Series Looking Tied

Mike Hussey 67 and MOTM

After three ODI's at the same ground in St Vincent, the series is still level with a win each and a tie in the third game. It took three games to get the Australian attack just about right, with Nathan Lyon included. It must be a long time since Australia has played two genuine spinners in their line up in the West Indies. Without checking, three toured in 1973 - Kerry O'Keeffe, Terry Jenner and the worst selection in Australian history, John Watkins. Watkins was the Albert Patrick Field of Australian cricket, although thankfully he didn't bring it down.

Australia batted first again but as in game one, it was Watson's choice. He again opened with Dave Warner, Matthew Wade having been promoted from No 8 to first drop. It was an improvement in the balance but still not right with the Test series looming and Watson sure to bat at three. It hardly mattered as both failed. Spin again dominated on a pitch that held no vipers but took turn and Sunil Narine was again superb. Warner looked more fluent and appeared to be adjusting to the slower, lower pitch at Arnos Vale. Despite this, Australia was 3-58 and in no great shape.

George Bailey, promoted above the Husseys to four - as suggested by the cricketragics - shared 112 runs with Mike Hussey which set up the Australia score of 220. Hussey was all busyness at the crease, a sign he is in good nick. The Bros Huss added a further 32 before the Australians wasted the last five overs of the innings losing 6-18.

The West Indies were placed under immediate pressure when Xavier Doherty, on in only the 7th over, pushed a flatter ball across the left handed Kieran Powell. The opener wandered forward and was efficiently stumped by Wade. Marlon Samuels, Darren Bravo and Johnson Charles were all victims to cross-seamed wobblers by Watson. Bravo looks woefully out of form, driving a full ball meekly into Bailey's hands at a short cover. Charles, by comparison, had played a robust innings, hitting boundaries with a selection of the sweet and the butchered. Despite hitting a extraordinary Garry Owen high to the heavens and over the cover boundary of Lyon,  Dwayne Bravo edged Doherty to Wade soon after and the Windies were teetering at 5-78. Kieron Pollard sent Brett Lee on a "fetch it", smashing the aging quick over the stand at long on and into the street and then sent Lyon into the crowd before holing out to the same bowler when Doherty took the catch on the boundary. It was impetuous batting and dumb cricket.

Russell bowled off a Watson no ball

At 6-117 in the 29th over, the West Indies were finished but with plenty of overs left. Carlton Baugh and Andre Russell then set about rebuilding and played sensible cricket for the next ten overs. The turning point came in the 40th over. Watson, best placed to bowl at the death, bought himself back earlier in order to break the partnership. After the preceding three overs of a power play had seen just one leg bye added to the total, the first ball of Watson's second over did the trick. Andre Russell stepped back to slog the ball through cover and was bowled. It was the final straw until Russell was recalled because Watson had over stepped. Sooner or later, international bowlers will learn the unprofitably of errant feet. The salt hit the wound when Watson bowled Russell with the next ball but as it was a free hit, he couldn't be out.

From there, the runs flowed freely, with 56 added off the final ten overs. Baugh and Russell both went but the tail wagged enough to put skipper Darren Sammy in position to take the winning runs. After Sammy smashed a ball from Lee to the long on boundary to tie the scores, Watson bought everyone inside the circle with three balls left. Nerves got the better of Kemar Roach and he called for a phantom single, left Sammy stranded and Bailey's calm throw from point to Lee at the bowler's end ended the match.

Whilst Shane Watson and Xavier Doherty were again Australia's best bowlers, Dan Christian must have wondered why he was playing, batting at seven and bowling just two overs.

The players finally move on to the Beausejour Ground at Gros Islet, a beautiful town only in recent years promoted from village status. It will make a change from St Vincent where the first three games have been played. The next two ODI's will be played at Beausejour and the first of the T20's.

The West Indies are apparently unaware of the concept of "tour".