Charles helps West Indies to consolation win

BRISBANE: The West Indies ended their disappointing tour of Australia with a morale-boosting 27-run win over Australia in a one-off T20 international on Wednesday.

After losing all five one-day internationals and a warm-up game against the Prime Minister's XI, the T20 world champions cruised to an easy win against a below-strength home side.

The West Indies romped to 191 for six in their 20 overs, then restricted Australia to 164 for eight on a perfect batting strip.

Australia, whose five-man pace attack was badly exposed by the West Indies batsmen, started brilliantly.


But they were reined in by the off-spin of Sunil Narine and the run outs of Sean Marsh (21) and Adam Voges (51) when both were in full flight.

Voges and Marsh put on 74 at better than a run a ball until they were run out within three runs of each other.

Narine, who finished with 2-19 from his four overs, then chipped in with the key wicket of Australian skipper George Bailey (15) to put the hosts under intense pressure.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (22) and debutant Ben Rohrer (16) threatened briefly, but the asking rate was too much and the innings fell away towards the end.

Earlier West Indies opener Johnson Charles scored a blistering 57 off just 35 balls as the visitors dominated the Australian attack.

Charles took control after fellow opener Chris Gayle (8) failed once again, and hit seven fours and a six in a sparkling innings.

Any thoughts Australia had of keeping the West Indies under control after Gayle's early departure were soon ended by a brilliant partnership between Charles and Darren Bravo.

They added 88 in quick time before Charles played on to Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Bravo followed soon after when he was run out for 32 following a dreadful mix-up with Kieron Pollard, which left both batsmen stranded at the non-striker's end.

Pollard was looking dangerous until he miscued a drive off Faulkner and holed out to Marsh at long on for 26, with Dwayne Bravo (13) clean bowled two balls later.

But Darren Sammy (20) and Andre Russell (23 not out) took the Australian attack apart, smashing 35 runs off the last two overs.

Left-armer James Faulkner was the pick of the attack, with 3-28 from his four overs, but the other four seamers were all expensive on a flat batting track.