Nathan Coulter-Nile’s 92 before a five-wicket haul by Mitchell Starc helped Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Thursday.
Chasing a moderate total of 289, the West Indies faced a hiccup as Pat Cummins dismissed Evin Lewis cheaply for one. This dismissal led to a series of reviews taken by Chris Gayle.
On the fifth ball of the third over, Mitchell Starc got rid of Gayle to which umpire raised his finger but Gayle immediately reviewed it and got his first lifeline.
After a wide, on the sixth ball, Starc nailed a yorker and Gayle was judged out. However, he again reviewed it and again survived again. Starc returned in the fifth over and on the penultimate over got Gayle (21) leg-before. Gayle, however, reviewed for the third time and the replay showed the ball clipping leg stump. On umpire’s call, Gayle was sent back to the pavilion.
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But a television review showed that Starc had overstepped on the fourth ball and if the umpire had clearly judged it a no-ball, the wicket delivery would have been a free hit.
Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran re-build the run-chase, adding 68 for the third wicket. Adam Zampa got a breakthrough for Australia as he dismissed Pooran (40). Hope found support in Shimron Hetmyer but Pat Cummins and Glenn Maxwell nailed a run-out, ending the 50-run partnership. Hope asked Hetmyer (21) not to take a single but he was way out of non-striker’s end and lost his wicket, leaving the Caribbean side at 149/4.
Hope formed a brief 41-run stand with skipper Jason Holder before Cummins got rid of Hope for well-compiled 68. Andre Russell came out and started hitting from ball one. But Starc had other plans as he dismissed big-hitter Russell (15) and Carlos Brathwaite (16) in quick succession. An on-fire Starc returned and bagged the wicket of West Indies skipper Holder (51), who got two lifelines on as many reviews when he was on seven and 23, respectively. Starc collected his fifth wicket of the day as he bowled Sheldon Cottrell (1). West Indies fell 15 runs short of the target but retained their review.
Earlier, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Steve Smith dragged Australia to post 288 after sent to bat first. West Indies’ Brathwaite was the pick of the bowlers for returning with figures 3-67. Australia faced an early blow as they lost skipper Aaron Finch and David Warner in the gap of nine deliveries. Oshane Thomas got Finch caught behind for six, while Sheldon Cottrell dismissed Warner cheaply for three as the Australian gave a catch to Shimron Hetmyer at backward point.
Charged up West Indies rattled the Australian middle-order, leaving the Finch-led side at 79/5. Andre Russell got Usman Khawaja (13) caught behind, which was a screamer completed by Shai Hope with one hand. Cottrell returned to pick his second wicket in the name of Glenn Maxwell for a two-ball duck. And Marcus Stoinis (19) became a wicket for the West Indies’ skipper Jason Holder. Smith and Alex Carey recovered the sinking Australian side. However, Russell returned and broke a 68-run stand for the sixth wicket. The West Indies’ paceman sent Carey back to the pavilion after a well-compiled 45 off 55 balls. Coulter-Nile joined Smith and surprised the spectators with their 102-run partnership.
Thomas got rid of the much-needed wicket of Smith for 73. The right-hander played high over the backward square but the marching-man Cottrell sprint along the rope moving left and got the ball with his left hand, flicking it in the air before stepping over the rope and reclaimed it after getting inside the field of play. At this time, Australia were at 249/7. Brathwaite got the big wicket of Coulter-Nile, who registered the highest score of 92 by a number eight in the World Cup. The fast bowler then wrapped by Australians on 288 in 49 overs, leaving Zampa stranded on zero without facing a ball.
Australia will next face India on June 9 at The Oval, while the West Indies will take on South Africa on June 10 at Hampshire Bowl.
Brief scores:
Australia 288 (N Coulter-Nile 92, S Smith 73, C Brathwaite 3-67, A Russell 2-41) beat West Indies 273/9 (S Hope 68, J Holder 51, M Starc 5-46) by 15 runs.