Australia has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against the West Indies after a batting masterclass from David Warner and a clutch spell from Adam Zampa guided the hosts towards an 11-run win in Hobart.
Warner, having returned from his stint with the Dubai Capitals in the United Arab Emirates, cracked a rapid 70 (36), finding the boundary rope 13 times in a high-scoring contest at Bellerive Oval.
The veteran opener, playing his 100th T20I, brought up his half-century in just 22 deliveries before the big-hitting Tim David capped off the Australian innings with an unbeaten 37 (17).
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs West Indies first T20 live scorecard
The match was seemingly back in the balance after Powell creamed a couple of monstrous sixes, but the West Indies skipper threw his wicket away by chipping a half-tracker from part-time spinner Glenn Maxwell directly towards deep point.
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Wickets fell sporadically throughout the middle overs, with Zampa doing the bulk of the damage, bowling Russell for 1 and sending Pooran back to the sheds for 18. The West Indies never recovered, falling short of the target despite Holder’s entertaining cameo at the death.
Marsh, who tested positive for Covid-19 the previous morning, kept his distance from his teammates throughout the match, while Abbott set an Australian record with four catches in the outfield.
The second T20 between Australia and the West Indies gets underway at Adelaide Oval on Sunday evening.
Chasing a 214-run target for victory on Friday evening, the West Indies crawled towards 8-202 after Zampa claimed 3-26 in a game-changing spell.
West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder sent a scare through the Australian camp by hammering an unbeaten 34 (15) in a late cameo, but the hosts prevailed despite some questionable death bowling.
Earlier, Warner and fellow opener Josh Inglis got Australia’s innings off to a blistering start after West Indies captain Rovman Powell won the toss and chose to field first.
The duo, who had never opened together before in T20Is, clobbered 77 runs during the Powerplay, a new Australian record in home matches, before Holder broke the 93-run partnership in the eighth over when Inglis slapped a slower ball towards mid-off for 39.
The tourists shot themselves in the foot with some poor fielding, spilling three chances and gifting away runs with sloppy fumbles. Warner was dropped by West Indies wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran on 32, later dismissed in the 13th over by quick Alzarri Joseph after gloving a bouncer behind.
Warner’s departure sparked a brief collapse of 4-30, during which Australian captain Mitchell Marsh and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis blasted sixes out of the venue before falling cheaply.
However, David and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade provide some late fireworks, combining for a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket to steer the Australians beyond 200. West Indies veteran Andre Russell snared two wickets in the final over, including the dismissal of Wade for 21, as Australia posted 7-213, the equal-highest T20I score at the venue.
West Indies openers Brandon King and Johnson Charles feasted on Australia’s wayward bowlers during the Powerplay, forming an 89-run partnership before Zampa broke the stand in the ninth over, with Charles picking out Warner on the boundary rope for 42. King brought up his half-century in 36 deliveries but fell victim to Stoinis the next delivery, holing out towards Sean Abbott at deep mid-wicket for 53.
