Australia beat West Indies helped by Starc’s 5-46

 

Cricket ICC World Cup 10 of 48

Australia 288 (49 ov) Coulter-Nile 92 off 60, 8 fours , 4 sixes, Smith 73 off 103, 7 fours, C Brathwaite 3-67

West Indies 273/9 (50 ov) Hope 68 off 105, 7 fours, Holder 51poff 57, 7 fours, 1 six, Starc 5-46, Cummins 2-41

West Indies won the toss and elected to field first.

Australia won by 15 runs

Australia were going down at one point with an awful start as West Indies pace attack reduced the defending champions to 38-4 and 79-5.

Australia were rescued by Steve smith who made 73, and was dismissed by the incredible boundary catch by Sheldon Cottrell.

As Smith was out, Nathan Coulter-Nile batting at number eight, did a power hitting 60-ball 92 that lifted Australia to 288 all out.

Chris Gayle perished making only21, West Indies were anchored by Shai Hope’s 68.

The chase was ultimately left to captain Jason Holder, both he and Carlos Brathwaite fell in the same over from Mitchell Starc whose 5-46 restricted West Indies to 273-9 and was short 15 runs short.

Cottrell, Oshane Thomas and Andre Russell skilfully and aggressively bowled bouncers but were unlucky not to restrict Australia.

Usman Khawaja has been hit three time by the time he backed off and was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Hope off Russell, Marcus Stoinis pulled Holder to mid-wicket, Australia were in tatters.

Australia Join New Zealand on two wins from two matches with 4 points each and move on to play India on Sunday.

West Indies with one win and one defeat face South Africa on Monday.