World Cup 2019: Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc Shine In Australia’s Close Win Over West Indies

Share this story






Nathan Coulter-Nile’s record-breaking innings laid the platform for Australia’s 15-run victory over the West Indies on Thursday as the World Cup holders bounced back from a top-order collapse to make it two successive wins. Australia were in dire straits at 38 for four after the West Indies fast bowlers proved too hot to handle early on at Trent Bridge. But Coulter-Nile’s career-best 92 — the highest score by any number eight batsman or lower in a World Cup — helped take them to 288 all out.

He carried on a recovery started by former skipper Steve Smith (73), with the pair bailing Australia out in a stand of 102 in 89 balls.

West Indies, despite a painstaking 68 from opener Shai Hope and 51 from captain Jason Holder finished on 273 for nine.

Australia were now 26 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 roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

West Indies, however, suffered a huge setback when Hope chipped a Pat Cummins slower ball to mid-on.

He completed a run-a-ball fifty but trying to take on Starc, rather than wait to attack Australia’s lesser bowlers, he was caught at short fine leg as the West Indies’ hopes faded.