Voges ton ensures Windies whitewash

Cricket365
February 11, 2013

Batsman Adam Voges' maiden ODI century stood at the fore of Australia's 17-run win – and five-nil series whitewash over the West Indies – in Sunday's fifth and final match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Windies' choice to bowl first after winning the toss brought early fruit, with home openers Shane Watson and Aaron Finch out to visiting fast bowler Tino Best in the opening three overs.

Middle-order men Phil Hughes and Shaun Marsh, collectively orchestrated the recovery en route to 29 and 40 respectively, before a brace from all-rounder Dwayne Bravo set the skids under the Aussies again.

Man-of-the-Match Voges, with wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin's 43 and all-rounder James Faulkner's unbeaten 31, set the home side back on track again. Marking his return to the XI in the absence of the injured Michael Clarke and George Bailey, Voges offered the selectors ample food for thought.

His unbeaten 112 spanned 106 deliveries, included 10 boundaries and a couple of handsome sixes, and pushed the final total to 274 for five. While Best and Bravo were the pick of the Windies bowlers, they would've demanded more than two scalps each after their initial success.

The Australian total proved enough despite West Indian opener Johnson Charles' best effort to trump it. He, too, cherished a maiden ODI century – but in a lost cause. Bridging the gap after hard-hitting fellow opener Chris Gayle was sidelined by injury, Charles struck a fluid 100 – thanks largely to eight fours and a single six.

Team-mates Darren Bravo and Kieron Pollard's 33 and 45 respectively complemented the centurion, but ultimately lacked enough substance to turn the tables on a determined Australian attack.

Skipper Darren Sammy's belated blitz afforded the visiting camp marginal hope, but 24 runs required off the final over was never troubled, leaving the Windies whitewashed and whipped after five tough fixtures.

Wednesday, however, will allow the World Twenty20 champions to end the tour on a high – as the one-off T20I in Brisbane will bring an arguably easier contest against a reasonably new-look Australian XI.