West Indies’ Tour of Australia 2024 (2nd ODI)
Australia, recently crowned world champions, showcased their resilience yet again, beating the West Indies by 83 runs at Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia clawed their way back into the game after an early collapse, courtesy of a late half century from Sean Abbott. Abbott continued his fine form deep into the second innings, claiming a more important three wicket haul to seal the series for the home team.
Opting to bowl after winning the toss, West Indies seemed to have the upper hand, picking up three wickets for 50 runs in just 7 overs and then two more after the powerplay for 91 runs. However, Australia faced the challenge head-on, with Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, and Matthew Short playing pivotal innings to push the total to a respectable 258 for 9. In particular, Sean Abbott’s fifty proved to be match-winning in the end.
In response, West Indies started with the intention of taking the game deep, but Australia’s seamers, skillfully shuffled by Steven Smith, proved too challenging. Each seamer chipped in with at least one wicket, creating a constant threat for the West Indies batters. The middle order, including Shai Hope, Keacy Carty, and Roston Chase, showed promise but couldn’t convert their starts.
Sean Abbott, not only a key contributor with the bat but also a standout performer with the ball, secured three crucial wickets. Josh Hazlewood and Will Sutherland complemented Abbott’s efforts, ensuring West Indies fell short at 175 all out in 43.3 overs. Despite being in a challenging position at 91 for 5 in the first innings, West Indies failed to capitalize and by allowing Australia’s lower-order to take charge, lost a crucial game in the process.
Chief Scores:-
Australia – 258 for 9 in 50 overs (Sean Abbott 69, Matt Short 41, Cameron Green 33, Gudakesh Motie 3 for 28, Romario Shepherd 2 for 50, Alzarri Joseph 2 for 74)
West Indies – 175 for 10 in 43.3 overs (Keacy Carty 40, Shain Hope 29, Roston Chase 25, Sean Abbott 3 for 40, Josh Hazlewood 3 for 43, Will Sutherland 2 for 28)
