Australia rout West Indies by nine wickets

PERTH, Australia (AFP) –

Australia’s Mitchell Starc (L) celebrates taking the wicket of West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard during the one-day international on February 1, 2013. Starc claimed five wickets as the West Indies were bundled out for just 70 on their way to an embarrassing defeat.

Australia’s Mitchell Starc claimed five wickets as the West Indies were bundled out for just 70 on their way to an embarrassing defeat in the first one-day international in Perth.

Australia made light of the feeble score — the West Indies’ third-lowest ODI total — romping to victory in just 9.2 overs for the loss of one wicket.

Left-armer Starc took five wickets for 20 runs in a devastating spell as the tourists imploded after winning the toss and electing to bat in the first game of the five-match series.

The paltry score was well short of Australia’s 91 against the West Indies at the same venue in 1987, the previous lowest total at the WACA Ground.

The home side put their opponents’ performance into context when they came out to bat, with Glenn Maxwell smashing 51 off 35 balls as they raced towards their target. Usman Khawaja, dropped before he scored, was unbeaten on eight.

Australian fast bowler Clint McKay (C) is congratulated by team-mates Glenn Maxwell (L) and James Faulkner after taking the wicket of West Indies batsman Darren Sammy in the one-day international on February 1, 2013. Australia romped to victory in just 9.2 overs for the loss of one wicket.

When the West Indies slumped to 19-5 after Starc claimed his fourth wicket in eight balls, they appeared in grave danger of falling short of their lowest ever ODI tally of 54, against South Africa in 2004.

Darren Bravo‘s dismissal for 11 left them floundering at 39-7 before captain Darren Sammy put on 26 for the eighth wicket with debutant Jason Holder.

Sammy, with 16 runs, was the top-scorer with the bat, his tally only eclipsed by the 17 extras Australia conceded.

The West Indies skipper said the low total was more a result of good Australian bowling than poor West Indian batting, vowing to rebound back quickly with the second match at the same venue on Sunday.

“They came hard at us and we have to come back ever harder,” he said.

“We know we have the ability to bounce back and it is just the first game of a five-match series. It is just a one-off game. We will come back on Sunday and look to execute better.”

West Indies batsman Darren Sammy trudges off after losing his wicket during the one-day international against Australia on February 1, 2013. Sammy notched up 16 runs as his side were bowled out for just 70.

Clint McKay (3-10) started the rot for the tourists when he claimed the prize scalp of big-hitting opener Chris Gayle, caught by Aaron Finch at second slip for just four.

The match was effectively over as a contest when Starc used his combination of pace and swing to destroy the West Indian top order.

He claimed the wickets of Kieran Powell (11) and Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, all for ducks, in the space of eight balls.

West Indies paceman Holder took his first one-day wicket in Australia’s reply, when he had Finch caught behind for 10 but the home side cantered to victory.

Starc said it was almost a perfect performance by the Australians, who would have bowled first had they won the toss.

“It was hard to fault too much,” he said. “We spoke about getting enough balls in the right areas on that wicket and I think we did that very well today.

“To bowl them out for 70 was a great result.”