Australia have recorded a stunning victory in their second World Cup clash against the West Indies, recovering from an incredibly shaky start in a game which went back and forth and could instantly be labelled a classic encounter.
There was a surprise hero for Australia in the form of Nathan Coulter-Nile, who rescued his side after they found themsleves in severe early trouble, having been sent into bat by West Indies skipper Jason Holder.
A normally docile Trent Bridge pitch was anything but, with pace and bounce both factors for the West Indies attack, who came into the game full of confidence, having rolled Pakistan for 104 in their opening match of the campaign.
While sundries helped Australia along early, Aaron Finch and David Warner both found themselves back in the dressing sheds inside the first four overs as Oshane Thomas and Sheldon Cottrell wreaked havoc on the Australian top order.
Joining them shortly afterwards was Usman Khawaja and Glenn Maxwell, who both played horrendous shots given the situation of the game. Australia were reduced to just 4 for 38 at the dismissal of Maxwell, and when a short-lived resistance from Marcus Stoinis was ended, the Aussies were 5 for 79 and in all shorts of bother.
Former skipper Steve Smith, who was all too happy to play the anchor role, finally found some support in keeper Alex Carey. Despite the West Indies cycling through their bowlers, they couldn’t find a way to break the stand as Carey began to tee off, eventually being dismissed by Andre Russell for 45.
Nathan Coulter-Nile then strode to the crease and whacked a staggering 92 in a partnership with Smith which saw 102 added in just 14 overs.
The efforts of the number eight brought Australia to a defendable total, but one the West Indies would have been frustrated, with some wayward bowling (including 23 wides) letting them down badly.
Nathan Coulter-Nile (Photo by Simon Cooper/PA Images via Getty Images)
It was an action-packed beginning to the reply, with Chris Gayle struggling to face the pace of Mitchell Starc, but taking a particular liking to the length offered by Pat Cummins with the new ball.
Gayle, as always seems to be the case, was a walking highlights reel. He was given out twice during the third over of the innings, surviving a pair of DRS reviews, before finally being trapped by Starc, but he smacked Cummins for a couple of boundaries in between.
Unfortunately, umpiring will be a key talking point out of the game, with the West Indies having four out decisions overturned via reviews while they were batting, while it was later found the ball which got Gayle out was supposed to be a free hit after Starc overstepped by a considerable distance the ball prior.
With Evin Lewis also back in the pavilion, it was up to Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran to rebuild the innings, and they did a reasonable job of it, putting Australia on the back foot.
Adam Zampa finally broke through to get rid of Pooran though, leaving the score on 3 for 99 and the Windies in a precarious position.
Hope took up the Steve Smith-type role, ending on 68 from 105 balls, but the big hitters around him played some awful shots and simply failed to fire against the pace provided by the Aussie quicks.
Despite that, Jason Holder put up plenty of resistance with a hard-fought half-century and had the West Indies right back in it when Andre Russell came to the crease at 5 for 190 with 15 overs to go.
Russell, however, got carried away and played a terrible shot to end his innings, although it must be noted that with a run out, aggressive captaincy from Finch and a stunning catch from Glenn Maxwell to get rid of Russell, Australia were strong in the field.
Following Russell’s dismissal, Brathwaite held things together with the West Indies looking the side more likely at times with the equation in check, but Finch brought Mitchell Starc back earlier than most captains would have, and it brought about another pair of wickets which ended the game as a contest.
Match summary
Australia 10/288 (49) (Nathan Coulter-Nile 92, Steve Smith 73, Alex Carey 45, Carlos Brathwaite 3/67) defeat West Indies 9/273 (50) (Shai Hope 68, Jason Holder 51, Mitchell Starc 5/46)
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Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Been too busy laughing at his team, choking, I'd say IAP!
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
I reckon there's some early innings strategy - - playing by numbers. Try to have a freeish swing first ball of a new over as a premeditated - - wouldn't surprise me.
