Tim David produced a brutal display of hitting with Australia’s fastest T20I century from 37 balls as the visitors surged to a series-winning victory by chasing 215 with a massive 23 deliveries to spare on a boundary-filled night in St Kitts.

Shai Hope’s maiden T20I century, in which he formed an opening stand of 125 with Brandon King, helped West Indies post 214 for 4 and when Australia wobbled on 87 for 4 in the ninth over, the target was a considerable distance off.

However, David produced a breathtaking performance which rewrote the record books with firstly Australia’s fastest fifty from 16 deliveries, and then the century mark with the boundary that also brought victory. In all he plundered 11 sixes in his maiden T20 century.

Mitchell Owen, in his first international series, played his part with 36 off 16 balls in a fifth-wicket stand of 128 from just 46 balls.

This was only the eighth time in his 42 T20I innings for Australia that David had batted higher than No. 6 when he walked out following a scratchy innings from captain Mitchell Marsh. He was 15 off seven balls when he faced up to Gudakesh Motie in the 10th over and collected four consecutive sixes.

In the next over from Akeal Hosein he added two more, with a boundary between them taking him to fifty off 16 balls. Such was his focus and confidence of match-ups, that he turned down a single in Roston Chase’s only over so he could retain the strike against the offspinner and proceeded to take three further sixes as the chase quickly came down towards a run-a-ball. Numerous times the umpires needed to call for the replacement box of balls with a few souvenirs now lying outside Warner Park for anyone who wanted to have a look.

The game was probably gone from West Indies, but they gave David a life on 90 when King dropped a sitter at deep midwicket. After that, the only slight danger to the century record was whether Owen would finish the game first. But despite Owen being handed a six when Rovman Powell stepped on the rope taking a catch at long-on, David wasn’t denied and comfortably eclipsed the previous record of 43 balls set by Josh Inglis against Scotland last year.

West Indies’ captain put together a top-class innings to dominate the home side’s display, becoming just the second West Indian after Chris Gayle to have centuries across all formats. He was a little sluggish initially and was 5 off seven balls before finding his first boundary but from there was in control throughout. He hit his stride by taking advantage of Glenn Maxwell’s powerplay over with a four and consecutive sixes, and then put Owen out of the ground – the first, but not last instance of that for the night.

Hope’s fifty came from 26 balls – with King’s following off 30 deliveries – and he then motored towards three figures including consecutive sixes off Adam Zampa. However, it took him eight balls to go from 92 to his century, reaching from 55 deliveries, as Australia again bowled well in the closing overs.

As well as West Indies started, there was always a question of how many would be enough on the postage stamp ground where mis-hits would sail for six. After the opening stand of 125 was broken they also struggled to really put their foot down in the latter stages of the innings with overs 15 to 18 providing 36 runs. Sherfane Rutherford produced an especially momentum-sapping 12 off 13 balls.

In a game where the ball was regularly flying over the rope, Sean Abbott’s figures stood out like a beacon. Having been recalled in place of Matt Kuhnemann, he finished with 4-0-21-0 including 14 dot balls. He bowled two inside the powerplay for 11, a third in the midst of the King-Hope stand which cost just three in the ninth over then his last in the 17th.

As so often, Nathan Ellis also played his part by conceding just six off the 18th over as Hope and Rutherford became stuck in the closing overs. Australia were not blemish-free in the field, particularly around the boundary, but David’s display meant it barely mattered.

Brief scores:
Australia 215 for 4 in 16.1 overs  (Mitchell Marsh 22, Glenn Maxwell 20, Josh Inglis 15, Cameron Green 11, Tim David 102*, Mitchell Owen 36;  Jason Holder 1-35, Romario Shepherd 2-39)  beat West Indies 214 for 4 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 102*, Brandon King 62, Sherfane Rutherford 12; Nathan Ellis 1-37, Adam Zampa 1-51, Mitchell Owen 1-23)  by six wickets

[Cricinfo]