Coulter-Nile, Starc help Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs

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Coulter-Nile, Starc help Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs
Australia's Mitchell Starc celebrates with Adam Zampa and teammates after taking the wicket of West Indies' Jason Holder (Reuters)

London - Nathan Coulter-Nile (92) hammered the best World Cup score by a number eight as Australia recovered from 38 for four to post 288 all out

By AFP

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Published: Thu 6 Jun 2019, 9:56 PM

Last updated: Fri 7 Jun 2019, 12:07 AM

Australia extended their 100 percent start to their World Cup title defence with a 15-run win against the West Indies at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
Nathan Coulter-Nile (92) hammered the best World Cup score by a number eight as Australia recovered from 38 for four to post 288 all out.
Pace bowler Mitchell Starc took five wickets as Australia survived a tense run-chase, featuring 68 from Shai Hope and 51 from Jason Holder, to restrict the West Indies to 273 for nine and make it two successive victories.
Earlier, Coulter-Nile hit 92 as champions Australia staged a remarkable rally.
Australia were in dire straits at 38 for four following an aggressive start by the West Indies' quicks.
But they finished on 288 all out after former captain Steve Smith (73), who put on 102 for the seventh wicket with Coulter-Nile, began the repair job.
"It was the sort of wicket where you have to take your time and get used to the bounce. Some balls seemed to rear up and the short balls felt really quick. I don't know if it's the pitch or their bowlers," said Coulter-Nile, who was dropped on 61 by Shimron Hetmyer.
The West Indies had bounced out Pakistan for just 105 when winning their tournament opener at Nottinghamshire's headquarters last week and adopted similar tactics after captain Jason Holder won the toss on a sunny day.
Oshane Thomas struck first when Australia captain Aaron Finch (six) was caught behind off a lifting delivery.
David Warner (three) was then caught at backward point off Sheldon Cottrell that saw the left-arm quick - still a member of the Jamaica Defence Force - celebrate with his trademark salute.
Australia were now 21 for two, with boos ringing out as Warner walked off and Smith walked on - a now familiar response by crowds in England to the pair having only recently returned from year-long bans for their part in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
Usman Khawaja was twice hit on the body on Thursday before he edged an edge off Andre Russell was brilliantly caught one-handed by diving wicket-keeper Shai Hope.
Australia's 36 for three was quickly transformed into 38 for four when Glenn Maxwell was out for a second-ball duck, a top-edged skyed hook off a Cottrell bouncer comfortably held by Hope.
Left-hander Alex Carey (45) gave Smith some sound support in a stand of 68 before he was caught behind off Russell.
Smith had a lucky break, on 26, he top-edged a hook off West Indies captain Jason Holder only for Cottrell at long leg to slip and fall over as he eyed a catch.
His patient innings ended when he flicked Thomas high towards deep backward square only for Cottrell, skirting the boundary, to grab the ball one-handed, throw it back into the field of play as he stepped over the rope - thereby avoiding a six - and complete a sensational catch without touching the rope.
But Coulter-Nile cashed in as he surpassed his previous international best of 34.
His blistering assault off 60 balls featuring eight fours and four sixes also saw him beat former Zimbabwe international Heath Streak's previous World Cup best by a No 8 of 72.
But in sight of the all-time one-day international high score by a No 8 - 95 not out by England's Chris Woakes - he drove Carlos Brathwaite to Holder at long-off. 
 


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