13th Man
Guest
In fairness to Stoinis I thought he executed better than NCN with the ball at the end there. I actually don't necessarily have a problem with his bowling, he is a part timer and you get what you'd expect from a part timer. The issue for me is that he does not contribute enough with the bat to be a genuine top 6 batsman. You can't carry him, Finch and Maxwell (who is brilliant on his day but can also have a poor one) in the same side. Of the three of them Stoinis is the most expendable but the way this squad has been picked it is kind of set. Kane Richardson was a wasted selection, would of liked to have seen another all round option like Turner there instead.
anon
Roar Pro
I'd have no problem with Lyon coming in. Bit more economical, less looser deliveries, wickets about the same. Lyon had been working well for us for about 4 months, same with Khawaja opening, Handscomb mid-order. The elephants in the room right now is Finch opening, Khawaja not in his best position, NCN at first change, digging in their heels and not picking Hazlewood, Handscomb "brutally unlucky" to miss out...
anon
Roar Pro
Definitely Rossy. Stoinis is almost braindead the way he plays. Guy simply doesn't know how to push a good ball for a single. Manages to still get 50s though. I don't know he got to this level without knowing how to push singles. He shouldn't be bowled. I'd rather Maxi roll his arm over.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Yes.. but he really missed selection because injury. By the time he had games under his belt, the squad had been selected.
13th Man
Guest
Hehe even on a cricket thread Anon and Don Freo are arguing? Who's more overrated anon? Ross Lyon or Marcus Stoinis?
13th Man
Guest
Yeah this I think will be the problem. Jhye Richardson is such a massive loss as 3rd seamer. He could also hold the willow and would've been the obvious candidate to be that middle overs bowler. Have to keep NCN now... Don't see either Kane or Dorff doing much better with the ball and they aren't as good with the bat. Lyon should come in for Zampa.
13th Man
Guest
Against Afghanistan and a B grade Pakistan bowling lineup on roads in Abu Dhabi. Last time he played a decent attack was vs India and he was horrendously exposed by Bhuveneahawr and Bumrah. I'm not saying drop him, he's the captain and a bloody good one but he needs to make more runs or drop down the order.
Peter Warrington
Guest
and going at under 6 an over in the same world cup. what a clown!
Peter warrington
Guest
yep he refuses to learn like to vat like all the other guys who strike at 120. starting with.....??? --- 71 - 55 8 1 129.09 6 run out 1 v Pakistan Abu Dhabi 27 Mar 2019 ODI # 4118 98 - 82 9 3 119.51 6 run out 1 v Pakistan Dubai (DSC) 29 Mar 2019 ODI # 4119 70 - 33 10 3 212.12 4 bowled never learns. never listens. never performs. pfffft.;..............
Peter Warrington
Guest
2.1 0 Thomas to Finch, no run, 136kph, good length shaping away, his feet are stuck in concrete and he has a huge swipe and miss at a booming drive. ---- That was the ball before he got out. He looked like a deer in the headlights. (I am ok with that, you are allowed to struggle against very good bowling.)
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Apart from the dreadful shots by the top order (including Finch before he was out), the unjustified controversy over the umpiring, NCN’s great innings and Cottrell’s amazing catch, what struck me was that it was a game of two different pitches. Short balls from Cummins were being easily dispatched to the boundary, hardly getting over waist high. Similar balls from the Windies bowlers were rearing off a length or going through head and shoulder high. They are no faster or taller than Cummins. Incredibly stupid mindset from our upper order in the circumstances. Won’t get away with this against a good batting team, or one with decent spinners (against whom Coulter-Nile would be unlikely to do so well).
JayG
Roar Rookie
I think M Marsh should've been in the squad and even the playing XI ahead of Stoinis. His poor returns in Tests seem to have blinded people to the fact that he is gun ODI all-rounder. His stats are similar to those of Ben Stokes.
JayG
Roar Rookie
While it was an astonishing innings fron NCN, he didn't win the game on his own. Smith, Carey and to an extent Stoinis dug in to weather the initial onslaught from the Windies quicks so their relatively weak middle overs bowling could be exposed and thus laid the groundwork for NCN's fireworks.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
We got lucky. Firstly, you can’t be relying on number 8’s batting for ten overs or more. His batting shouldn’t even be a factor in his selection, especially with Cummins and Starc making a decent tail. Secondly, I don’t see NCN faring well against good spin bowling. Nurse is by far the worst regular spin bowler among all ten teams in the tournament.
anon
Roar Pro
Huh?
AREH
Roar Guru
I take back what I said about Trent Bridge being a horror house for the Australians...maybe not all the time!
Cadfael
Roar Guru
It was poor that only one of the top 6 scored runs and that shot of Maxwell should see him marked never to play again. A terrible shot at any time. But picking only five specialist batsmen was never going to be enough so he will have to stay.
Ouch
Roar Rookie
Finch is badly out of form with the bat He scored 66 off 40 odd balls last game. Plus 3 consecutive 100’s in the series against Pakistan. Sometimes i wonder if you guys just whine for the sake of it.