West Indies vs Australia, 8th Match at Bridgetown, , Jun 21 2016 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
8th Match (D/N), Bridgetown, June 21, 2016, West Indies Tri-Nation Series
(48.4/50 ov, T:283) 283/4

Australia won by 6 wickets (with 8 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
125 (134)
marlon-samuels
New
AUS
Full commentary

8.30pm Australia are through to the final, while West Indies v South Africa on Thursday will be a do-or-die clash. This clash was right in the balance when Australia lost their openers, but the Smith-Marsh stand set things up nicely for Glenn Maxwell to redeem himself in some style. All of that reduced a Marlon Samuels special to second-best on the night. West Indies also weren't helped by the unavailability of Holder for most parts of their bowling innings, which meant they had to mix and match with the fifth bowler's quota. A competitive game nonetheless.

Steven Smith: I thought West Indies played a pretty good game. 280 was par. They fought back well after being reduced to 3 for 30. Samuels and Ramdin's stand was a good one, but I thought we pulled it back well. We didn't hit our areas as well as we would have liked. We started well, but the middle overs weren't good. Hopefully we can do that on Sunday. It was going to be a tough chase, but the wicket played well. Mitchell Marsh played a mature innings, while Maxwell finished it off with his trademark reverse slogs. We like playing good, hard cricket as long as we cross the line.

Jason Holder: We were confident at the halfway mark. Credit to Marlon Samuels for the way he played. His partnership with Denesh Ramdin set things up for us. I strained my left hamstring, hopefully I will be ready for the next game. I'm still not sure though. We felt we were in the game right till the end. I thought Fletcher slipped in three tight overs. In hindsight, maybe he could have bowled two more. We created a few chances, which didn't go our way today. It's important to regroup going into our last game. South Africa aren't No. 2 for nothing. They've done well so far.

Marlon Samuels is the Man of the Match, again: We spoke about big partnerships during team meetings; satisfying hundred (against all ICC Full Members). I get fired up when people say things to me. Nevertheless, need to step up against South Africa on Friday. I have a few friends there (laughs).

That is all we have for you. Thanks for tuning in. Goodbye and cheers. Ciao on Friday.

48.4
1
Pollard to Maxwell, 1 run

game, set and match - Australia . On the pads, and he's worked that towards deep midwicket to complete the win

48.3
Pollard to Maxwell, no run

looks to whip it away but ends up playing it back to the bowler

48.2
1
Pollard to Marsh, 1 run

driven through the line to Carter at mid-off, scores level, another opportunity for Maxwell to get a fifty

48.1
1
Pollard to Maxwell, 1 run

chips one over midwicket for a single

All over bar the shouting for West Indies. Pollard's back, but the final rites are about to be performed here. Maxwell has turned the complexion of the game single-handedly. One blow away from a fifty

end of over 4810 runs
AUS: 280/4CRR: 5.83 RRR: 1.50
Glenn Maxwell44 (23b 5x4 2x6)
Mitchell Marsh78 (84b 6x4)
Sunil Narine 10-0-49-0
Carlos Brathwaite 9-0-62-1
47.6
1
Narine to Maxwell, 1 run

gets to the pitch of the ball and nurdles it to backward square leg

47.5
1
Narine to Marsh, 1 run

punched to deep point, sensible stuff from Mitch Marsh

47.4
1
Narine to Maxwell, 1 run

swipes that across the line, to deep midwicket

47.3
4
Narine to Maxwell, FOUR runs

fired into the pads, and Maxwell has swept that into the fine leg boundary. Quickly gets down on one knee and uses the pace to help it into the boundary

47.2
2
Narine to Maxwell, 2 runs

walks across the stumps and whips it into the gap at wide long-on, called for two immediately

47.1
1
Narine to Marsh, 1 run

bunted down to long-on for an easy single

end of over 4717 runs
AUS: 270/4CRR: 5.74 RRR: 4.33
Glenn Maxwell36 (19b 4x4 2x6)
Mitchell Marsh76 (82b 6x4)
Carlos Brathwaite 9-0-62-1
Sunil Narine 9-0-39-0
46.6
4
Brathwaite to Maxwell, FOUR runs

this time the back-blade hit from Maxwell, or is it? Too short and angling in, he changes the grip helps that past short third man. Is he back? I dare say yes. Surely this over has all but sealed it for Australia.

46.5
6
Brathwaite to Maxwell, SIX runs

this time he brings out the cross-batted swipe over deep midwicket. This was too full and he picked the bones out of that one. Darren Bravo leaps high to stop that, but can only get his finger tips to that. At no stage was he in control

46.4
4
Brathwaite to Maxwell, FOUR runs

misfield by Samuels at cover, and it has cost them a boundary. Drills a yorker-length delivery, Samuels lets it though his legs. Elementary stuff. Got up a little too early

46.3
1
Brathwaite to Marsh, 1 run

eased between cover and point, sensible stuff

46.2
1
Brathwaite to Maxwell, 1 run

slower one on middle, nudged to short fine leg

46.1
1
Brathwaite to Marsh, 1 run

thick inside edge to long-on, wanted to go straight, but ends up dragging it

end of over 4611 runs
AUS: 253/4CRR: 5.50 RRR: 7.50
Mitchell Marsh74 (80b 6x4)
Glenn Maxwell21 (15b 2x4 1x6)
Sunil Narine 9-0-39-0
Shannon Gabriel 9-1-43-1
45.6
1
Narine to Marsh, 1 run

short outside off, crunched to deep point

45.5
1
Narine to Maxwell, 1 run

worked behind square on the leg side for an easy single

45.4
6
Narine to Maxwell, SIX runs

is that the six that changes his fortunes? Maxwell at his destructive best. This time he brings out the switch hit and slaps it over deep point. Off the middle of the bat. That's the first boundary Narine has conceded today

45.3
1
Narine to Marsh, 1 run

he's clobbered that, but straight to deep midwicket