Morris’ Test tour in doubt after untimely injury as Australia’s rout of ’embarrassing’ Windies sets woeful new record

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An injury blow for quick Lance Morris tarnished an impressive bowling display from Australia as they obliterated the West Indies in Canberra in the shortest ODI ever played in this country.

The hosts tore through their woeful opponents at Manuka Oval and dismissed them for a dismal 86 in the 25th over before racing to the victory target to at least give the fans some value for their money with power hitting from Jake Fraser-McGurk and Josh Inglis.

Australia wrapped up the match inside just eight overs for the loss of two wickets to seal a 3-0 clean sweep of the 50-over series.

It was the shortest completed ODI match in Australia, beating the previous record of 33.1 overs when the Windies were rolled for 70 at the WACA in 2017.

West Indies lost a staggering 6-15 this time around to slump to their second-lowest score ever in one-dayers against Australia.

But it came at a cost for the home side, with Morris leaving the field midway through an over with a side strain that will see him sent for scans.

Lance Morris has left the field midway through his over – let’s hope he’s ok #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/VG5Uf8qbMI

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 6, 2024

Morris was playing just his second ODI and had looked threatening with the ball, taking his first two international wickets in his side’s stifling performance.

He is likely to be selected for the upcoming tour of New Zealand and would be an outside chance to make his Test debut if one of the frontline quicks was unavailable as back-up seamer Scott Boland has been struggling with a knee problem.

Morris wasn’t the only Australian in hot form in the national captital with Xavier Bartlett continuing his stunning start to time in the one-day side with a quality 4-21.

That backed up his brilliant 4-17 in Friday’s series-opening game in Melbourne.

Fraser-McGurk barely played a defensive shot as he tried to reach or clear the boundary from pretty much every delivery he faced.

The 21-year-old opener departed in the fifth over for 41 from just the 18th ball he faced when he spooned a catch to mid-on off Alzarri Joseph, who had engaged in a verbal battle with the young power hitter as he showed little respect to the new-ball bowlers.

Lance Morris celebrates after taking the wicket of Keacy Carty. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

He hit five fours and three towering sixes during his whirlwind display while Inglis also hurtled along at a strike rate of more than two runs per delivery.

Inglis finished unbeaten on 35 from just 16 with four boundaries and a six while emerging all-rounder Aaron Hardie nicked off for two runs to Oshane Thomas within touching distance of the target.

The Windies’ woeful efforts with the bat were described as “not even close to international standard” by Australian legend Mark Waugh on Fox Cricket’s commentary.

“It was embarrassing, to be honest,” he said. “It was a good batting track. There was a bit of swing around early with the humidity but that’s not good enough. Individually, those batsmen have got to have a look at themselves.”

West Indies were a fraction unlucky to be trapped at 2-38 in the 11th over as Australia’s quicks made early inroads.

Kjorn Ottley (eight) was given out lbw to Bartlett and didn’t review his dismissal, despite getting what looked like a massive inside-edge onto his pad.

And Marnus Labuschagne then produced a screamer of a catch at point to get rid of Keacy Carty (10) for Morris’ first ODI wicket.

Fraser-McGurk with a CLEAN strike ????

???? Watch #AUSvWI on Ch. 501 or stream via @kayosports https://t.co/TdWj8lVdhF
BLOG https://t.co/ZS6mnUQKTk
???? MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/5bRrGrIHKN pic.twitter.com/ubvSn7OxEf

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) February 6, 2024

But that was where the fight ended for the tourists with the bat.

Captain Shai Hope (four) and debutant Teddy Bishop (zero) fell in quick succession as their innings crashed to 4-44, while a rank shot from Alick Athanaze saw him go soon after for 32.

Opening bat Athanaze was the only West Indian to show genuine grit at the crease and would be disappointed with his poor dismissal, spooning Adam Zampa to deep backward square.

As if things weren’t bad enough, a calamitous piece of running that saw Matthew Forde slip over and dismissed by more than half the pitch contributed to their abysmal late collapse.

with AAP

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