Australia punish woeful Windies
Australia made an immediate statement in their opening match of the Tri-Nation Series at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday, routing the West Indies for just 116 after putting the hosts in to bat in the second fixture of the tournament.
It was the West Indies' lowest total in a One-Day International against Australia on home soil.
Boosted by a four-wicket win in the tournament-opener against South Africa at the same venue two days earlier, the Caribbean side came crashing back down to earth at the feet of the World Cup holders.
Australia's frontline spinners Nathan Lyon and Adam Zampa did the bulk of the damage with three wickets apiece after the anticipated opening burst from Mitchell Starc.
Playing his first international match for more than six months after being sidelined by injury, the left-arm fast bowler Starc breached the defences of openers Andre Fletcher and Johnson Charles to finish with figures of two for 37 from nine overs.
He showed signs of rustiness in delivering five wides and a no-ball, however his lethal pace proved more than a handful for the West Indies top order.
Charles top-scored with 22 while all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite was last out for 21, Aaron Finch taking the catch at long-on to give Zampa his third wicket.
On a pitch that once again made strokeplay difficult, the home batsmen contributed to their swift demise with a succession of poor shots, exemplified by Darren Bravo’s loose cover-drive at Starc which offered a straightforward catch to Zampa at cover.
Lyon, the experienced off-spinner, had an almost instant impact in disposing of Marlon Samuels and Kieron Pollard off successive deliveries.
Pollard, whose unbeaten 67 guided the West Indies to victory over the Proteas two days earlier, attempted a heave over long-on, only to be taken by David Warner on the boundary.
None of the home batsmen appeared keen to offer any resistance and Australia’s ruthlessness, discipline and safe hands in the field proved too much for the West Indies to handle.