Wretched Windies winless at tour end
SYDNEY, Australia – West Indies’ miserable Australian summer ended in further gloom today, when they plunged to an embarrassing eight-wicket loss in the second and final Twenty20 International at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Another haphazard batting display meant the beleaguered tourists could only muster 138 for seven off their 20 overs and David Warner’s blitzkrieg that yielded 67 from 29 balls formed the impetus behind Australia’s rapid response, as they sped to 142 for two off 11.4 overs.
The left-handed stroke-maker lit up the innings with the second fastest half-century ever in T20Is as he posted 99 off 46 balls for the first wicket with the in-form Shane Watson who required just 33 balls for his unbeaten 62.
It meant West Indies finished the tour winless following their 4-0 loss in the preceding five-match one-day series and their 38-run defeat in the opening T20I in Hobart on Sunday and losing captain Chris Gayle accepts that they were completely outplayed.
“It has been a tough summer. We have been hammered into the ground and have lost fair and square,” he said.
The outcome was never really in doubt after West Indies lost their talismanic captain Chris Gayle cheaply for 12 as they slipped to 51 for four in the ninth over, and once Warner pounced on fast bowler Kemar Roach to smash three sixes in the opening over, the death knell had sounded.