Sherfane Rutherford and Andre Russell have blasted the West Indies towards a 37-run victory in the dead rubber at Perth Stadium, denying Australia a clean sweep in the white-ball portion of the tour.
Russell smacked seven sixes during his ferocious 71 (29), reviving the West Indies innings after the tourists initially collapsed to 5-79 in the ninth over.
Australia came nowhere near chasing the 221-run target despite a classy half-century from opener David Warner, playing his final match as an Australian cricketer on home soil, and some late fireworks from Tim David.
It was the West Indies’ second men’s T20I victory against Australia down under.
Australia’s attention shifts towards the T20 series against the Black Caps in New Zealand, which gets underway on Wednesday, February 21.
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Warner heroics gifts Aussies epic start | 02:22
DAVID WARNER — 9
173 runs at 57.66
HS 81, SR 166.34
Warner has once again proven that age is just a number, finishing the T20 series against the West Indies as the leading run-scorer.
After earning player of the match honours for his rapid half-century in the series opener in Hobart, the left-hander backed it up with another crucial fifty at Perth Stadium, but fell short of a farewell century.
He was also named Player of the Series.
JOSH INGLIS — 4
44 runs at 14.66
HS 39, SR 129.41
Inglis, elevated to opener for the first two T20s, combined with David Warner for a stunning opening partnership in Hobart on Friday, helping the Australians take a 1-0 lead in the series.
However, the West Australian fell cheaply in his other two knocks against the West Indies, dismissed for 4 and 1.
MITCHELL MARSH — 5
62 runs at 20.66
HS 29, SR 163.15
Marsh made starts in all three T20s against the West Indies, but couldn’t convert any of them into substantial scores.
Elevated to opener in the series finale at Perth Stadium, the West Australian crawled his way towards 17 before throwing his wicket away in the seventh over.
AARON HARDIE — 5
16 runs at 16.00, HS 16, SR 100.00
One wicket at 36.00, BB 1-36, Econ 9.00
Picked for the series finale in front of friends and family at Perth Stadium, Hardie contributed a handy four-over spell with the ball, finishing as Australia’s most economical bowler of the match and removing rival captain Rovman Powell.
However, he couldn’t get going with the bat in the run chase, stemming Australia’s momentum in the middle overs.
GLENN MAXWELL — 9
142 runs at 71.00
HS 120*, SR 184.41
What more can we say about the Big Show?
Maxwell blasted a trademark century at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, becoming just the second cricketer to score five hundreds in men’s T20Is.
However, the Victorian couldn’t replicate the feat in Perth, struggling to find the middle of his bat during the unsuccessful run chase.
Maxwell’s “unstoppable” highlights v W | 04:52
MARCUS STOINIS — 6
25 runs at 12.50, HS 21, SR 119.04
Five wickets at 11.20, BB 3-36, Econ 8.00
Stoinis never looked comfortable with the bat against the West Indies this week, falling cheaply in both innings when Australia was trying to pick up the tempo.
However, the all-rounder’s contributions with the ball were superb, finishing the series as Australia’s equal leading wicket-taker despite missing the third T20 with back complaints.
He also dropped a couple of tough chances in the field in Adelaide, which he blamed on the stiff back.
TIM DAVID — 9
109 runs at N/A
HS 41*, SR 218.00
David has once again proved why he’s one of T20 cricket’s most dangerous, providing brief but damaging cameos at the death in all three matches against the West Indies.
However, the West Australian’s dropped catch of Andre Russell at Perth Stadium on Tuesday proved costly, while he copped some backlash for his treatment of umpire Gerard Abood in Adelaide.
Run out missed after appeal bungled | 01:47
MATTHEW WADE — 5
28 runs at 28.00, HS 21, SR 133.33
Four catches
Wade hardly got an opportunity with the bat this week, but he did combine with Tim David for what proved a crucial 50-run partnership during the series opener in Hobart.
Apart from a handful of sloppy mistakes with the gloves in Adelaide on Sunday, the Tasmanian was tidy behind the stumps.
SEAN ABBOTT — 4
One wicket at 41.00
BB 1-41, Econ 10.25
Abbott just made the one appearance against the West Indies this week, the high-scoring series opener in Hobart.
The New South Welshman couldn’t replicate his batting heroics from the ODI series, knocked over for a golden duck by veteran all-rounder Andre Russell.
XAVIER BARTLETT — 8
Two wickets at 18.50
BB 2-37, Econ 9.25
Bartlett made his T20I debut in Perth on Tuesday, picking up where he left off in the ODI series with another gorgeous spell of swing bowling.
He picked up two early wickets during the Powerplay, helping restrict the West Indies to 3-17 in the third over.
ADAM ZAMPA — 7
Five wickets at 26.00
BB 3-26, Econ 10.83
Zampa hardly put a foot wrong in the first two matches against the West Indies.
The leg-spinner, who looms as a crucial figure for the Australians ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup, was the difference between the two sides during the series opener in Hobart, taking three wickets.
However, he produced two of the sloppiest overs of his professional career in Perth on Tuesday, leaking 46 runs as veteran all-rounder Andre Russell went on a rampage.
SPENCER JOHNSON — 6
Three wickets at 29.33
BB 2-39, Econ 11.00
Johnson offered a glimpse of his potential during Sunday’s T20 in Adelaide, snaring two breakthroughs during the middle overs of the 34-run victory.
However, much like fellow left-armed quick Mitchell Starc, his erratic bowling proved entertaining but expensive — regardless, he’s an exciting prospect for the future of Australian cricket.
JASON BEHRENDORFF — 3
Three wickets at 41.33
BB 1-31, Econ 11.27
Behrendorff has failed to push his case for selection in the T20 World Cup, having a woeful evening with the ball in Adelaide on Sunday.
The left-armed quick bounced back with an impeccable opening spell in front of a home crowd at Perth Stadium, but it still wasn’t his finest series in canary yellow.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD — 7
Two wickets at 37.50
BB 2-31, Econ 9.37
The Bendemeer Bullet was once again relentless with his line and length against the West Indies this week, producing a wicket maiden early in Sunday’s Adelaide T20.
Hazlewood got smacked around in Hobart, but he was arguably the pick of the Australian bowlers on Sunday evening.
