AUS vs WI, ICC World Cup 2019: Starc’s fifer powers Australia to 15-run win over Windies

Aussie pace spearhead Starc came back into the attack with a fiery spell to remove Andre Russell, Jason Holder and in quick succession to change the game in Australia's favour.

Mitchell Starc produced one of the most tormenting spells of fast bowling in World Cup history as he ripped through the Windies lower order to give Australia their second win in the 2019 ICC World Cup on Thursday. Defending a stiff 288-run total at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, the Windies were coasting towards the target with Shai Hope and Nicolas Pooran stitching together a resilient partnership after the initial outburst by the Australian seamers. Against the run of the play, Shimron Hetmeyer got run out which triggered off a terrible batting collapse. Skipper Jason Holder kept one end tight and piled on the runs to take Windies close to the target. However, Aussie pace spearhead Starc came back into the attack with a fiery spell to remove Andre Russell, Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite in quick succession to change the game in Australia's favour. Earlier, Australia staged a recovery on the back of Steven Smith and Nathan Coulter-Nile's valiant knocks to post a challenging 288-run total. The Australian top order was all at sea against a fiery opening spell by Windies pace battery which accounted for both the openers, Finch and Warner. With Warner and Finch gone early, Usman Khwaja and Smith led a recovery of sorts which dint last too long. Andre Russell struck to send Khwaja back to the pavilion. The Windies had Aussies in tatter when Cottrell cleaned up Maxwell for a duck. Steve Smith continued to resurrect the innings and stitched useful partnerships with Alex Carey and Nathan Coulter Nile. Smith was eventually dismissed by Oshane Thomas for a well compiled half century. After Smith's departure, Coulter-Nile stepped up the ante to help Australia post a challenging 288-run total. Coulter Nile top scored for Australia with a belligerent 92-run knock.