full, heaved away into the leg side once again ... but this time he finds a fielder. Sammy perishes in the deep and West Indies suffer heroic defeat! He swung hard but this time without quite the same venom, looping a high catch to Mike Hussey at deep square leg. A valiant innings from the captain but his side fall short
West Indies vs Australia, 5th ODI at Gros Islet, Mar 25 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
5th ODI, Gros Islet, March 25, 2012, Australia tour of West Indies
New
WI
Full commentary
6.20pm: Before you go and pour that drink to steady your frayed nerves, it's time for the presentations ...
Darren Sammy is named Man of the Match: "As a team we decided to bowl first. We weren't at our best, at one time it looked like we would be chasing 330 but we pulled it back. Against the world No. 1, with our backs against the wall, it was fantastic effort from the team. Today again the top order didn't click but we can still put runs on the board. It's about getting the top six to click. We have a 'never say die' attitude, everyone played their part, as a captain I was well supported and it's good to see us getting results ... I think we should have won the series, looking back at that third game. The Lord works in mysterious ways. I just want to thank the crowds for coming out and supporting us."
Australia captain Shane Watson: "It was good for us in the end, to close off the game, even though a fantastic innings from Darren Sammy ran us close. We hoped to get up around 300 but thought we done enough. Brett Lee is a high-class one-day bowler and that showed for us today ... We are in a bit of a transition phase, it's been a pleasing series, there are a few things we have to work on but we're going the right way."
Kieron Pollard is named Man of the Series: "Obviously I'm pleased but I think we should have won the series. Both teams played well but I think we have won back some of the hearts of the people of the West Indies. I've worked hard and hopefully one day I'll play a Test match against these guys as well."
That, folks, is a wrap. Cheers for your comments, we'll be back for more of the same for the first of two T20 internationals on Tuesday.
6.10pm: Victory by 30 runs means Australia level the series at 2-2. Sammy resurrected his side with a scintillating knock but the deficiencies at the top of the order meant his efforts were in vain. Two questions spring immediately to mind, though: why did Sammy not come in higher up the order (above Baugh, for instance); and why did he choose to bowl in the first place?
Minor quibbles aside, it's been a terrific series, closely fought (all but one match went down to the final few overs) and with some cracking individual contributions. Australia have underwhelmed slightly but salvaged some pride at the end; their 17-year unbeaten record in ODI series against West Indies remains intact. In the performances of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Sammy, West Indies fans have reasons to be cheerful.
47.2
W
Hilfenhaus to Sammy, OUT
Daren Sammy c Hussey b Hilfenhaus 84 (50b 6x4 6x6 79m) SR: 168
47.1
•
Hilfenhaus to Sammy, no run
full, right in the blockhole, Sammy digs it out, it squirms past the bowler but they decide not to take a single
31 required from 18. The crowd at the Beausejour is buzzing, as Hilfenhaus is handed a death sentence the ball ..
end of over 479 runs
WI: 251/9CRR: 5.34 • RRR: 10.33
Daren Sammy84 (48b 6x4 6x6)
Kemar Roach2 (7b)
Brett Lee 9-3-42-3
Shane Watson 10-0-44-2
46.6
1
Lee to Sammy, 1 run
full, almost yorker-length, slanted into the batsman, dug out towards deep midwicket and a superb stop prevents it going for four ... Sammy keeps the strike, though
46.5
•
Lee to Sammy, no run
pitched up this time and Sammy gets right behind it to block
46.4
6
Lee to Sammy, SIX runs
he goes again, another six! Play it again, Sammy! Lee sent down a slow bouncer but Sammy read it, stayed back in the crease and hoicked the ball over deep square leg
46.3
1
Lee to Roach, 1 run
length, targeting the stumps, Roach gets across and nudges into the leg side
46.2
1
Lee to Sammy, 1 run
pitched up and shovelled out to deep midwicket but there's a man there and they can only take one
46.1
•
Lee to Sammy, no run
length ball, goes for a big ole swing of the arms but fails to connect
end of over 466 runs
WI: 242/9CRR: 5.26 • RRR: 10.00
Kemar Roach1 (6b)
Daren Sammy76 (43b 6x4 5x6)
Shane Watson 10-0-44-2
Brett Lee 8-3-33-3
The asking rate is back up to 10 an over ...
45.6
•
Watson to Roach, no run
outside off, defended back to the bowler
45.6
1w
Watson to Roach, 1 wide
slings one down the leg side - a freebie for West Indies
45.5
•
Watson to Roach, no run
draws Roach outside off, length ball pushed square on the off side. "No!" yells Sammy
45.4
•
Watson to Roach, no run
line and length from Watson, Roach gets behind the ball and defends to cover
45.3
1
Watson to Sammy, 1 run
length ball, clipped through the infield to the cover boundary
45.2
4
Watson to Sammy, FOUR runs
drifts on to the legs and Sammy times the ball to the deep backward square boundary. The flame flickers
45.1
•
Watson to Sammy, no run
slower ball, on the stumps and dinked back to the bowler, unable to make anything of it
Watson back on. Can Sammy retune his boundary radar?
end of over 453 runs
WI: 236/9CRR: 5.24 • RRR: 9.20
Daren Sammy71 (40b 5x4 5x6)
Kemar Roach1 (3b)
Brett Lee 8-3-33-3
Clint McKay 10-0-68-2
44.6
1
Lee to Sammy, 1 run
pitched up and Sammy squirts the ball out to third man to retain the strike
44.5
1
Lee to Roach, 1 run
length, targeting the stumps, Roach squeezes a single out to deep backward square leg
44.4
•
Lee to Roach, no run
well-directed bouncer from Lee and the batsman ducks under it as it veers down the leg side - not called wide though
44.3
•
Lee to Roach, no run
aimed right up into the slot, but sliding down leg, flicking the pad on the way through to Wade, who can't cling on anyway
44.2
1
Lee to Sammy, 1 run
room outside off for Sammy to swing, they get a single after a misfield at cover
44.1
•
Lee to Sammy, no run
pacy yorker, dug out into the off side
Lee is back for the death. Both opponents are metaphorically staggering ...
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