Captain Mitchell Marsh supported Adam Zampa as potentially Australia’s “most crucial” player following the leg-spinner’s costly T20I spell in the significant loss to the West Indies on February 13.
With only four specialized bowlers available, Marsh saved Zampa’s last over for the 19th of the West Indies’ first innings in Perth. However, an in-form Andre Russell capitalized on the chance, scoring 28 runs off Zampa with four sixes and a boundary, pushing his figures to 65/1, also marking his personal worst.
The leg-spinner secured a crucial wicket by dismissing Roston Chase earlier in the innings. However, Russell and Sherfane Rutherford forged the highest-ever sixth-wicket partnership, propelling the Windies from 79/5 to 220/6. The visitors successfully defended this total, winning by 37 runs.
“Any bowler that comes up against that line-up on their day, it’s hard work,” Marsh said after the match. “He bowled some really tough overs tonight. The 19th (over), it’s probably the hardest over.”
“We were banking on breaking that partnership at some stage and I held Zamps back there but unfortunately, we came off second best. Zamps is by far our most important bowler and probably our most important player in this team.”
Despite the visitors securing victory in the match, Australia claimed the series trophy with a 2-1 win
“What a servant to Australian cricket” – Mitchell Marsh views on David Warner
The series also signaled the conclusion of David Warner’s international career in Australia. The team’s upcoming international engagements include a T20I series in New Zealand and the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA.
The left-handed opener, who also received the Player of the Series award, affirmed that he was “truly done” and would retire after the World Cup.
“It’s obviously been an amazing career for him and it’s kind of fitting for him to finish the way he has,” Marsh said about Warner.
“It’ll probably go a little bit unnoticed this late in the summer, but we’ve been lucky to have him and we’re going to be lucky to have him for a few more months in the T20 team, what a servant to Australian cricket.”
Warner stands as the second-highest run-scorer for Australia in T20Is, accumulating 3067 runs at a strike rate of 142.52.
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