AUSTRALIA TOUR OF WEST INDIES, 2025
Cameron Green scored 55* off 35 in Australia’s win in the fourth T20I © AFP
Australia continued their strong form in the T20I series, winning the fourth match by three wickets to take a 4-0 lead. Josh Inglis and Cameron Green both scored fifties while Glenn Maxwell smashed a quickfire 47 from just 18 balls to help Australia chase down 206 with four balls left in St. Kitts.
After winning the toss, Australia decided to bowl first on the same pitch that had been used the previous day. It was expected to be good for batting and West Indies started aggressively, scoring 58 runs in the first six overs. But they also lost three wickets in the process. Brandon King hit a few early boundaries but was dismissed in the second over when he chipped Xavier Bartlett to mid-wicket. Shai Hope was the next to go, mistiming a pull shot that went straight to Maxwell at mid-on. The third wicket of the PowerPlay came when Roston Chase tried to go over the top but was caught brilliantly by Maxwell again, who ran across at mid-on and took the catch with one hand.
Despite those setbacks, Sherfane Rutherford kept attacking and hit two sixes and four fours in a 15-ball 31. But just after hitting a big six, he tried to go again and sliced a shot straight to Mitchell Marsh off Adam Zampa. After that, Hetmyer and Powell added some quick runs, with Hetmyer hitting back-to-back sixes off Zampa. But he too got out playing a big shot, caught by Mitchell Owen at long-on. At the halfway point, West Indies were 111 for 5 and hoping for a strong finish.
Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd added useful runs later in the innings, hitting a few boundaries off Zampa and Bartlett. Akeal Hosein also cleared the ropes once but the last five overs brought just 41 runs. Rain interrupted play briefly with four balls left in the innings but after the restart, Nathan Ellis bowled a tidy final over to keep West Indies to 205 for 9.
In reply, Australia lost captain Mitchell Marsh for a duck in the first over. He was given out lbw to Jediah Blades, although replays later showed the ball had pitched outside leg. That didn’t slow Australia down though as Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell went on the attack right away. Inglis used a mix of scoops, cuts and pulls to find boundaries while Maxwell launched a 101-meter six and kept clearing the ropes with ease. Together, they added a quick stand and by the end of the PowerPlay, Australia were 66 for 1 and in control.
Inglis brought up his half-century in just 28 balls before he was caught in the deep off Shepherd. Maxwell continued to dominate, hitting sixes off Forde and Shepherd but fell three short of his fifty when he tried to go big again and was caught in the deep off Akeal Hosein. From 129 for 2, Australia suddenly slipped to 134 for 5 as Mitchell Owen and Cooper Connolly both fell in the same over to Blades, who ended with excellent figures of 3 for 29.
West Indies felt they had a small opening but Green, who was already set, calmly took control. He added 51 runs with Aaron Hardie, who also played a useful hand with 23 runs. The two ran well between the wickets and picked up boundaries when needed. Even though Hardie got out and Bartlett was unlucky to be run out at the non-striker’s end after a deflection, Green stayed firm, reached his third fifty of the series and finished the job with a single in the last over.
Brief Scores: West Indies 205/9 in 20 overs (Rutherford 31; Zampa 3-54) lost to Australia 206/7 in 19.2 overs Green 55*, Inglis 51; Blades 3-29) by 3 wickets
© Cricbuzz
