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The Twenty20 series against the West Indies may be lost but some of Australia's best players have lifted their form after a poor start.
It's been a case of better late than never for some of Australia's big guns as they gain momentum in the latter stages of the five-match Twenty20 international cricket series against West Indies in St Lucia.
After losing the first three games, Australia won the fourth and will seek to close out the series with another victory in the final match on Saturday (AEST).
Captain Aaron Finch went into the series without several of his star players including David Warner, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith.
Proven players Finch, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa all struggled to make a mark in the early matches, but have improved as the series progressed.
Opener Finch was dismissed for four and six in his first two innings, made 30 in his third and scored 53 off 37 balls in his fourth and most authoritative knock of the series, adding 114 for the second wicket with Mitchell Marsh.
"Finchy tonight was certainly back to the Finchy we all know and absolutely smacked them which is great to see and hopefully he can carry on for the rest of the tour," said Marsh, Australia's leading run scorer and wicket-taker.
Leg spinner Zampa had gone wicketless through the first three games, bowling 10 overs for 93 runs before he bowled Evin Lewis in game four.
He added the wicket of Andre Fletcher and conceded just 20 runs in a match-turning spell.
Left-arm paceman Starc also had a lean start taking 1-89 from eight expensive overs across the first two games.
He conceded just 15 runs from his four over stint in game three and while he was more expensive in his first three overs in the fourth match, delivered the goods at the death.
With West Indies needing 11 to win from the final over and Andre Russell taking strike, Starc produced fast, full accurate deliveries to prevent the noted power hitter from smashing much needed boundaries.
He declined opportunities to take a single off the first three balls and was only able to clear the boundary off the last, by which time Australia was safe.
"Those moments there, that's the ultimate," Marsh said.
"Playing cricket for your country Mitchell Starc versus Andre Russell, two of the best in the world at what they do, needing 11 to win.
"That's why you play, we love that stuff.
"It was awesome, Starcy really stepped up.
"We've got a lot of young bowlers that will look at that tonight and aspire to be like that.
"He (Starc) is a great leader. He's a great white ball bowler, so we're very lucky to have him and it was awesome to watch that last over."
