The left-arm quick averaged 11 in the competition before Thursday’s clash in Nottingham, and his 5-46 improved on that further as he ripped out the Windies’ lower order just when it seemed Jason Holder’s men were set for a successful chase of 289.
Australia’s 288 all out represented an impressive recovery from 38-4, West Indies using the same short-ball tactics that routed Pakistan to good effect once again as four of the top five failed to fire.
Steve Smith was the exception, his patient 73 allowing Alex Carey to up the tempo with 45 before Nathan Coulter-Nile came in and blasted 92 off 60 deliveries – his highest ODI score and the best of any number eight in World Cups.
Shai Hope (68 off 105) played an anchor role similar to that of Smith, while Nicholas Pooran made a more fluent 40 before Holder’s half-century looked set to become the match-winning knock.
But when the skipper departed to Starc for 51, he left the tail needing 37 from four overs. Starc then cleaned up Sheldon Cottrell to claim the first five-wicket haul of the tournament as Australia made it two wins from two.
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