Australia 117 for 4 (Warner 55*, Narine 2-36) beat West Indies 116 (Zampa 3-16, Lyon 3-39) by six wickets (with 146 balls remaining)
“Spin to win” became Australia’s new catchphrase as their slow bowling duo spun a web around West Indies. The combination of Nathan Lyon and Adam Zampa was augmented by Mitchell Starc’s return from foot surgery, and the left-armer added considerable venom to the cause even if his control is still some way short of his 2015 best.
Much had been made of Starc’s recall, but it was the spin of Lyon, Zampa and Glenn Maxwell that mired the hosts on another sluggish pitch at Providence Stadium in Guyana. From 50 for 1, West Indies were rounded up for 116. Even though Sunil Narine and Sulieman Benn were also able to extract considerable turn, that was nowhere near enough to adequately defend against David Warner in his post-IPL afterglow.
Mitchell Starc took 2 for 37 on his return from injury © AFP
Not included in Australia’s World Twenty20 campaign in India earlier in the year, Lyon bowled beautifully and might easily have had more than three wickets. The umpires set a high bar for lbw decisions from deliveries straightening down the line of the stumps from around the wicket.
Umpiring vagaries aside, Lyon was aided by a canny spell from Zampa and an effective two-over cameo from Maxwell. Their variations made life difficult for a West Indies batting line-up lacking in composure – the three spinners contributed combined figures of 17.3-3-58-7. Zampa’s stint included artful use of line and pace to find a way through the West Indies captain Jason Holder.
(Daniel Brettig © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.)
