PERTH: Andre Russell and Sherfane Rutherford put on the biggest sixth-wicket partnership in a Twenty20 International to steer the West Indies past Australia by 37 runs in their third and final clash on Tuesday.

Both men crunched quic­k­fire half-centuries to propel the visitors to 220-6 in Perth with Australia managing just 183-5 in reply, David Warner top-scoring on 81 in his last appearance for Australia at home.

The hosts won the first match in Hobart by 11 runs and sealed the series with a 34-run victory at Adelaide.

The West Indies made a horror start after winning the toss and opting to bat, losing three wickets in the opening three overs.

But Russell (71 off 29 balls) and Rutherford (unbeaten 67 off 40) led the fightback, with both posting their highest T20 scores in a 139-run sixth-wicket partnership that set a new standard.

Spinner Adam Zampa went for 1-65 off four overs — his most expensive in the format.

“I was just happy I could contribute tonight,” said Russell. “I think it’s just the nature of this team, we are never out of it. Five wickets down, but there wasn’t any panic in the change rooms.

“I’m happy we came together as a team and we were definitely playing as a unit tonight.”

Australia started well with Warner and captain Mitchell Marsh reaching 61 without loss after the six-over powerplay. Warner clocked his 3,000th run as he brought up a 26th half-century off 25 balls before Marsh departed for 17, skying a catch to Jason Holder off Akeal Hosein.

They reached 98-1 at the halfway mark but were peg­ged back by tight bowling.

The match turned when Australia lost three wickets for three runs. Roston Chase bagged two of them, including Warner and Josh Inglis (one), while Romario Shepherd bowled Aaron Hardie (16).

Glenn Maxwell blasted an unbeaten 120 in Adelaide but, with 96 needed off the final five overs, it was a bridge too far even for him and he fell for 12 as the chase fizzled despite Tim David cracking a lightening 41.

“We knew they’d come into this series, they’re a really good team with some amazing cricketers, so fair play to the West Indies,” Marsh said.

With Australian pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood rested, Xavier Bartlett earned a debut and John­son Charles nicked to wicket-keeper Matthew Wade in his first over bef­ore he bowled Kyle Mayers in his second over.

In between, Nicholas Po­o­­ran was removed by Jason Behrendorff to leave the West Indies reeling at 17-3.

But Chase began the rebuild, taking 17 off Bartlett’s third over before his luck ran out against Zampa, bowled for 37 as he attempted another big hit.

Hardie accounted for Rovman Powell (21) before Rutherford and Russell came to the rescue. Russell blasted seven sixes and four boundaries, while Rutherford hit five sixes and five fours.

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES:

J. Charles c Wade b Bartlett 4

K. Mayers b Bartlett 11

N. Pooran c Maxwell b Behrendorff 1

R. Chase b Zampa 37

R. Powell c Wade b Hardie 21

S. Rutherford not out 67

A. Russell c Maxwell b Johnson 71

R. Shepherd not out 2

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-1, NB-1, W-3) 6

TOTAL (for six wickets, in 20 overs) 220

DID NOT BAT: J. Holder, A. Hosein, A. Joseph

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-4 (Charles), 2-7 (Pooran), 3-17 (Mayers), 4-72 (Chase), 5-79 (Powell), 6-218 (Russell)

BOWLING: Bartlett 4-0-37-2, Behrendorff 4-0-31-1 (1w), Johnson 4-0-49-1, Hardie 4-0-36-1 (2w), Zampa 4-0-65-1 (1nb)

AUSTRALIA:

M. Marsh c Holder b Hosein 17

D. Warner c Russell b Chase 81

A. Hardie b Shepherd 16

J. Inglis c & b Chase 1

G. Maxwell b Shepherd 12

T. David not out 41

M. Wade not out 7

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-1, NB-1, W-5) 8

TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs) 183

DID NOT BAT: A. Zampa, X. Bartlett, S. Johnson, J. Behrendorff

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-68 (Marsh), 2-114 (Hardie), 3-116 (Warner), 4-117 (Inglis), 5-152 (Maxwell)

BOWLING: Joseph 4-0-38-0, Holder 4-0-49-0 (2w, 1nb), Russell 1-0-11-0, Shepherd 4-0-31-2 (3w), Hosein 3-0-33-1, Chase 4-0-19-2

RESULT: West Indies won by 37 runs. 

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2024