Australia recovered from 79 for five to beat West Indies by 15 runs in a match marked by five questionable umpiring, which were mostly overturned leading the Aussies to score 288 all out in 49 overs at Trent Bridge in the ICC 2019 World Cup last week.
Chasing 289 for victory, the West Indies ended on 273 for 9 in 50 overs and the margin could have been wider had it not been for Ashley Nurse smashing four consecutive fours to end the game in a cameo that came a little too late.
Chris Gayle was given out twice to New Zealand umpire Chris Gaffaney, only on both occasions to have the decision reversed.
The 39-year-old Jamaican could have had a third reprieve in the fifth over when Mitchell Starc trapped him lbw, for a delivery that showed it was the “Umpire’s Call” and he departed for 21.
TV replays showed that the ball before Gayle was dismissed, Starc overstepped by about four inches, but no “no-ball” was signaled by Gaffney. It would have been a free hit on the ball with which he was eventually given out.
Needing a partnership, Shai Hope found an attacking Nicholas Pooran and it set the regional side towards their target until Pooran’s anxiousness got the better of him. He was caught on the boundary by a running Aaron Finch.
Hope and Shimron Hetmyer appeared heading towards a sensible union until Hope’s lapsed judgement saw Hetmyer run out at a crucial stage.
West Indies threw away opportunities to build match-winning partnerships and eventually ran out of steam. Hope made 68, while Captain Jason Holder scored 51 and the hard-hitting Andre Russell and Carlos Brathwaite departed just when it seemed like the West Indies, who beat Pakistan at the same venue a week ago, would defeat the five-time world cup champions.
In the match against South Africa rain ruined play on Monday. As a result West Indies gained just one point.
