater consistenty in Test & ODI cricket ie the real forms of cricket. Improvements have been seen from you all in these two formats of the game over the last 3 years but press on for greater consistency fellas.

    Have a safe flight back to the Caribbean and we look forward to a great home series vs Zimbabwe which begins next week.

  16. Anonymous
    February 13, 2013

    We winning at T20, why we can’t win in a test match?

    • Anonymous
      February 13, 2013

      T20 is the form of cricket the West Indies team can now play!

    • Aye Ya Yaye
      February 14, 2013

      Short attention concentration span. That is all.

    • BiGmE
      February 14, 2013

      This is because t20,test, and one day are three completely different game, atmosphere, rules and you need different skill set. in t20 a team can make 200 runs on 20 over but in one day they make 250 in 50 over why do u need 30 over for just 50 runs think of it learn the games then talk.

    • Affection8
      February 14, 2013

      We playing too many T20 and cant concentrate for the longer version on the game.

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