AFP, Gros-Islet
Opening batsman Evin Lewis was at his rampaging best with an innings of 79 in setting the West Indies on their way to a 16-run victory over Australia in the final T20 International of their five-match series at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia on Friday.
Lewis' punishing innings off just 34 balls, highlighted by nine sixes and four fours, lifted the home team to 199 for eight and earned him the "Man of the Match" as the Caribbean team also took the series by a convincing 4-1 margin.
Pacers Sheldon Cottrell and Andre Russell then claimed three wickets apiece while none of the tourists' top-order batsmen were able to sustain the effort deep into the innings and they were restricted to 183 for nine in reply despite being well on course halfway through the chase.
Mitchell Marsh, who posted three half-centuries in his previous four innings in the series and was by a long way the visitors' outstanding performer, looked set for another substantial contribution but fell for 30 off 15 balls to a sharp caught-and-bowled dismissal off the first delivery bowled by Russell in the match.
Despite being hampered by what appeared to be an ankle injury, Australian captain Aaron Finch sought to keep his team in the hunt. However when he fell for what proved a topscore of 34 to Hayden Walsh via an outstanding catch by Fabian Allen at long-on in the tenth over, the innings gradually ran out of steam.
