Australia completed a flawless tour of the Caribbean with a three-wicket victory over West Indies in the fifth T20 to seal a series sweep in St Kitts. For the fifth time in as many matches, Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first, then restricted the West Indies to 170 and their lowest total in the series.
The white-ball sweep comes after Australia also won all three Tests on the tour though they were given a scare as West Indies found their way through the deep middle-order that has largely proven the difference across the five T20s. Cameron Green, Tim David and Mitch Owen contributed valuable runs in the chase but it was left to Aaron Hardie (28 not out) to guide Australia to 173-7 with 18 balls remaining.
Green (32 off 18) continued to build on his rich vein of form with a fourth significant innings before attempting to hit spinner Akeal Hosein (3-17) over the rope but picking out Matthew Forde at long-off. The young allrounder juggled the catch to give the home side a sniff before Hardie and Ben Dwarshuis (9) took control. Sean Abbott later helped complete the rout.
David returned to the side and picked up where he left off after hammering a record-breaking 102 not out in the third match of the series. The powerful middle-order hitter blasted four sixes as he raced to 30 from 11 balls before finding Shimron Hetmyer on the leg side boundary off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph (2-21).
Owen quickly took the mantle from David as he put together a third eye-catching knock in his debut series to press his claims for a longer-term place in the side. The 23-year-old compiled a controlled 37 while taking few risks before reaching for a wide delivery from Hosein and edging to Joseph at short third man.
The only real blot for Australia was a golden duck for Glenn Maxwell as he opened for the fourth time in the series but immediately edged Jason Holder (2-36) while swinging hard outside off.
Mitch Marsh earlier called correctly as Australia won an eighth of eight tosses across two formats on the tour and again elected for the tourists to chase. A string of wickets early and late in the West Indies’ innings meant the hosts were unable to post a big score on the small ground at Warner Park, Basseterre, before they were all out for 170 in the last over.
Hetmyer (52 off 31) helped lift West Indies to a more competitive total before falling to a low running catch by Abbott at long-off. Sherfane Rutherford (35 off 17) also showed signs of good touch and smashed Abbott for a huge six before being bowled by Maxwell as he attempted to cut.
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Left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis (3-41) returned to the side and bowled Shai Hope after being struck for successive boundaries, then had Brandon King (11) caught at mid-on. Adam Zampa (1-20 off three) celebrated his 100th T20I by bowling Joseph in the 19th over, as the West Indies again failed to make the most of the closing overs and lost their last four wickets for 15 runs.
The victory sealed Australia’s first 5-0 sweep in a T20I series, while the West Indies had never before gone winless across five matches in the format. Australia will seek to build on their imperious form in the Caribbean with six white-ball matches against South Africa on home turf next month bolstered by greater depth in their middle-order.