Australia win toss, bowl against West Indies in T20
Captain Mitch Marsh opted to give his revamped batting line-up a run chase at Sabina Park in Kingston.
Power hitter Mitch Owen will make his Australian debut batting in the middle order in the first game of the five-match series.
The Australians have also summoned Jake Fraser-McGurk to open the innings after the 23-year-old was initially overlooked for the tour.
Fraser-McGurk was called up when paceman Spencer Johnson (back) was ruled out.
Now, a side strain to incumbent opener Matt Short, who is returning home, has gifted opportunity to Fraser-McGurk, who averages 16.14 from seven T20 internationals.
Australia's regular middle-order blaster Tim David has been rested for the fixture while recovering from a hamstring strain sustained in the IPL, with Cooper Connolly to bat at seven.
Teams:
Australia: Mitch Marsh (capt), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa.
West Indies: Shai Hope (capt), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Aussie starlet makes swift exit from US Open warm-up
Maya Joint's first match as she builds up to the US Open has ended in disappointment, being well beaten by Canada's Leylah Fernandez in the DC Open. Australia's teenage starlet lost 6-3 6-3 in one hour 20 minutes on a baking 30C degree day in Washington. Joint will be going to Flushing Meadows amid raised expectations after an impressive first half of the season - and the knowledge that last year she came through qualifying and reached the second round in New York. Defeat robbed her of useful match practice on the hardcourts but having been born in Michigan and lived there until she was 16 the 19-year-old is well versed on the surface in north America. It is a measure of her progress that this time last year Joint was playing WTA 125s and ITF events in Europe. She then played a couple of ITFs in America before entering US Open qualifying. This year she will gain direct entry to the main draw at at Flushing Meadow having risen 97 places in a year to 38th in the world. Fernandez is ranked two places higher, but the gap looked bigger as she dominated their first meeting on a very sparsely attended Stadium court. Perhaps deflated by the lack of atmosphere Joint rarely troubled her 22-year-old opponent, forcing one break point, which she failed to take. Fernandez, who reached the US Open final in 2021 but has only won one main draw match in New York since, was ahead on most metrics, notably serving in which she hit five aces to Joint's none, while the Australian double-faulted five times and the Canadian twice. Joint is the only Australian in the WTA 500 event, which has Americans Jessica Pegula, who Fernandez will now play, and Emma Navarro as top seeds. The main attractions, though, are the returning Venus Williams and two-time US Open champ Naomi Osaka, both of whom start their campaign on Tuesday. Williams has added her name to the US Open mixed doubles list, paired with Reilly Opelka, with Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova also putting her name forward partnering Holger Rune. As they suggested at Wimbledon, Alex de Minaur and his fiancee Katie Boulter have also entered the new-style format. There are now 25 duos on the entry list with the deadline a week away. The top eight pairs with the highest combined singles rankings will gain entry along with eight wild-card partnerships. The latter could include Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios who have applied. Meanwhile, in Europe, Astra Sharma lost in the first round of the WTA 250 in Prague, beaten 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 by American ninth seed Ann Li. Other seeds Rebecca Sramkova (2), Marie Bouzkova (5) and Alycia Parks (8) also went through.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Blackburn's pride at inclusion among Bulldogs' greats
AFLW star Ellie Blackburn can't hide her emotion at being named one of the Western Bulldogs' greatest players of the last century. An elite group of 25 - featuring the likes of Ted Whitten, Doug Hawkins and modern champion Marcus Bontempelli - was honoured as part of the club's AFL/VFL centenary celebrations. A three-time All-Australian, five-time best-and-fairest winner and 2018 premiership captain, Blackburn was the only female player on the list. "It's pretty incredible to be acknowledged and recognised amongst the club's history in that form," Blackburn said. "I'm so proud to be in that position and really humbled by it. "It was one of those moments that I didn't expect to happen and caught me off guard a little bit. "But I've been quite emotional thinking about it and what it means to me and my loved ones as well. It's really special." Blackburn, 30, has recovered after missing most of last season with a foot injury and will be key to the Bulldogs' finals chances in 2025. "It was challenging in a different way, missing games for the first time in my career," Blackburn said. "To be back and ready to be playing footy, I'm just looking forward to getting out there in round one. It will be lots of fun. "You won't be able to wipe the smile off my face running out again." Melbourne visit the Bulldogs at Whitten Oval on August 16 in the two teams' season opener. The league's oldest rivalry - forged between the clubs with a series of exhibition matches before AFLW's 2017 inception - is back after a year off, after the fixture list didn't pit the two clubs against each other in 2024. Blackburn called on league officials to make the Hampson-Hardeman Cup fixture an annual event. "I'm very pleased it's back. It's part of women's footy," Blackburn said. "It's a long-standing tradition now between our two football clubs and two teams that really invested in women's footy right from the get-go. "It's one of those games that we do love having and I don't think necessarily just for our two teams and our clubs - it's for footy fans and women's footy fans in general. "It holds a special place for all of us."
