IT might be just two matches but West Indies are clicking in most departments – their batting is producing as a collective while the bowling and fielding continues to excel.
They are now on the cusp of a second Twenty20 International series win for the year when they battle a stuttering Australia in the third T20I today in St. Lucia from 19:30hrs.
West Indies has handsomely won in both matches, after two batting meltdowns by the Australians, who are missing several of their first-choice players for this tour and the next to Bangladesh due to ‘bubble’ fatigue.
After a comprehensive 2-1 success over Sri Lanka early in the year, West Indies struggled to be consistent against South Africa and lost 2-3. But the flaws of the South Africa series, especially in the batting department, are slowly being rectified.
West Indies put up scores of 145-6 and 196-4 in the first two matches but there has been a considerable effort to reduce the alarming amount of dot balls.
In the first match, it was 59 dot balls (one short of ten scoreless overs by the West Indies) and in the second there was 40 (much below the average amount during the South African series).
However, the shining light continues to be the bowling since they have two batting collapses by the Aussies. They have been bowled out for 127 and 140 despite the success of Mitchell Marsh who made back-to-back half-centuries.
The Aussies have now lost their last five encounters with the West Indies in the format, and despite being ranked fifth as opposed to the World T20 defending champions at eighth, they will be scratching for a better batting performance to stay alive in the series.
On the other, West Indies will want to close out the series and possibly look to experiment further in the two ‘dead rubbers’ as they look to find the best XI ahead of the five-match series against Pakistan later this month and the World T20 in October-November to be held in the United Arab Emirates.
West Indies may want to reconsider Chris Gayle at number three since he has the best score of 32* in nine matches and averages 12.75, and he may have to make way if Kieron Pollard is fully fit to play.
West Indies squad: Kieron Pollard (Captain), Nicholas Pooran (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, and Hayden Walsh Jr.
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Ashton Agar, Wes Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Dan Christian, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Marsh, Riley Meredith, Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.
