Starc’s claws helped Australia beat West Indies by 133 runs in the first ODI

A brilliant bowling performance from veteran pacer Mitchell Starc (5/48) helped Australia register a massive 133-run win over the West Indies in the first ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Batting first after winning the toss, the Australian team scored 252 for the loss of nine wickets in 49 overs after rain, with captain and wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey and all-rounder Ashton Turner making important contributions. In reply, West Indies were all out for 123 runs in 26.2 overs. Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who looked out of form in the T20 series, razed the top, middle and lower order of the Windies. How scattered the batting of Windies can be gauged from the fact that his six wickets had fallen on the score of 27. Due to Starc’s tremendous performance of five wickets, the West Indies team could not even score a score of 150. Apart from Starc, Josh Hazlewood took three wickets and Adam Zampa and Mitchell Marsh took one wicket each.

Almost every batsman got off to a good start from Australia, but only captain Carey could score a half-century. Carey made 67 off 87 balls with five fours and two sixes, while Ashton Turner scored 49 off 45 balls with two fours and two sixes. Apart from them, Josh Phillippe, Ben McDermott and Mitchell Marsh scored 39, 28 and 20 runs respectively.

Hayden Walsh bowled for the West Indies, while captain Kieron Pollard shone with the bat. While Walsh took five for 39 in 10 overs, Pollard was the only West Indies batsman to score a half-century. Pollard scored 55 runs in 57 balls with the help of five fours and three sixes. Apart from him Hayden Walsh scored 20 and Alzarri Joseph scored 17 runs. Starc was adjudged ‘Player of the Match’ for his match-winning performance with five wickets.