Starc bowls Australia to win against West Indies in first ODI
Jul 21, 2021
Bridgetown [Barbados], July 21 : Mitchell Starc's fierce bowling in the first ODI handed Australia a dominant win against West Indies on Tuesday night at the Kensington Oval Barbados.
The left-arm pacer took 5-48 while new-ball partner Josh Hazlewood had figures of 3-11 as the home team fell for 123, well short of their revised target of 257 for victory off 49 overs.
For West Indies, captain Kieron Pollard, who top-scored with 56 off 57 balls, and Hayden Walsh Jr (20) were the only players to reach 20. Pollard, who hit five fours and three sixes, had a 68-run, seventh-wicket partnership with Alzarri Joseph (17) to hold the innings together.
Earlier, Australia were held to 252/9 in their 49-overs in a rain-affected inning, with a 104-run stand between Carey (67) and Ashton Turner (49) providing the backbone of the innings.
Hayden Walsh Jr finished with a career-best 5-39 off 10 overs to limit the Australian run pursuit. He returned the best figures by a West Indian leg-spinner in history, beating the 4-26 by Rajendra Dhanraj back in 1996. He was supported by fast bowler Joseph (2-40) and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (2-50), both of whom claimed two wickets.
Australian captain Alex Carey top-scored with 67 off 87 balls while Ashton Turner struck a breezy 49 off 45 balls, the pair staging a fifth-wicket stand of 104.
Tuesday's victory lifts Australia to third on the Cricket World Cup Super League Standings with 50 points, one more than India.
The two teams will return to the same venue on Thursday for the second ODI.
