Starved of the strike at first then hampered by a muscle strain, Chris Gayle led West Indies to a lofty 205 for 4 against an increasingly bedraggled Australia in the second semi-final of the World Twenty20 at Premadasa Stadium. Taking their time early, West Indies gathered greater momentum with each over, and ended the innings on a murderous note as Xavier Doherty's final over went for 25.
Kieron Pollard did most of the damage in that final over, but the importance of Gayle's innings could not be underestimated. He was careful in his stroke choices, aggressive but not indiscriminate, and formed a trio of key partnerships with Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo and Pollard.
Mitchell Starc again bowled intelligently and Pat Cummins delivered one of his better spells of the tournament. But Shane Watson delivered his first wicket-less stint of the event, and the spinners Brad Hogg and Xavier Doherty were unable to capitalise on a powdery surface. Doherty was a curious choice by the captain George Bailey for the final over after his first two overs went for 23.
Batting first on a surface that promised to be at least somewhat more amenable to batsmen than that for the first semi-final, West Indies made a sedate start. Gayle began carefully, wary of the new-ball swing on offer for Starc, and watched from the other end as Johnson Charles heaved without foot movement and edged behind.
The non-striker's end was the vantage point from which Gayle watched an inordinate amount of deliveries, as Australia's bowlers and fielders did their best to keep him away from the batting crease. His brief encounters with Doherty were satisfying enough, but Hogg was a little more successful in keeping the runs down with his indecipherable googlies.
By the time 10 overs had elapsed, Gayle had faced only 18 balls, while Samuels and Bravo, chosen ahead of his brother Darren, took a greater share. Samuels managed a quartet of clean blows before being outsmarted by Cummins and bowled by a slower ball. Bravo soaked up plenty of dot balls but summoned a six whenever he was becalmed.
Australia's sloppiness also helped West Indies keep the momentum. Matthew Wade missed a full toss to allow four byes, Starc swung one delivery down the leg side for five wides, and the recalled David Hussey allowed a bouncing shot to burst through his hands on the boundary.
The innings still required a supercharge, and it arrived in the 15th over, delivered by David Hussey. Gayle sent one delivery into the stratosphere, and pinched two more boundaries for the over which fetched 19. In the next, Bravo crunched a steepling six but perished to a flatter hit next ball, the partnership ending at 83 from 51 balls.
Pollard offered sound support in the closing overs, as Gayle finally enjoyed a greater share of the strike, though he was by this time clearly hampered by an apparent abdominal strain. It mattered little in the final over, however, as Gayle slammed a full toss for six first ball then left Pollard to collar three more. Pollard's dismissal from the final ball of the innings was scant consolation for Doherty.
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