Image Credit- AFP
Xavier Bartlett’s outstanding debut and Cameron
Green’s elegant all-around performance led Australia to an easy eight-wicket
victory in the opening One-Day International at the MCG.
On his ODI debut, Bartlett destroyed the top order of
the West Indies to finish with 4 for 17, second-best figures for Australia
behind current selector Tony Dodemaide. Meanwhile, Green demonstrated his
immense all-around talent by taking 2 for 40 and then making 77 not out in his
first innings at No. 3 in ODI cricket.
Australia easily defeated West Indies’ below-average
total of 231, supported by career-best scores of 88 from Keacy Carty and 59
from Roston Chase. Josh Inglis also made a scorching 43-ball 65, while Steven
Smith made an unassuming unbeaten run-a-ball 79.
Bartlett’s spell was what made the victory possible.
Lance Morris and the 25-year-old Queenslander opened the bowling in an ODI
together for the first time since 2016, making history as only the third such
pairing since 1975. In ODI cricket, Bartlett claimed a wicket with his third
ball when he magically outswinged a ball that clipped the top of Justin
Greaves’ off stump. When he hooped an inswinger onto Alick Athanaze’s front
pad, he should have been awarded another three balls, but the umpire judged it
to be shaping down, therefore Smith decided not to dispute it. The ball
appeared to be crushing the top of the leg stump, according to the
ball-tracking projection.
He later fashioned another outswinger away from
right-handed Shai Hope in his six-over period with the new ball, catching a
thick edge that Matt Short well-pouched at slip.
After his debut spell, he had a maiden’s figures of 3
for 10. Later, he came back to take his fourth wicket on the opening ball of
the 48th over, but Sean Abbott ended the innings in the 49th over, thus he was
unable to take a fifth.
Following Bartlett’s explosion, Green claimed the
first of his two wickets, and West Indies collapsed to 59 for 4. However, an
outstanding century stand by Carty and Chase steadied the ship.
Carty was deserving of his own century. After losing
Chase, he had surpassed his highest ODI score, but Abbott’s straight shot with
Carty miles short of his ground left him 12 runs short when Hayden Walsh Jr.
called him through for a suicidal single to cover.
After hitting two in the second Test in Brisbane, Head
fell in Matthew Forde’s opening over for just four runs, giving Australia’s
pursuit a terrible start.
But Inglis hammered a 28-ball half-century to seize
the game, putting an end to any possibility the West Indies had of matching
their Gabba heroics in less than ten overs.
After a slow start, Green found his rhythm with two
enormous sixes off Motie and Romario Shepherd. His whirlwind knock gave him all
the time he needed to settle down.
At the other end, Smith’s cool demeanour helped Green.
They guided Australia home with 11.3 overs remaining after they calmly
dismissed the spinners in a century stand.