Aussie cricket great Mark Waugh has taken aim at the West Indies for getting their tactics all ‘wrong’ following their fourth straight white-ball loss to Australia on Friday night.
Australia started off on fire at Bellerive Oval with player-of-the-match David Warner and Josh Inglis taking it to the West Indies attack.
However, the West Indies opted to throw the new Kookaburra ball to spinner Akeal Hosein at one end instead of a quick. This immediately backfired with Warner and Inglis piling on the pressure early with 40 runs off three overs.
This meant West Indies’ best bowler, Alzarri Joseph, wasn’t handed the ball until the fourth over. This didn’t sit well with Waugh in commentary after he called out the tactics, which allowed Australia to build from a brilliant start in Hobart.
“Not sure about these tactics, I would have the quicks on,” Waugh said in commentary following Inglis hitting Hosein for four. “I just don’t understand these tactics.
“It’s just easy pickings. They’ve got it tactically wrong here, the West Indies. It’s just not going to work, and it hasn’t worked.” While Australia raced out to a strong start, so did the West Indies during their innings on a good batting wicket in Hobart.
AUS vs WI,1st T20I, Here’s why: Mark Waugh slams West Indies for ‘dumb cricket’ during loss to Australia
Also, The West Indies have been slammed for “dumb cricket” after their defeat to Australia in the first T20I.
All-rounder Sean Abbott claimed an Australian record, becoming the first player to take four catches in a T20I.
West Indies star Nicholas Pooran delivered the fourth catch to Abbott, attempting to hit Adam Zampa out of the ground, but his big hit was snatched at mid-wicket.
Australian great Mark Waugh was left dumbfounded after witnessing a number of wickets fall to catches on the boundary.
“That’s just very, very dumb cricket, you can’t put it any other way,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“That’s a big boundary out there… the biggest boundary on the ground and Sean Abbott who’s got great hands, he’s a tall boy, it’s going to be tough to clear him.
“I reckon it’s the third catch on that piece of grass, maybe the fourth. Zampa amazing bowling from him, not so good from the West Indians.”
West Indies captain Rovman Powell won the toss at Bellerive Oval and elected to bowl.
In his 100th T20I match, David Warner returned to Australian colours and dominated at the top of the order.
The opener top-scored for the side with 70 off 36 balls as Australia finished 7-213.
T20 specialist Tim David also chipped in with a quickfire 37 not out.
West Indies openers Brandon King and Johnson Charles were off to a rapid start at 0-89 in the ninth over.
Charles was then dismissed off Zampa for 42, caught in the deep by Warner.
King (53) was next to go at 2-100, with Abbott claiming his first catch.
Marcus Stoinis (2-20 off three overs) and Zampa (3-26 off four) were the difference with the ball, stemming the flow of runs as the West Indies struggled to build partnerships.
Pooran’s dismissal came at 6-149 and the West Indies were seemingly out of the game when they needed 40 runs off the last two overs with Jason Holder and Akeal Hosein at the crease.
Holder took it down to the wire but couldn’t perform a miracle with his side finishing 8-202 as Australia won by 11 runs.