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Aussies saving best for last: Bailey

Batsman hopes Australia will peak when it matters most in the ODI tri-series final

After three weeks of mixed results, vice-captain George Bailey is hoping Australia have saved their best performance of this Qantas Tour of the West Indies for the ODI tri-series final on Monday morning (AEST).

Bailey freely admits the Aussies have been below their best during the series against the West Indies and South Africa, having recorded two narrow victories, two losses and one convincing win over the Windies, which came in their opening game of the tournament.

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Australia have misfired in most areas of the game at least once during the series and their fielding, the final 15 overs with the bat, and the first 10 with the ball have all been criticised throughout the tour.

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But the shortcomings will largely be forgotten if they triumph at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Monday.

"I still don't think we've played a really great game of cricket," Bailey said after an extended fielding session at the picturesque 3Ws Oval, the resting place of Windies legends Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Clyde Walcott, four kilometres north of Kensington Oval on the south-west coast of the island.

"It was nice to get a win (in the final preliminary game) and have a couple of days off. We came here to play in a final so we're pretty happy we've ticked that off.

"I guess (the inconsistent results) shows the quality of opposition and I don't think you play the great all-round game all that often.

"But certainly in terms of this tri-series and the way this tournament has been building, to have that up our sleeve for a final will be great.

"Individuals have played really well, there's just a few little things we're trying to do as a team (that aren't working).

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"There's been plenty of good things, but not really a really defining game for us.

"The nature of this team and the nature of the individuals, even watching that little session there, there's a fair bit of aggro going on.

"There's some competitive boys and we like to win."

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One of Australia's most discussed weaknesses on this tour has been their work in the field and the players were put through an three-hour fielding drill early on Friday morning (AEST), following on from their long fielding session at Kensington Oval last week.

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Coach Justin Langer and captain Steve Smith have both spoken about Australia's catching and throwing shortcomings during the series, while Glenn Maxwell lamented his own performance following their win over the Windies this week.

"People like myself, Steve Smith, Aaron Finch, we've got to set the standard for the rest," Maxwell said after he missed two chances on the boundary line late in the West Indies innings.

"We've always spoken about the bowlers creating the energy, but I think our fielders have to be up as well and help out the bowlers a bit.

"And I don't think we've had that so far throughout the tournament. I think we've been pretty average in the field, if we're honest."

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Langer and his assistant coaches led a long and varied session of throwing and catching drills at the 3Ws Oval, located on the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies and home to the West Indies Cricket Walk of Fame.

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Bailey was hopeful the side's energy in the field would improve for the series decider, where they will play the winner of the match between the Windies and South Africa on Saturday morning (AEST).

"Whenever you take David Warner out of the team, I don't care who you bring in, I'm not sure your fielding is ever going to get better," Bailey said of the injured left-handed opener, who was ruled out of the series due to a finger injury.

"It's a funny one, fielding. I think the more you talk about it and the more you make it an issue, the more it tends to effect teams.

"Today was just a real focus on basics and volumes and starting to get guys to just do enough of something so you get confident.

"There's two parts to it; are you a really good fielding side who aren't fielding well, or do you have a couple of weakness in the field and you've got to get smarter about where you get those guys and how you position yourselves?

"It's about doing the basics really, really well."