Picture Credit: Getty Images
Shimron Hetmyer blasted the West Indies to a 2-0 lead in their five-game T20I series against Australia with a 56-run at St Lucia on Saturday. Hetmyer arrived at the crease at 44-2 in the sixth over but blasted four sixes on his way to 61 from 36 deliveries.
Australia captain Aaron Finch had won the toss and elected to field, but the West Indies amassed 196-4 buoyed by Hetmyer's knock, piling on 123 runs in the latter 10 overs.
Hetmyer had excellent support from Dwayne Bravo (47* from 34) and Andre Russell (24* from eight), feasting on a wayward Mitchell Starc (49-0 from four overs).
The tourists struggled again with the bat, losing openers Matthew Wade (duck) and Finch (six) cheaply, before being bowled out for 140.
Mitch Marsh, elevated to first drop, top-scored with 54 from 42 balls, as Hayden Walsh took 29-3 while Sheldon Cottrell claimed 22-2.
Australia lost 39-7 after Marsh's dismissal to Walsh, with the tourists struggling to offer any significant resistance, managing only two sixes for the innings, compared to the West Indies' 13.
HETMYER HITS 'EM
After Chris Gayle failed, Guyana left-hander Hetmyer stepped up with his 61 being his international T20I best, and also only his second half-century for the West Indies.
Hetmyer said: "I think it was one of my best T20 innings. I paced it quite well. The guys backed me to take it as deep as possible. Once you do that, you have a licence."
The 24-year-old capitalized on that licence, hitting Ashton Agar, Marsh and Adam Zampa for sixes in consecutive overs.
Hetmyer was run out with 13 balls left in the innings before Bravo and Russell added another 34 runs to set an imposing target.
The pair took a liking to Starc, with 15 runs coming from four balls in the penultimate over.
AUSSIES T20I WOES
Finch declined the blame for his decision to bowl first for the defeat, while he also refused to give the series away despite trailing 2-0 and being outplayed so far.
The Australian skipper said: "I don’t think the wicket changed a huge amount. I thought it played pretty well. Chasing 190, you have to get off to a pretty good start and when your two openers get out cheaply, it puts a lot of pressure on a reasonably inexperienced international middle order."
On the series, Finch added: "We have to win three games in the series, doesn’t matter if you do it at the start of the series or come from behind."
This is Australia's first game since losing 3-2 in a five-game T20I series in New Zealand in February and March.
Finch's side also lost 2-1 in a T20I international series away to England in September last year as they strive to find their groove in the shortest format.