KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Mitchell Owen celebrated his first appearance for the national team with a half-century and a wicket, contributing to Australia's three-wicket victory in the opening match of the Twenty20 cricket series against the West Indies.
Owen formed an 80-run partnership for the fifth wicket in 40 balls with Cameron Green, who scored 51 off 26 deliveries, helping Australia achieve the winning target of 190 with seven balls remaining on Sunday.
After being sent to bat and beginning strongly, the West Indies was limited to 189-8 after losing four wickets for just five runs in the final nine balls.
Australian fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis achieved a career-high performance of 4-36, capturing three wickets within four deliveries — Jason Holder avoided a hat-trick ball but was dismissed on the following delivery — during the penultimate over of the West Indies' innings.
The leading four West Indies batsmen all managed to get off to strong starts, as Roston Chase scored 60 runs from 32 balls before being caught in the deep by Dwarshuis' bowling, ending a 91-run second-wicket stand with Shai Hope (55) in the 13th over.
Another win has given Australia,following a 3-0 victory in the test series, an early advantage in the five-match T20 series.
Owen, a Tasmanian all-rounder, successfully opened the batting for the Hobart Hurricanes in the local T20 league during the previous season, and he became one of the Australians, alongside David Warner and Ricky Ponting, to achieve a half-century on their debut in this format.
First and foremost, happy we secured the victory — it was good to be able to help," he stated. "It's just pleasant to be recognized alongside those top-tier players.
Owen's innings
The 23-year-old all-rounder's first boundary came as a six straight down the ground against Andre Russell in a match featuring a player making their international debut against a seasoned athlete playing what was likely their final game. He also hit the last ball of that over for six.
Owen scored three sixes off Akeal Hosein's delivery, which resulted in 20 runs, and there was a missed catch when the batsman was at 26.
He narrowly escaped being dismissed on 42. Owen was at the non-striker's end and had left his crease when Cameron Green struck a drive directly back down the pitch, which passed through spinner Gudakesh Motie's hands and struck the stumps. Following an extended pause to review with ultra-edge technology, there was no indication of any contact from Motie, and the umpires ruled that Owen was not out.
Green hit six and a boundary off 25 balls later in the same over, scoring 50, but was dismissed on the next ball, caught deep by Motie.
Owen managed to score 50 runs from 27 balls before getting caught by Alzarri Joseph in the deep, while Australia required 15 runs from 21 deliveries and had four wickets remaining to secure a win.
Key wicket
Shimron Hetmyer hit Owen's initial delivery in international cricket — during the 16th over of the game — over his left shoulder for a six in an amazing way. However, the young Australian secured his first wicket two balls later when Hope poorly struck a slower ball and was caught in the deep following four boundaries and three sixes in a 39-ball innings.
Fantastic," said Australia's captain Mitch Marsh regarding Owen's debut. "Whenever a young player steps in and performs that well in his first game for Australia, it's always very exciting.
I'm certain there will be many people — I believe it's mid-morning where I'm from — who saw that and will be very enthusiastic. So we're excited for him.
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