CWC 2019- AUS vs WI Review: Coulter-Nile emerges as saviour in narrow victory

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Image Courtesy: India Today

Nathan Coulter-Nile notched up the highest ever score by a No.8 batsman in World Cup history to get Australia out of the trenches to a close victory at Trent Bridge. Mitchell Starc neutralized the explosive Windies batting with a spectacular 5-wicket haul.

Image Courtesy: India Today

Both the sides headed into Trent Bridges with huge victories under their belt. Electing to bowl first, Jason Holder and co. had the opposition bouncing around with the short ball tactic yet again. After reducing the Aussies to 38-4 inside the first powerplay, the Windies bowling attack were expected to clean up the rest of the batsmen in quick time.

However, Steve Smith dug in and earned his runs on a pitch that considerably eased up as the innings progressed. After Alex Carey’s dismissal, who played a crucial knock, came in Nathan Coulter-Nile, the bowler unleashed mighty blows all around the park and guided Australia in the later stages of the innings after Smith’s dismissal which sparked elevated eyebrows all around after a brilliant grab by Cottrell at deep square leg.

The side eventually ended up with 288 on the board. The pacy Aussie bowling attack didn’t take long to breach the hard-hitting Windies top order. The umpiring however came under scrutiny after a number of questionable decisions which eventually took Chris Gayle back to the pavilion.

Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran struck in a vital stand before Jason Holder chipped in with a brilliant half-century. the untimely dismissals of Andre Russell and Carlos Braithwaite piled up the work on the captain who eventually succumbed to the pressure. Despite a 16-run final over, the 2-time World Champions fell to a 15 run defeat.

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