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.
Fast bowler Mitchell Starc did the bulk of the damage with five for 46 - the first five-wicket haul of this World Cup - including a late burst of four for two in 11 balls - as Australia followed up their seven-wicket win over minnows Afghanistan. "We just kept hanging in there. We were able to fight back through Alex Carey and Steve Smith. Then for Nathan Coulter-Nile to play the way he did was exceptional," Australia captain Aaron Finch said.
"I absolutely was nervous. Once the West Indies batsmen get set they are so destructive and can hit it to all parts. "You have to try and stall their momentum and get them to take risks. It came off today but we still need to work on things." Holder added: "I thought we were well in the game, just a few irresponsible shots when we probably needed to tap it around a bit more.
"To get Australia at 288 we would have taken that, I just think the batters need to take responsibility. We still believe we can win this competition, it's wide open." The West Indies had bounced out Pakistan for just 105 when winning their tournament opener at Trent Bridge last week and adopted similar tactics against Australia after Holder won the toss.
SCOREBOARD
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Australia
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D. Warner c Hetmyer b Cottrell 3
A. Finch c Hope b Thomas 6
U. Khawaja c Hope b Russell 13
S. Smith c Cottrell b Thomas 73
G. Maxwell c Hope b Cottrell 0
M. Stoinis c Pooran b Holder 19
A. Carey c Hope b Russell 45
N. Coulter-Nile c Holder b Brathwaite 92
P. Cummins c Cottrell b Brathwaite 2
M. Starc c Holder b Brathwaite 8
A. Zampa not out 0
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Extras: (b1, lb1, w24, nb1) 27
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Total: (all out, 49 overs) 288
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Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Finch), 2-26 (Warner), 3-36 (Khawaja), 4-38 (Maxwell), 5-79 (Stoinis), 6-147 (Carey), 7-249 (Smith), 8-268 (Cummins), 9-284 (Coulter-Nile), 10-288 (Starc)
Bowling: Thomas 10-0-63-2 (1nb, 8w); Cottrell 9-0-56-2 (3w); Russell 8-0-41-2 (5w); Brathwaite 10-0-67-3 (2w); Holder 7-2-28-1; Nurse 5-0-31-0 (2w)
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West Indies
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C. Gayle lbw b Starc 21
E. Lewis c Smith b Cummins 1
S. Hope c Khawaja b Cummins 68
N. Pooran c Finch b Zampa 40
S. Hetmyer run out 21
J. Holder c Zampa b Starc 51
A. Russell c Maxwell b Starc 15
C. Brathwaite c Finch b Starc 16
A. Nurse not out 19
S. Cottrell b Starc 1
O. Thomas not out 0
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Extras: (lb9, w11) 20
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Total: (9 wkts, 50 overs) 273
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