Windies claim Twenty20 victory

Dwayne Bravo guided West Indies home with 28 from just 15 balls © Getty Images

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Xavier Marshall and Dwayne Bravo’s explosive innings paved the way for West Indies to post a thrilling win over Australia in the first ever Twenty20 International to be played in the Caribbean.

Marshall set the tone for a breathless Windies display with a quickfire 36 off 15 balls at the start of the match to set the hosts on their way to a seven-wicket win.

Australia managed 97 for three in a match reduced to 11 overs a side because of rain, and Marshall’s knock, backed up by captain Bravo’s equally swashbuckling 28, ensured the hosts wrapped up victory in just 9.1 overs.

The 22-year-old Marshall served notice of his intentions with a six off the first ball of the Windies innings, but better was to come from the opener, who crunched two further maximums to move onto 21 runs off just eight deliveries.

The hosts were cantering on 51 without loss after three overs but over-excitement started to get the better of their top order and some needless dismissals took the gloss off their performance.

First Marshall was run out by Shane Watson attempting a quick single, while William Perkins went for nine in similar circumstances in the next over to leave the Windies on 59 for two.

But these losses never looked like derailing the Windies charge, and Bravo’s 28 from 15 balls sealed the win inside 10 overs, the skipper racking up the winning runs with his third six of the match.

Earlier, Shaun Marsh announced his arrival in international cricket with a straight six off Jerome Taylor in the first over of the visitors’ innings.

Luke Ronchi joined in the fun taking a six and two fours of Taylor’s next over.

He continued his assault the next over, striking three boundaries off spinner Sulieman Benn - though he was helped by the field placings of Bravo, who seemed unaware that, with the overs reduced, the powerplay period was already up.

Local favourite Kemar Roach almost took a wicket with his first legitimate ball in international cricket.

After serving up a no-ball beamer which Marsh gloved for four, he produced a vicious bouncer which Ronchi could only fend behind, but Denesh Ramdin could not cling on.

The 19-year-old did get his wicket with the final delivery of the over though as Ronchi (36 off 22) drove the ball into the hands of Taylor at long off to leave Australia 57 for one off six.

He claimed a second, too, thanks to a stunning catch in the deep from Marshall, who plucked the ball out of the air - and somehow stopped himself from going over the rope - to remove Marsh (29 off 22).

David Hussey followed for a duck thanks to Bravo, but Shane Watson (17 from 15) and Cameron White (10 from six) added some late runs to boost Australia’s total, which never looked like being quite enough.