World Cup 2019: Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs 

Australia defeated West Indies by 15 runs to register their second win of the ICC World Cup 2019, at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on Thursday.

West Indies captain Jason Holder won the toss and decided to field first. The decision paid off as Oshane Thomas got the early breakthrough dismissing Aaron Finch for 6. It was a great bowling effort by West Indies, reducing Australia to 38 for 4 in the 8th over. At the end of 10 overs, Australia was tottering at 48 for 4.

Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis steadied the innings with a stand of 41 runs for the 5th wicket. Jason Holder got the breakthrough dismissing Stoinis for 19. Alex Carey came to the crease and played with positive intent along with Smith. Smith reached his fifty off 77 balls. It was a good batting display by both Carey and Smith who took Australia from a precarious situation. Andre Russell got the wicket of Carey for 45, ending 68 runs partnership for the 6th wicket.

Then Nathan Coulter-Nile came to the crease and showed his class, playing with aggression as he kept the scoreboard ticking along with Smith. Thomas dismissed Smith for 73, with the help of a brilliant catch by Sheldon Cottrell. Smith and Coulter-Nile added 102 runs for the 7th wicket.

Coulter-Nile reached his fifty off 41 balls and created pressure on the West Indies bowlers. He went on to play a gem of an innings and was dismissed for 92 off 60 balls in the 49th over. Australia were bowled out for 288 in 49 overs. For West Indies, Russell, Thomas and Cottrell took 2 wickets each,

Chasing the target of 289 runs to win, Pat Cummins got the breakthrough dismissing Evin Lewis for 1. Chris Gayle survived an LBW and a caugh behind shout through DRS, before Mitchell Starc dismissed him for 21. Nicolas Pooran and Shai Hope took West Indies to 54 for 2 at the end of 10 overs.

Hope and Pooran steadied the ship with brilliant stroke play. Adam Zampa got the breakthrough dismissing Pooran for 40 with a brilliant one-handed catch by Aaron Finch. Pooran and Hope added 68 runs for the 3rd wicket. Hetymer came to the crease and played with positive intent. He and Hope showed their class with attacking stroke play.

A miscommunication ended Hetymer innings for 21. Hetymer and Hope added 50 runs for the 4th wicket.

Hope reached his half-century off 76 balls. West Indies captain Holder looked in good touch and put on 41 runs for the 5th wicket. Cummins got the breakthrough, dismissing Hope for 68. Andre Russell came to the crease and scored a boundary-filled 16 off 17 balls before being excellently caught by Maxwell.

Carlos Brathwaite came to the crease and struggled for timing. On the other hand, Holder reached his fifty off 50 balls. Starc came back to send back both Brathwaite and well-set Holder to end West Indies' hopes of winning the match. Nurse hit 4 boundaries in the last over but was not enough to cross the line. For Australia, Starc was the pick of bowlers with 5 for 46.

Australia 288 in 49 overs (Nathan Coulter-Nile 92, Steve Smith 73, Carlos Brathwaite 3/67, Andre Russell 2/41) beat West Indies 273 for 9 in 50 overs (Shai Hope 68, Jason Holder 51, Mitchell Starc 5/46, Pat Cummins 2/41) by 15 runs.

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