Australia has taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in its three-match ODI series against the West Indies following a stellar all-round performance from Sean Abbott at the SCG on Sunday evening.
The New South Welshman blasted a half-century, claimed three wickets and held onto two catches to help Australia defeat the West Indies by 83 runs, the nation’s 11th consecutive victory in men’s ODIs.
Abbott, who top-scored with a career-best 69, rescued the hosts with a late counterpunching knock to steer Australia towards a defendable total of 9-258.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs West Indies scorecard, stats
Huge drama as ball clearly played twice | 00:48
Chasing a 259-run target for victory, the West Indies were bowled out for 175 in 43.3 overs, with Abbott taking 3-40 and Josh Hazlewood also contributing three wickets.
The Australians stumbled early after being sent in, collapsing to 5-91 in the 17th over before spinner Gudakesh Motie ripped through Australia’s middle order, claiming 3-28 in a metronomic spell.
However, Abbott cracked four sixes at the death to guide the Australians beyond 250, chopping back onto his stumps in the penultimate over while facing West Indies paceman Romario Shepherd.
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Openers collapse in shock start at SCG | 01:06
The West Indies never looked like reeling in the target as Australia’s quicks wreaked havoc under artificial lights, with debutant Will Sutherland taking 2-28.
West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to bowl first in Sydney, a decision that quickly paid dividends when the hosts took three wickets during the Powerplay.
Jake Fraser-McGurk’s international career got off to a dramatic start, charging at West Indies vice-captain Alzarri Joseph and smacking a boundary down the ground before smothering a six into the second tier of the Bill O’Reilly Stand. However, the 21-year-old’s cameo was short-lived, feathering the Kookaburra through to gloveman Hope in the opening over for 10.
Joseph knocked over Australian opener Josh Inglis in his following over for 9, with the wicketkeeper chipping a drive towards Roston Chase at point.
Australian captain Steve Smith scratched his way towards 5 before lazily chopping back onto his stumps while facing West Indies quick Matthew Forde in the eighth over.
“Bit of claret” after huge 6 WHACKS fan | 00:38
After nailing a trio of straight drives against Joseph and pummelling a six over square leg, Cameron Green fell victim to seamer Oshane Thomas in the 16th over by miscuing a pull shot towards mid-on for 33. The following over, Marnus Labuschagne was removed by Motie for 26 after scooping a drive directly towards Justin Greaves at cover.
All-rounders Aaron Hardie and Matthew Short steadied the ship by combining for a 51-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Spinner Chase should have snared a breakthrough in his first over when Hardie toed a reverse sweep towards cover, but Keacy Carty bottled the chance, initially running the wrong direction before dropping the one-handed grab.
However, the dropped catch didn’t prove too costly, with Hardie holing out towards long-on a few minutes later for 26 as Motie secured his second scalp of the afternoon. Short crawled towards a career-best 41 before gifting a return catch back to Motie in the 35th over, exposing Australia’s inexperienced tail.
West Indies tweakers Motie and Chase only conceded two boundaries in their 20 collective overs, taking advantage of the two-paced wicket to frustrate Australia’s batters during the middle overs.
Abbott and debutant Will Sutherland consolidated the innings, forming a 57-run partnership for the eighth wicket. The New South Welshman clobbered a trio of sixes over mid-wicket, including one that struck an unlucky patron in the Members’ Stand in the face.
A stunning catch from Greaves in the covers was needed to break the partnership, with Sutherland departing for 18 before Abbott brought up his second ODI half-century in 54 balls.
Shepherd ended Abbott’s counterattack before Thomas dropped a high chance in the final over of the innings, handing Adam Zampa a late reprieve on 6.
The West Indies run chase got off to a horror start, with the tourists losing three wickets within the first nine overs. Hardie, opening the bowling for the first time in ODIs, snared the first breakthrough in the fourth over when Alick Athanaze slogged a high ball towards Abbott at mid-on for 11.
Fellow opener Justin Greaves departed in almost identical fashion the following over, dismissed by Josh Hazlewood for 8 after picking out Sutherland at mid-off.
Abbott was left fuming after a delivery thudded into Kjorn Ottley’s leg stump without dislodging the bails. However, the 28-year-old didn’t have to wait long for his first wicket of the evening, finding Ottley’s outside edge a couple of deliveries later to leave the West Indies reeling at 3-34.
Hope and Carty revived the innings with a 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Hazlewood returned to the attack in the 23rd over, toppling Hope with an unplayable cutter that crashed into off stump. The Bendemeer Bullet was denied another wicket later in the same over when gloveman Inglis dropped a one-handed chance low to his left, gifting Chase an extra life on 0.
Carty’s resistance came to an end in the 29th over after flashing at a wide delivery from Abbott and edging behind to Inglis for 40. A few overs later, Sutherland secured his maiden ODI wicket when Shepherd skied the Kookaburra towards mid-off, with Abbott swallowing the high catch.
Hazlewood and Sutherland set about cleaning up the tail before Green grabbed a ripping one-handed catch at mid-wicket to give Abbott his third scalp and send Chase back to the sheds for 25.
Earlier on Sunday afternoon, Fraser-McGurk and Sutherland were presented their maiden caps, becoming Australia’s 246th and 247th men’s ODI cricketers respectively. Sutherland and sister Annabel, currently representing the national women’s team in the multi-format series against South Africa, become Australian cricket’s first brother-sister duo in 42 years.
Meanwhile, Short is in doubt for Tuesday’s dead rubber in Canberra after experiencing hamstring tightness during the match.
“He will be reviewed by medical staff in the coming days,” Cricket Australia confirmed in a statement.
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