A stunning hat-trick from Josh Hazlewood was not enough for Australia, as Darren Sammy led from the front with an unbeaten half-century to fashion a morale-boosting three-wicket win in a World Twenty20 warmup match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sundayfirst eight overs.
Australian pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood warmed up for his first ICC World T20 with a hat-trick but the West Indies middle order spoiled his feat with a fine comeback.
Led by some lusty hitting by Carlos Brathwaite and captain Darren Sammy, West Indies fought back to defeat Australia by three wickets and a ball to spare in the World T20 warm-up match at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.
It was contrasting batting approaches by the two teams. Batting first, Australia capitulated after an express start given by openers Aaron Finch and Shane Watson while West Indies showed how to finish perfectly with Sammy and Brathwaite going after the Australian bowling.
Australia scored 161 for nine with Finch 33 (24b, 6x4) and Watson 60 (39b, 4x4, 4x6) going great guns in the first eight overs.
Good opening stand
The two shared a 76-run opening wicket stand to raise hopes of a big total.
Captain Steve Smith 36 (29b, 1x4) restricted himself to anchor the rest of the innings, which saw the Aussie top and middle order depart without making any significant contribution.
West Indies medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo (4-0-21-4) and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (4-0-37-3) did well to restrict Australia.
Playing without the explosive Chris Gayle in the line-up, the West Indies suffered early jolts with Hazlewood (4-0-13-3) removing Jason Holder,
Marlon Samuels and Bravo off three successive deliveries in the fourth over of the innings.
Needing to score 99 runs in the last nine overs, skipper Sammy found an able partner in Brathwaite as the two put on 53 runs off 23 balls for the seventh wicket (between the 12th and the 16th overs) to ensure victory for the West Indies.
Sammy remained unbeaten on 50 (28b, 6x4, 1x6) while Brathwaite’s 33 (14b, 3x4, 2x6) provided the required impetus in the successful run chase.
The scores: Australia 161 for nine in 20 overs (Aaron Finch 33, Shane Watson 60, Steve Smith 36, Dwayne Bravo four for 21, Sulieman Benn three for 37) lost to West Indies 162 for seven in 19.5 overs (Darren Sammy 50 n.o., Carlos Brathwaite 33, Josh Hazlewood three for 13, hat-trick).
Keywords: ICC Cricket World T20 championships, World T20 championship 2016, West Indies versus Australia warm-up match
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