Nine-man Australia suffered a 35-run loss to West Indies in their final warm-up match before the Twenty20 World Cup. With a number of players still on leave after Indian Premier League duties, Mitch Marsh’s side again needed to call on support staff to play as substitute fielders during Thursday’s clash in Port of Spain.
Australia were dealt another blow when allrounder Marcus Stoinis’ gear was lost in transit to Trinidad, ruling him out of the match.
Australia won the toss and chose to bowl, going on to reach 222-7 in reply to West Indies’ 257-4. A swashbuckling knock from No 3 Nicholas Pooran (75 off 25 balls) proved the difference between the sides, both rated chances to go deep in the World Cup.
Coming off a strong IPL with Lucknow Super Giants, Pooran signalled his intent by clubbing sixes from the first three balls he faced.
Fielding coach Andre Borovec gave Pooran a life to the dismay of Ashton Agar but fellow substitute fielder George Bailey – Australia’s chief selector – did not miss with his own chance from Adam Zampa’s bowling.
Tim David (1-40) finished as Australia’s most economical bowler from his four overs of off-spin, cleaning up Rovman Powell (52) after the West Indies captain reached his half-century.
Agar (28 off 13 balls) was a surprise hit opening the batting for Australia, with captain Marsh (four) shifted to first drop.
A hero in the Gabba Test last summer, Shamar Joseph rattled David Warner’s off-stump with an inswinger that broke the opening partnership. The veteran managed only 15 runs.
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Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis top scored with 55 runs off 30 balls, including five boundaries and four sixes, before the Australians ran out of numbers and time to chase the 258 runs required.
Australia face Oman in Barbados on 6 June in their first match of the World Cup group stage.
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