ICC World Twenty 20: Semi Final 2

Gayle blasts Windies into final

5/10/12- West Indies 205-4 20 overs (Gayle 75*) beat Australia 131 all out 16.4 overs (Bailey 63) by 74 runs

West Indies have beaten Australia by 74 runs to qualify for the ICC World Twenty 20 Final.

Darren Sammy won the toss for West Indies and elected to bat first. The Windies brought Dwayne Bravo back into the side in place of his brother, and David Hussey replaced Glenn Maxwell for Australia. And it was Australia who made a good start, when Mitchell Starc drew Johnson Charles into a drive and the opener was caught behind for 10. One of the in-from batsman of 2012 was in at 3, and Marlon Samuels got off to a good start, including a delicious cover drive off Pat Cummins.

However, Cummins had his revenge, when Samuels, on 26, was bowled by a good slower ball from the young pace bowler. Chris Gayle was still at the crease though, and even though he wasn’t facing much of the strike, he gradually found his range, launching thevleft arm spin of Xavier Doherty for 3 sixes overall.

But Gayle really came to lifevin the 15^th over, when 19 was taken off D. Hussey’s first, as hebwent to his half century off just 29 balls, with one of his maximums going pastb100 metres. Australia did manage to remove Bravo for 37, after he put on 83 with Gayle for the 3^rd wicket. However, that just brought the dangerous Kieron Pollard to the crease, and with Gayle, the pair put on 65 in the final 4 overs of the innings as the West Indies posted 205-4. Gayle ended unbeaten on 75, and Pollard made 38 off 15 deliveries, including 3 sixes in the final over, before being caught off the final ball.

This is the second time these two teams have faced each other in the tournament, and in that match West Indies scored 191 and still lost the game (via D/L), so Australia still held hopes of reaching the final. But they got off to a dreadful start against the spin of Samuel Badree and Samuels, with Warner going in the first over, before he was quickly followed by Mr Cricket and the player of the tournament so far Shane Watson.

Australia reached 42-3 off the powerplay, but then immediately lost their 4th wicket, when, off the first ball of seam, Rampaul had Cameron White caught down the leg side. Australia were faltering to say the least and it didn't get better, as the leading run scorer in T20 history, Dave Hussey, lasted just two balls. The Aussie middle order was proving what many feared.

Australia then lost Matthew Wade and defeat looked a certainty, but captain George Bailey didn't give up easily,as e smashed his way to a 23 ball half century. But when Bailey fell for 23, the game was up, and Australia were eventually bowled out for 131.

A great win for the West Indies, and as they have shown, they can beat anyone on their day. Australia on the other hand looked superb in the first 4 games of the tournament but struggled badly against Pakistan and T20 is a momentum game, so it looks like they've lost plenty of that.

Man of the Match: Chris Gayle for his 75*. Superb innings from the big man, and it is just brilliant to see him back in a West Indies shirt.