Cricket: WI Outgunned by Watson, Hussey

March 28, 2012 – A typically robust, unbeaten half-century from Kieron Pollard was upstaged by an equally enterprising 69 from opener Shane Watson and 59 not out from Mike Hussey that guided Australia to a convincing, eight-wicket victory over West Indies in the first Digicel Twenty20 International on Tuesday.

The Windies failed to successfully defend a victory target of 151, as Watson struck five fours and six sixes from 43 balls and Hussey hit four fours and two sixes from 45 balls, sharing a record second-wicket partnership that sent a near capacity Beausejour Cricket Ground crowd home disappointed.

The result meant the hosts trail 0-1 in the two match series, which concludes on Friday at the historic Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Pollard, one of the most feared T20 batsmen in the World, had cracked two fours and five sixes in 54 not out, propelling West Indies to 150 for seven from their allocation of 20 overs.

Krishmar Santokie gave the Windies a bright start to their defence, when he bowled left-handed opener David Warner for a fifth-ball duck in the first over.

But the home team were put under severe pressure, when Watson and Hussey linked up to establish a new partnership record of 108 for the Australians.

None of the West Indies batsmen were spared from the punishment and Watson reached his 50 from 38 balls, steering a delivery from Pollard to third man for his fourth four in the 12th over.

Left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin made the breakthrough, when Watson sliced a pull and was caught at wide long-on in the next over.

The Windies got no relief from his departure, as Hussey took control down the stretch to usher the visitors to the finish line with 11 balls remaining.

A delivery from Dwayne Smith was crunched through square cover for his third four, taking him to his 50 from 40 balls, and he was fortunate, when a leaping West Indies captain Darren Sammy put down an overhead chance off the same bowler when he was 52.

A short delivery from Sammy was fittingly pulled over mid-wicket by new Australia T20 captain George Bailey to formalise the victory.

Earlier, Pollard transformed the course of the West Indies’ innings with an array of breath-taking strokes, after the hosts had wobbled to 72 for four in the 13th over.

He added 62 for the fifth wicket from just 35 balls with compatriot and fellow all-rounder Dwayne Bravo to add some beef to the total before the Aussies tightened up to put a check on the big-hitting in the closing overs.

After a couple of lusty blows, Dwayne Smith had been caught behind off Lee for 10 in the third over, edging a back-foot drive at a delivery outside the off-stump.

West Indies got into gear, when Johnson Charles collected three successive fours, when he drove Lee back over his head and followed up with flicks either side of the fine-leg fielder.

Charles was lbw for 10 in the seventh over – the first from Watson bowling his stiff medium-pace – playing across a full-length delivery, leaving West Indies 38 for two.

Darren Bravo got off the mark with an imperious extra cover drive off Watson for four and he looked in fine touch before top edging a pull and was caught at deep mid-wicket off Daniel Christian for 10 in the 11th over.

The 23-year-old Nkrumah Bonner, playing in only his second T20I for West Indies, looked unflappable before Christian bowled him, essaying an ill-advised cross-batted stroke in the 13th over.

Pollard responded to the challenge in typical fashion. He swept Doherty to deep fine leg for four, lofted the left-arm spinner onto the roof of the players’ pavilion for six and then swung him to wide long-on for another six before lifting the last ball over cover for another four.

Next over, Pollard lofted the second delivery from Christian just over the head of the long-on fielder for six and swung the same bowler over mid-wicket for another six about 10 rows back in the Canaries Stand.

He reached his 50 from 20 balls in contrasting style, driving a yorker-length delivery from Watson to mid-on for a single in the 18th over. It was the fastest 50 by a West Indian in a T20I, erasing the previous mark held by Chris Gayle.

Wickets however continued to fall at the other end, with Dwayne Bravo caught at long-off to become the last of three wickets for 27 runs from three overs for Christian, Sammy caught at long-on for 14 skying a delivery from Lee in the 18th over, and Baugh was run out for one in the final over to preserve Pollard’s wicket in the closing stages.

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES (maximum 20 overs)

J. Charles lbw b Watson 24

D.R. Smith c wkpr Wade b Lee 10

N. Bonner b Christian 24

D.M. Bravo c Pattinson b Christian 12

K. Pollard not out 54

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