Windies end depressing campaign with loss to Aussies

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (CMC):

WEST INDIES ended their depressing Twenty20 World Cup campaign with a single victory after Australia crushed them by eight wickets in their final game here today.

The deposed champions could only muster an inadequate 157 for seven off their 20 overs and Australia hardly broke a sweat in overhauling the target with 22 balls to spare, with left-handed opener David Warner lashing an unbeaten 89.

West Indies ended one from bottom of the six-team Group One on two points from their three-run victory over Bangladesh.

Their campaign began with defeats to Pakistan and Afghanistan in the official warm-ups and never improved, bundled out for a near historic low of 55 in their opening game against England.

Sent in to bat today, they got a top score of 44 from Kieron Pollard, the embattled captain belting four fours and a six off 31 balls, while opener Evin Lewis scored 29 off 26 balls and Shimron Hetmyer, 27 off 28 deliveries.

Veteran Chris Gayle, in perhaps his final game for West Indies, pummelled two sixes in scoring 15 off nine deliveries, before dragging a drive at fast bowler Pat Cummins onto his stumps in the third over at 30 for one.

Three wickets then fell for five runs, but Lewis and Hetmyer put on 35 for the fourth wicket and Pollard and Dwayne Bravo (10) added a further 35 for the fifth, to repair the damage.

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood claimed four 39.

In reply, Australia lost captain Aaron Finch for nine, cutting left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein onto his stumps in the fourth over at 33 for one.

But Warner punched nine fours and four sixes in a 124-run, second wicket stand with Mitchell Marsh (53) to erase any doubt over the result.

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