Australia vs West Indies, 3rd ODI Match Preview

Australia and the West Indies face each other in the inconsequential third ODI on Tuesday, February 6, at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.

The West Indies put on a determined show during the Test series against Australia and avoided a series defeat. They remarkably won the second Test in Gabba by eight runs to level the series 1-1. A lot was expected from the West Indies team in the ODI series but they have failed to pose much of a challenge against Steven Smith and Co.

In the first ODI, Shai Hope's men were bundled out for 231 in Melbourne before the hosts put on a solid display with the bat and picked up an eight-wicket win, finishing the game with 69 balls to spare. The second ODI was played in Sydney, on a pitch which wasn't the easiest to bat on. Australia put on 258/9 in their 50 overs before bundling the visitors out for 175.

Keacy Carty's performance in the first two games has been the only silver lining for the West Indies so far. The 26-year-old scored 88 off 108 balls in the first ODI and 40 off 51 balls in the second. He is the leading run-getter in the series thus far. Meanwhile, Cameron Green is the top run-getter for the Aussies, having played impressive knocks of 77 not out and 33 in the two innings.

Sean Abbott has delivered a couple of fine performances with the ball, having picked up five wickets. He also made a crucial half-century in the second ODI. The 31-year-old will look to continue contributing to his team in the absence of some of the star pacers like Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. For West Indies, Alzarri Joseph's spell with the new ball will be crucial and Gudakesh Motie will have to control the middle overs.

Manuka Oval Pitch Report

The last ODI played at this venue was in December 2020 between India and Australia. The Men in Blue scored 302/5 in the first innings before dismissing the Aussies for 289. South Africa posted the highest total at this venue when they amassed 411/4 in 50 overs versus Ireland in 2015. Australia's highest score at this venue is 378/5 and they posted this against New Zealand in 2016. Meanwhile, West Indies put on 372/2 against Zimbabwe in 2015 when Chris Gayle became the first West Indies batter to score an ODI double-century.

The average first innings score at the venue is 300, which indicates that the fans could witness a high-scoring clash. There is, however, a 20 percent chance of rain. The humidity is expected to be in the 90s. Nine out of ten matches have been won by the team winning the toss at the Manuka Oval.

AUS vs WI Probable Playing XI

Australia:

Travis Head was pulled out of the squad ahead of the second ODI and Jase Fraser-McGurk got an opportunity to make a debut. However, he was dismissed for a five-ball 10. He would love to showcase his talent in the third game. With the series already in the bag, Josh Hazlewood could be rested and Spencer Johnson, who has specifically been called up for the third ODI, could get a go. Xavier Bartlett had a great start to his international career, as he picked up a four-for in the first game. However, he was rested for the second to manage his workload. He should walk back into the XI.

Predicted XI: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis (WK), Cameron Green, Steve Smith (C), Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Short, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa, Xavier Barlett/Spencer Johnson

West Indies:

Captain Shai Hope who has been in decent form over the past two years will shoulder the responsibility of anchoring the batting line-up. With a blend of new faces and seasoned campaigners, West Indies will look up to Hope, alongside the likes of Alzarri Joseph and Romario Shepherd, to lead their bowling arsenal.

Predicted XI: Alick Athanaze, Justin Greaves, Kjorn Ottley, Shai Hope (wk/c), Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Oshane Thomas

AUS vs WI ODIs Head-to-Head Records:

AUS vs WI, 3rd ODI Broadcast details: