Navi Mumbai, Feb 24 Lendl Simmons aggressive 44-ball undefeated 94 overpowered Shane Watson's 48-ball century and helped the West Indies Masters outclass the Australia Masters by 7 wickets in the inaugural International Masters League (IML) at the DY Patil Sports Stadium.
Continuing the trend of producing high-scoring matches in the IML, the sizeable crowd at the stadium was treated to Watson’s signature strokes, adding a touch of nostalgia after West Indian batting great Brian Lara elected to field on winning the toss.
The 43-year-old Watson never looked as if he had left playing, as he treated the West Indies bowlers with disdain, to notch up his half-century off a mere 27 balls and consumed another 21 deliveries for his next fifty. In the process, Watson was also involved in a couple of big partnerships that set the tone for the massive target.
Watson, who went out to open the innings with Ben Dunk (15 off 11 balls), started with a 34-run partnership before forging an 83-run partnership for the second wicket with Callum Ferguson (13 off 15). He was also involved in a 54-run stand for the third wicket with Daniel Christian (32 off 15), which set up the huge score for the Aussies.
Despite losing his partners at the other end, Watson ensured he remained in the middle and provided the impetus to the Australian innings. He took a special liking for left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, dispatching him over the fence for a couple of sixes and an identical number of fours to milk 21 runs from the 9th over of their innings.
Watson, who received a reprieve on 80 when Ashley Nurse dropped him, eventually perished to the same bowler, but by then he had already done his job with a 52-ball 107, laced with nine fours and as many sixes.
Nurse, meanwhile, emerged the most successful of the Windies bowlers, claiming figures of 3-16, while Jerome Taylor and Ravi Rampaul picked two wickets apiece.
In response, Lendl Simmons and Dwayne Smith slammed brisk fifties to lead the West Indies Masters’ chase, with the iconic Brian Lara contributing with a 21-ball 33, and, more importantly, setting the tone with a 99-run third wicket stand with Simmons.
Earlier, opening the batting with the dangerous Chris Gayle, who perished for a 12-ball 11, Smith led the charge with a classy 29-ball 51, powered by 10 boundaries and a six, before Simmons took charge of the proceedings with an audacious half-century.
Needing 38 off the last three overs, Simmons and wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton (23 not out off 11 balls) slammed three boundaries off Daniel Christian to reduce the margin by 17 runs before completing the formalities with a flurry of boundaries and four balls to spare.
Brief Scores: Australia Masters 216/8 (Shane Watson 107, Daniel Christian 32; Ashley Nurse 3/16, Ravi Rampaul 2/23) lost to West Indies Masters (Lendl Simmons 94 not out, Dwayne Smith 51, Brian Lara 33, Chadwick Walton 23 not out) by 7 wickets.
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