David Warner played in his final international innings in a strong opener in Australia, but his individual effort could not deliver on what could have been a record T20 chase as the international summer ended in a lackluster defeat to the West Indies in Perth.
Warner, who revealed after the match that he would be “done” after this year's T20 World Cup, became the second man to pass 3,000 T20 runs for his country as he scored 81 off 49 including 54 runs in boundaries.
But it proved to be a solitary effort as the Australians, with captain Mitch Marsh opening in the batting order, failed to match the six-six attack of Windies powerhouse Andre Russell who took his side to 6-220, finishing off the match. At 5-183 in the 37-run defeat.
After being named Man of the Series, Warner confirmed that the T20 World Cup would be his last match in Australian colours.
“You have done a really good job, it is time for young people to come and showcase their talent,” he said in the presentation.
“We have tremendous talent here. We are well positioned for the future.”
That was not on full display in Perth as the Windies took their march through the three-match series to a massive 629 against a filling T20 attack as superstar Russell destroyed Australian star Adam Zampa slapped seven sixes in his 29-ball innings of 71.
He thrashed Zampa, whose final figures of 1 for 67 were the worst ever in T20 internationals. For four maximums of the penultimate over of the innings, which lasted for 28 runs, as part of a world-record sixth-wicket partnership of 139 with Shirvan Rutherford (67 not out off 40), the duo combined for 12 sixes.
Needing to register Australia's biggest ever T20 international chase, and looking for a 6-0 clean sweep across two white-ball series, Warner bounced back after being grounded by a poor ball from Russell in the fourth over to claim the 26th over of the T20. -a century.
But after the selectors opted not to hand out batsman Tyro Jake Fraser-McGurk for the first time in T20, there was no support for the batting, 41 from Tim David, after some late batting, the next best score as the Australians suffered only their second loss in 11 matches across the summer. At home against Pakistan first and then the Windies.
Instead, it was Russell who rescued his side from 5-79 down to record a much-needed win as they prepare for a World Cup on home soil, with the tournament being hosted in the Caribbean and the USA.
The Australians' pursuit faltered after national selectors followed the advice of Fraser McGurk's South Australian coach, Jason Gillespie, to “pacify the farm” around the 21-year-old who was called up to the squad but did not play. After hitting an impressive 18-ball 41 in his second international match.
“It's a big deal to be called up to play for your country and he's shown some signs that he's a player of the future,” Gillespie said of Fraser-McGurk earlier on Tuesday in Adelaide.
“He's a young player, and let's remember he's 21, he's at a very early stage in his journey.
“We just need to make sure we calm the farm down, and allow him to learn and develop.”
X factor
International cricket seems to like Xavier Bartlett, who, given a debut for Australia in T20 to add to his two ODIs, has been at the wicket again and should be on the radar for T20 World Cup selection, given he has proven economical as well.
The great Queensland fast bowler returned incredible numbers of 8 for 38 in his two 50-over innings, taking a wicket in each of his first two matches in Perth after being included as a replacement for Josh Hazlewood.
He finished with a score of 2-37 and now has international cricket figures of 10-75 to begin what could be a long and impressive career in the green and gold.
Mass call
It was either extremely passive aggressive, or humorous, when every Australian bowler appealed at the first opportunity, and loudly, for a close run out when Mitch Marsh bowled the stumps early in the West Indies innings.
Bowler Jason Behrendorff went two overs, loudly, and there were arms in the air all over the field, a clear and direct response to the incident in Adelaide on Sunday night when a failure to appeal, at least according to umpire Gerard Abboud, resulted in Jason Holder not being awarded a wicket. Similar circumstances.
The behavior of the Australian players, who surrounded the referee in confusion as to what happened before captain Mitch Marsh distracted him, raised some eyebrows, and the nature of the appeal in Perth, although close, may do the same.
Originally published as David Warner played his last international match for Australia confirming he will be done after the T20 World Cup
