Aussies crush WI in 1st ODI

The 50-over world champions Australia, strolled to an eight-wicket win over the West Indies in the first One-day International at Melbourne Cricket Ground as three Australian batsmen scoring half-centuries and debutant fast bowler Xavier Bartlett taking four wickets.

The Australian team, led by veteran Steve Smith won the toss and sent in the West Indies to bat first. The Caribbean side was bowled out for 231 in the 49th over.

They were at 59 for four in the 16th over after a a sharp outburst by Bartlett with four for 17, before recovering half-way through from the partnership of Keacy Carty with 88 off 108 balls and Roston Chase with 59 off 67 balls, who put on a much needed 110 runs for the fifth wicket before being taken by an Adam Zampa delivery in the 37th over.

Carty struck his third ODI half-century, bringing his 50 off 82 deliveries, striking six fours and two sixes but was run out at the end of the 41st over by Sean Abbott when Hayden Walsh Jr. called for an ill-advised run.

West Indies slipped to 193 for 6 at that stage and added just 38 more runs bringing their total up to 231 before Walsh Jr. was caught off Abbott’s bowling.

Bartlett got his first wicket in only his third ball when he bowled Justin Greaves for only one. His second wicket was Alick Athanaze for five in his following over after the ball was edged through to wicket-keeper Josh Inglis. Bartlett’s third wicket was West Indies captain Shai Hope for 12, who was caught in the slip.

Bartlett returned to take the wicket of Gudakesh Motie, falling for just three. Abbott and Cameron Green also chipped in with two wickets apiece.

In reply, Travis Head fell for four in the first over to Matthew Forde. Smith led his team with a run-a-ball 79,Green with 77 not out and Inglis with 65 off 43 deliveries.

After Head’s dismissal, Inglis went on scoring the bulk of the runs in a 79-run partnership for the second wicket with Green. Inglis got to his 50 off just 28 balls at the end of the seventh over, before he was dismissed by Motie in the 12th over, leaving the score on 83 for two.

Smith struck eight boundaries, with Green hitting four fours and two sixes. Australia got to the target with a whopping 69 balls to spare when Smith hit a wide ball from Walsh Jr. to the third man boundary in the 39th over.