• David blasts Aussies to series-clinching win

    Tim David bashed a 37-ball century as Australia defeated the West Indies by six wickets on Friday to taken an unassailable lead in their T20I series.

    David smashed 11 sixes and six fours to finish on 102* as the Aussies chased down 215 to win with 23 balls to spare.

    Australia took a 3-0 lead in the five-match series, which continues on Saturday with another night matchup at Warner Park.

    David struck 50 off 16 balls, the fastest by an Australian man, and together with Mitchell Owen delivered the highest Aussie T20I fifth-wicket partnership in history.

    David and Owen, who finished with 36 off 16 balls, combined for 128 to break the old fifth-wicket mark of 105 held by David and Mitch Marsh.

    On the first ball of the 17th over, David blasted a four off Romario Shepherd to win the match.

    The 10th over for the Aussies proved pivotal as David smashed a four off the first ball and sixes off each of the last four deliveries by Gudakesh Motie.

    David’s 28-run over lifted the Aussies within 95 runs of the target with 60 balls remaining.

    David also hit three sixes and a four off Roston Chase in the 12th over.

    Earlier, Shai Hope hit an unbeaten hundred for the West Indies, his first T20I century, with his 102* off 57 balls including eight fours and six sixes.

    He powered the West Indies to 214-4 after being sent in to bat first after Australia won the toss.

    Hope and Brandon King opened with a 125-run partnership for the hosts before King exited on the fourth ball of the 12th over.

    An offering from Mitch Owen was smacked high by King and landed in the hands of Sean Abbott.

    King reached his 13th T20I half-century – 62 off 36 balls – with six sixes and three fours.

    On the first ball of the penultimate over, Hope went to deep point for one to reach his first T20I century, off 55 balls, to join Chris Gayle as the only West Indies men with centuries in all formats.

    © Agence France-Presse

    Post by

    Simon Borchardt