World T20: Super Sammy sinks Australia in warm up

Date

3/14/2016 6:34:32 PM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

- West Indies captain Darren Sammy's unconquered knock of 50 off 35 balls overshadowed Josh Hazlewood's hat trick as they beat Australia by three wickets in a World T20 warm-up contest at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.

The match went right down to the wire as the West Indies got over the line with only one ball to spare. For Australia pacer Hazlewood returned with figures of 3 for13.

There was no toss for the game. Australia batted first after a mutual agreement. Chasing Australia's score of 161 for 9 the West Indies got off to a disastrous start with Hazlewood getting rid of Jason Holder (6) Marlon Samuels (0) and Dwayne Bravo (0) in three consecutive deliveries.

Johnson Charles then fell prey to Steve Smith's leg-spinners as the Caribbean team was left tottering at 27 for 4 in the 8th over. At the end of the 10th over the score read 56 for 5.

Andre Russell who plays for Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders remained unfazed and plundered a few boundaries and some sixes which included a monstrous hit into the stands. However he tried the big slog too often and was out caught at long on after a brisk 29.

Skipper Sammy and Carlos Brathwaite got together to rescue the team and brought up their hundred in the 14th over. The two known for their hard hitting changed the game in a matter of few overs. Brathwaite played the role of the aggressor hitting three fours and two sixes en route to 33 and after his dismissal Sammy carried on from where his partner left.

Earlier Australia got off to a rollicking start as Shane Watson and Aaron Finch punished the bowlers who erred in length. Watson took to a liking for Holder in the third over hitting him for two consecutive sixes. In the previous over Finch had struck Jerome Taylor for two back-to-back boundaries.

Finch was dropped on 29 by Russell but he could not quite capitalise on the miss. He got out at 33 trying to hit Suleiman Benn as Australia lost their first wicket on 76.

Watson and Smith then put on 30 runs together but Australia lost wickets in a flurry. They were reduced to 117 for 5 with Watson (60) Khawaja (5) Maxwell (0) and Marsh (2) returning to the dug-out in quick succession.

Smith concentrated on ones and twos more than the big hits and kept the scoreboard ticking. But at the other end Australia kept on losing wickets.

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