Australia again got into a tangle before the ODI series even started as Finch picked up a knee injury and was ruled out of the series. Australia had to search for a new captain and it was decided that Alex Carey will lead the side. Australia went in with a new opening pair of Ben McDermott and Josh Phillipe and they provided a decent start. Australia lost 4 wickets by the 25th over and was at 114.
It again looked like they will falter but the stand-in captain Alex Carey and Ashton Turned provided a much-needed 100 runs stand. Australia again falters after those 2 departed and the final score remained 252. Hayden Walsh Jr once again was the hero with the ball as he picked his first ODI fifer and conceded just 39 of his 10. Alex Carey remained the top scorer for Australia with 67 from 87.
The second innings started with a bang as Starc got rid of Evin Lewis in the very first ball. In the first ball of his second over, he knocked over Jason Mohammed, and West Indies could never recover after that. After Starc it was his bowling partner Hazlewood who got rid of ShimronHetmeyer and Darren Bravo. The experiment of sending ShimronHetmeyer for opening didn’t work and Nicholas Pooran also got out of the first he faced from Starc.
Jason Holder also got on duck and West Indies were reduced to 27-7 in 7.4 overs. Keiron Pollard played the captain’s knock for the Windies team as he scored run a ball 56 but Starc got the better off him just when he started looking dangerous. Alzarri Joseph and Hayden Walsh Jr scored some runs for their side but it was too little too late as West Indies were bundled out for 123 in 26.2 overs. Starc was magnificent as he took the 8th fifer of his career and made sure Australia has the better of West Indies in the ODIs after a crushing defeat in the T20Is.
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Josh Hazlewood also picked up 3 wickets and gave less than 2rpo in his 6 overs. Mitchell Marsh continued his merry way as an all-rounder as he picked a wicket in this match as well. Wasn’t good with the bat but he contributed with the ball and also took a smart catch of Darren Braco. Starc was adjourned Man of the Match and rightly so as he died the chase down inside the first 10 overs.
He was quite vocal after Australia lost the T20Is and said he will support anybody who is named captain in Aaron Finch’s absence. He was off-color during the T20Is but proved his worth in the first match of the ODI series. The 3 match series is now lead by Australia and the next match is scheduled for Friday. West Indies would be kicking to fight back hard after such a shameful defeat and it would be interesting to see the changes that they will make to their side.