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Opals finally strike gold to end Asia Cup anguish
With a first Asia Cup title under now their belt, the Opals can turn their attention to next year's Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany full of confidence. At the fifth time of asking, a new-look squad finally stood atop the podium on Sunday night in China. After topping Group A with three wins and then beating South Korea in the semi-finals, the Australians proved too strong for the second time in a matter of days against Japan at Shenzhen Sports Centre. The 88-79 victory over the world No.9 Japanese, shock winners over hosts China in their semi, finally clinched the gold medal after a 2017 silver and bronze in the next three editions. "Really happy and proud of the team for their efforts this whole week," Opals coach Paul Goriss said. "We knew coming in that Japan had a huge win ... against China and that they're going to be a formidable opponent. "I think that our team and the players really bought into the game-plan." Alex Wilson provided the spark for the world's second-ranked Opals, the 31-year-old spearheading a decisive late fourth-quarter 12-2 run for an 85-75 advantage. One day before her 24th birthday, Townsville Fire forward Alex Fowler top-scored for Australia with 15 points, pulled down six rebounds and went on to earn the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. Point guard Stephanie Reid added 13 points in the championship match while centre Zitina Aukoso went close to a double-double with 11 points and eight boards. Superstar guard Kokoro Tanaka led Japan with 21 points, 19 of which came in the opening term. The Opals join hosts Germany, AmeriCup winners the USA and EuroBasket champions Belgium as automatic qualifiers for the expanded 16-team September 2026 World Cup in Berlin, after a 24-team qualifying tournament takes place in March. With a first Asia Cup title under now their belt, the Opals can turn their attention to next year's Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany full of confidence. At the fifth time of asking, a new-look squad finally stood atop the podium on Sunday night in China. After topping Group A with three wins and then beating South Korea in the semi-finals, the Australians proved too strong for the second time in a matter of days against Japan at Shenzhen Sports Centre. The 88-79 victory over the world No.9 Japanese, shock winners over hosts China in their semi, finally clinched the gold medal after a 2017 silver and bronze in the next three editions. "Really happy and proud of the team for their efforts this whole week," Opals coach Paul Goriss said. "We knew coming in that Japan had a huge win ... against China and that they're going to be a formidable opponent. "I think that our team and the players really bought into the game-plan." Alex Wilson provided the spark for the world's second-ranked Opals, the 31-year-old spearheading a decisive late fourth-quarter 12-2 run for an 85-75 advantage. One day before her 24th birthday, Townsville Fire forward Alex Fowler top-scored for Australia with 15 points, pulled down six rebounds and went on to earn the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. Point guard Stephanie Reid added 13 points in the championship match while centre Zitina Aukoso went close to a double-double with 11 points and eight boards. Superstar guard Kokoro Tanaka led Japan with 21 points, 19 of which came in the opening term. The Opals join hosts Germany, AmeriCup winners the USA and EuroBasket champions Belgium as automatic qualifiers for the expanded 16-team September 2026 World Cup in Berlin, after a 24-team qualifying tournament takes place in March. With a first Asia Cup title under now their belt, the Opals can turn their attention to next year's Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany full of confidence. At the fifth time of asking, a new-look squad finally stood atop the podium on Sunday night in China. After topping Group A with three wins and then beating South Korea in the semi-finals, the Australians proved too strong for the second time in a matter of days against Japan at Shenzhen Sports Centre. The 88-79 victory over the world No.9 Japanese, shock winners over hosts China in their semi, finally clinched the gold medal after a 2017 silver and bronze in the next three editions. "Really happy and proud of the team for their efforts this whole week," Opals coach Paul Goriss said. "We knew coming in that Japan had a huge win ... against China and that they're going to be a formidable opponent. "I think that our team and the players really bought into the game-plan." Alex Wilson provided the spark for the world's second-ranked Opals, the 31-year-old spearheading a decisive late fourth-quarter 12-2 run for an 85-75 advantage. One day before her 24th birthday, Townsville Fire forward Alex Fowler top-scored for Australia with 15 points, pulled down six rebounds and went on to earn the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. Point guard Stephanie Reid added 13 points in the championship match while centre Zitina Aukoso went close to a double-double with 11 points and eight boards. Superstar guard Kokoro Tanaka led Japan with 21 points, 19 of which came in the opening term. The Opals join hosts Germany, AmeriCup winners the USA and EuroBasket champions Belgium as automatic qualifiers for the expanded 16-team September 2026 World Cup in Berlin, after a 24-team qualifying tournament takes place in March. With a first Asia Cup title under now their belt, the Opals can turn their attention to next year's Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany full of confidence. At the fifth time of asking, a new-look squad finally stood atop the podium on Sunday night in China. After topping Group A with three wins and then beating South Korea in the semi-finals, the Australians proved too strong for the second time in a matter of days against Japan at Shenzhen Sports Centre. The 88-79 victory over the world No.9 Japanese, shock winners over hosts China in their semi, finally clinched the gold medal after a 2017 silver and bronze in the next three editions. "Really happy and proud of the team for their efforts this whole week," Opals coach Paul Goriss said. "We knew coming in that Japan had a huge win ... against China and that they're going to be a formidable opponent. "I think that our team and the players really bought into the game-plan." Alex Wilson provided the spark for the world's second-ranked Opals, the 31-year-old spearheading a decisive late fourth-quarter 12-2 run for an 85-75 advantage. One day before her 24th birthday, Townsville Fire forward Alex Fowler top-scored for Australia with 15 points, pulled down six rebounds and went on to earn the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. Point guard Stephanie Reid added 13 points in the championship match while centre Zitina Aukoso went close to a double-double with 11 points and eight boards. Superstar guard Kokoro Tanaka led Japan with 21 points, 19 of which came in the opening term. The Opals join hosts Germany, AmeriCup winners the USA and EuroBasket champions Belgium as automatic qualifiers for the expanded 16-team September 2026 World Cup in Berlin, after a 24-team qualifying tournament takes place in March.
