That is it from the opening game of the 3-match ODI series. I am AkshayaKrishnaPolya, signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Akshay Bhide, who, alongside our scorers/analysts Vishnu Verma and Asraj, brought you all the live-action of this Australia-dominated fixture. We will meet again. Until then, it's cheers!
Xavier Bartlett (Player of the Match): "Amazing way to start my international cricket. Happy with the performance. Lucky to hit the top of the off-stump. Not an easy job but really happy to have bowled that way. Lucky it came off. Was nice coming in with confidence, nice campaign with the Heat. Happy to contribute here. Being captained by Smith was surreal having watched him play for ten years."
Player of the Match: Xavier Bartlett
3:28 PM IST and 8:58 PM Local Time: World Champions Australia continue their firm grip in the format to thrash West Indies by 8 wickets in the opening match of the three series, taking an early lead of 1-0!
Earlier in the match, Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first. Xavier Bartlett, the debutant, bowled a fiery spell and knocked over the top order of West Indies, reducing them down to 59/4 in 15.2 overs.
Keacy Carty and Roston Chase kept fighting for the Windies with a 110-run partnership for the 4th wicket, with both hitting respective half-centuries.
Once Chase (59 off 67) was removed by Adam Zampa, West Indies failed to get any momentum going to the last half of the innings, with Carty (88 off 108) getting run out made things even worse for their liking.
West Indies were eventually bundled out for 231 in 48.4 overs. Bartlett was the best Aussie bowler, with figures of 9-1-18-4. Sean Abbott and Cameron Green grabbed a couple of wickets, while Zampa bagged one wicket.
Matthew Forde got rid of dangerous Travis Head early on in the first over before Josh Inglis, who was promoted to opening the batting, went honkers and bonkers to hit a swashbuckling half-century.
Inglis (65 off 43) added 79 runs for the 2nd wicket with Green before getting out trying to reverse sweep Gudakesh Motie.
Green (77* off 104) and Steven Smith (79* off 79) milked runs easily and added an unbeaten 149-run stand for the 3rd wicket, with both of them collecting yet another ODI half-century! Stay tuned for the post-match presentation!
38.3 H Walsh to S Smith
4 FOURRRRR!!!! Steven Smith finishes things off for Australia with a boundary! They win by 8 wickets with more than 11 overs to spare! This is their 10th ODI win on the bounce, and they have now won 18 of their last 21 ODIs vs West Indies in Australia. Leg break, short of a length outside the off-stump. Smith, on the back foot, plays late and opens the bat face to late cut it between the first slip and backward point, who doesn't bother to chase!
38.2 H Walsh to S Smith
0 78.1 kmph, leg break, on length at the off-stump, defended on the front foot. Smith himself collects the ball and returns to the bowler.
38.1 H Walsh to S Smith
0 Over the wicket, good length, at the stumps, Smith defends it back at the bowler.