1st ODI: Starc, Maxwell shine as Australia register thumping victory over Windies

Australia won the 1st ODI against West Indies by nine wickets after chasing down a paltry target of 70 in just 9.2 overs at the Western Australia Cricket Association Ground on Friday. Glenn Maxwell led the chase
with a quick fire unbeaten knock of 51 after pacer Mitchell Starc had run through the Windies line up picking up 5 for 20.

In chase of 70, Glenn Maxwell, opening the innings in place of injured David Warner, clobbered 18 runs of the first over bowled by Kemar Roach with three fours and a six. Maxwell then hit another six and four of the 3rd over - Roach second - as Australia raced to 32 for 0 in three overs.
Debutant Jason Holder got rid of Aaron Finch for 10 in the 4th over as Maxwell continued his rampaging hits over the fence. The Victorian hit nine fours and two sixes in his 35-ball knock. Usman Khwaja hit the winning run in the 9.2 overs to hand Australia the win.Earlier, Mitchell Starc produced a fiery spell of pace bowling as West Indies were skittled out for a paltry score of 70 in 243.5 overs on a lively WACA track.
After opting to bat first, West Indies slumped to 19 for 5 in 7.3 overs from being 14 for 1 in 4.5 overs with Starc doing the maximum damage taking four wickets. Clint McKay had opened the floodgates in the fifth over with the wicket of Chris Gayle, who got out at second slip for four runs.
Starc then sent Kieran Powell for eleven followed by Ramnaresh Sarwan's wicket with a full length swinging delivery at pace that crashed into the middle and leg stump. In the 7th over, the 23-year-old pacer removed Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard - both for zero - to leave West Indies reeling.
Debutant James Faulkner chipped in with two wickets as he gave away just 14 runs in his two overs. The only substantial partnership for the Windies came when Darren Sammy and Jason Holder stitched together 26 runs for the eight wicket. But McKay came back to remove Sammy when the score was 65 and then he dismissed Sunil Narine for another duck. Starc finished off the Windies innings castling Jason Holder for seven runs in the 24th over.

Top score in the Windies innings was of extras with 17 runs followed by Sammy's 16. Only three WI batsmen reached the double figures in the match.