Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
West Indies aim to break 17-year drought
This was not how most people expected the series to play out. With one match remaining, West Indies cannot lose. The worst they can do is emerge with a 2-2 draw. Their best-case scenario is a 3-1 win, which would mean a lot to a side that has not beaten Australia in a one-day series since 1995.
It would be especially pleasing for Darren Sammy if he was able to secure his first ODI home series win with a victory in his home country of St Lucia today. And the way they played on Friday, it would be a brave person to tip against them in this final match.
Australia began the tour with a victory but at no stage in this series have they produced a strong all-round match. The bowling has let them down too often and none of their batsman have made a big enough score to set up a game. Under Shane Watson’s leadership they arrived in the Caribbean fresh from a triumph in the tri-series but they struggled to adjust to the slow St Vincent pitch and were outplayed in the more familiar conditions of St Lucia on Friday. Eight men in the ODI squad will stay on for the Test series, so they will not wish to concede to West Indies the psychological advantage of a series win.
In the spotlight
Kieron Pollard has always had talent but in the past few months he has started to turn that into big international scores. His first ODI century came in December in India and his second was the match-winning 102 on Friday. He has power and confidence, and will be one of the men West Indies can thank if they win the series.
David Warner has had a couple of good starts in this series without posting a big score. He arrived in the Caribbean fresh from two centuries in the three tri-series finals against Sri Lanka but the St Vincent pitch was a challenge and he missed out early in Friday’s game. But the quicker St Lucia surface should suit him, and Australia will be hoping he gets a start on Sunday and capitalises on it.
West Indies will be reluctant to change a winning side, which could mean Tino Best and Devendra Bishoo will end the series without having played a match.
Pitch and conditions
There were plenty of runs in the pitch on Friday but Shane Watson said after the match there was just enough sideways movement to keep the bowlers interested as well. “I think this wicket was a beautiful wicket,” Watson said. “It’s as close as you get to an Australian wicket, with the pace and the bounce and a little bit of seam movement. I thought this was a brilliant one-day wicket and I’m pretty sure we’ll get the same thing next game as well.”
Teams – West Indies (possible) 1 Adrian Barath, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Carlton Baugh (wk), 9 Darren Sammy (capt), 10 Sunil Narine, 11 Kemar Roach.
Australia have name an unchanged side from the one that lost on Friday.
Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Shane Watson (capt), 3 Peter Forrest, 4 Michael Hussey, 5 David Hussey, 6 George Bailey, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Brett Lee, 9 Clint McKay, 10 Xavier Doherty, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus. (Cricinfo)
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