Abbott’s all-round heroics take Australia to series win

Sean Abbott’s all-round show (69 and 3-40) helped Australia prevail in the second ODI against West Indies at the SCG on Sunday (February 4) to seal the series with a game remaining. Abbott helped Australia recover from a collapse to power the hosts to a total of 258/9. Josh Hazlewood’s three-wicket haul and Abbott’s three ensured West Indies couldn’t offer much of a challenge with the bat as they were bundled out for 175.

The chase did not begin on a good note for West Indies as Alick Athanaze fell to Aaron Hardie while Josh Hazlewood picked up the wicket of Justin Greaves. With Kjorn Ottley also falling cheaply, getting out to Abbott, the visitors were in trouble at 34/3 in the ninth over. Shai Hope and Keacy Carty combined for a half-century stand as they tried to revive the chase but the former became Hazlewood’s second scalp, leaving West Indies with a lot of work to do.

Carty and Roston Chase tried to get West Indies back on track but Abbott ended the former’s stay on 40. The regular procession of wickets for West Indies did not cease as the pacers ran through the lower order. Abbott bagged his third wicket with the dismissal of Chase, and Adam Zampa finished it off in the 44th over with the scalp of Gudakesh Motie as all the Australian bowlers bagged at least a wicket.

Earlier, having been asked to bat, Australia suffered early setbacks as Alzarri Joseph dismissed the openers cheaply, getting Jake Fraser-McGurk to edge to the ‘keeper after being hit for a four and a six, and having Josh Inglis caught at backward point. Cameron Green batted positively, striking three fours in an over off Joseph and then hitting a six and a four off the same bowler in another over. But West Indies continued to chip away as Steve Smith chopped on a delivery from Matthew Forde. Marnus Labuschagne started well but he fell to Motie soon after Oshane Thomas accounted for Green as Australia slipped to 91/5.

A half-century partnership between Matthew Short and Hardie steadied Australia for a while but Motie dismissed the set batters in successive overs to finish with excellent figures of 3 for 28, leaving Australia struggling at 167/7 after 35 overs. West Indies would have hoped to keep Australia to a manageable total but Abbott and Sutherland ensured the hosts put up a competitive score, adding 57 for the eighth wicket. Romario Shepherd ended the partnership but Abbott, who reached a 54-ball fifty, struck two sixes off Shepherd to power his side past 250 before being dismissed by the same bowler.

Brief scores:
Australia 258/9 in 50 overs (Sean Abbott 69, Matthew Short 41; Gudakesh Motie 3-28) beat  West Indies 175 in 43.3 overs (Keacy Carty 40; Sean Abbott 3-40, Josh Hazlewood 3-43) by 83 runs.