Australia wrap up series with thumping win in final ODI against West Indies

Australia clinched a 2-1 one-day international series victory over the West indies with a thumping six-wicket win in the final match in Barbados, with a strong collective bowling effort setting up the result.

The hosts were dismissed for 152 off 45.1 overs after captain Kieron Pollard won the toss. Matthew Wade (51 off 52 balls) and Ashton Agar (19 off 33) combined for an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 54 to secure the game three win with 19.3 overs left.

The win ended the West Indies hopes of ending a 26-year drought, last recording an ODI series win over Australia in 1995.

“The commitment that this group has shown, its fantastic to see the result go our way tonight,” acting captain Alex Carey, who was the leading run-scorer in the series, said.

Australia were 27-2 in the eighth over after openers Josh Phillipe and Moses Henriques were each dismissed cheaply, to end low scoring tours for both men. But Carey, who promoted

himself to first drop, steadied the ship with 35. He scored well off the sweep before being trapped lbw going for that shot again.

Mitchell Marsh plundered three legside sixes in his rapid-fire 29 before being caught behind down the leg side trying to attack another short ball.

Earlier, Australia’s quicks and spinners kept the pressure on the West

Indies batsmen. Player of the series Mitchell Starc (3-43 off 9.1 overs) finished with 11 wickets at an average of 10.63.

New-ball partner Josh Hazlewood, back after missing game two with a calf issue, returned figures of 2-18 off eight miserly over – to take 5-29 over two matches at an average of 5.80 and econ