CANBERRA: Australia needed just 6.5 overs to thrash a woeful West Indies by eight wickets in an embarrassing end to their One-day International series in Canberra on Tuesday, with Jake Fraser-McGurk slamming 41 off 18 balls.

The hosts won the first game in Melbourne by eight wickets and the second in Sydney by 83 runs to clinch the series, with the West Indies playing for pride.

But after Australia skipper Steve Smith won the toss and sent them in on a humid day, they crumbled to 86 all out in the 25th over against an attack missing Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.

In reply, Australia recorded their shortest successful run chase in the format with 259 balls remaining to cap a stunning capitulation by the Caribbean side.

“It was a good performance, the bowlers put it in the right areas and everything seemed to work out. One of those days where everything came off,” said Smith.

“It’s been good opportunity to expose a few players to international cricket and they’ve shown that they can play at this level.”

Explosive 21-year-old opener Fraser-McGurk showed his immense talent in only his second match with five fours and three sixes in an electric 41 before he was caught going for another big hit off Alzarri Joseph.

Aaron Hardie was the only other wicket to fall, caught behind for two off Oshane Thomas.

Josh Inglis blasted an unbeaten 35 while Smith was not out six.

Earlier, paceman Xavier Bartlett took 4-21 to go with the 4-17 he bagged on his debut in Melbourne. Fellow fast bowler Lance Morris grabbed 2-13 before leaving the field with a side strain.

“Our batting let us down. It did for the entire series,” said West Indies captain Shai Hope. “We need to do some real soul searching to understand what’s needed in certain conditions. Can’t really put your finger on one thing, it comes down to mindset.”

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES:

A. Athanaze c Abbott b Zampa 32

K. Ottley lbw Bartlett 8

K. Carty c Labuschagne b Morris 10

S. Hope lbw Abbott 4

T. Bishop b Morris 0

R. Chase c Fraser-McGurk b Bartlett 12

R. Shepherd c Inglis b Bartlett 1

M. Forde run out 0

A. Joseph c Hardie b Bartlett 6

G. Motie lbw Zampa 0

O. Thomas not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-12) 13

TOTAL (all out, 24.1 overs) 86

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-13 (Ottley), 2-38 (Carty), 3-43 (Hope), 4-44 (Bishop), 5-71 (Athanaze), 6-73 (Shepherd), 7-73 (Forde), 8-80 (Chase), 9-86 (Motie)

BOWLING: Bartlett 7.1-0-21-4 (1w), Green 3-0-18-0 (2w), Abbott 4-0-14-1 (1w), Morris 4.3-1-13-2 (1w), Zampa 5-0-14-2 (1w), Sutherland 0.3-0-5-0 (2w)

AUSTRALIA:

J. Fraser-McGurk c Motie b Joseph 41

J. Inglis not out 35

A. Hardie c Hope b Thomas 2

S. Smith not out 6

EXTRAS (NB-1, W-2) 3

TOTAL (for two wickets, 6.5 overs) 87

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-67 (Fraser-McGurk), 2-80 (Hardie)

DID NOT BAT: M. Labuschagne, C. Green, S. Abbott, W. Sutherland, X. Bartlett, A. Zampa, L. Morris

BOWLING: Joseph 3-0-30-1 (1w, 1nb), Forde 2-0-40-0, Motie 1-0-10-0, Thomas 0.5-0-7-1 (1w)

RESULT: Australia won by eight wickets.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Xavier Bartlett

PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: Xavier Bartlett

SERIES: Australia won the three-match series 3-0.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2024