Coulter-Nile, Smith rescues Australia in 288 vs West Indies

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Nathan Coulter-Nile stroked a career-best 92 off 60 balls after Steve Smith led Australia’s recovery from 38-4 as the defending champions reached 288 all out against West Indies at the Cricket World Cup.

Coulter-Nile, a fast bowler, made the highest score by a No. 8 in World Cup history by hitting eight fours and four sixes in an onslaught that jolted West Indies’ aggressive pace attack after their superb start on Thursday at Trent Bridge.

His previous best ODI score was 34.

Smith steadied an innings that was rocking at 38-4 and at 79-5 with a 103-ball 73, before he was removed by one of the best catches of the tournament. Sheldon Cottrell took the catch one-handed just inside the boundary, tossed the ball in the air before he went over the rope, and returned to the field of play to collect the ball again.

Pacemen accounted for all 10 wickets, just like when West Indies bounced out Pakistan for 105 last week in a seven-wicket win here in Nottingham.

Australia is also going for a second straight win, having already beaten Afghanistan, but at one stage seemed set to slump to its lowest total at a World Cup — 129 against India at Chelmsford in 1983.

Faced with mostly short-pitched balls, Australia became the first team this tournament to lose four wickets in the opening powerplay with Cottrell standing out for more than one reason. He dismissed David Warner (3) and Glenn Maxwell (0), celebrating his wickets with a military-style salute — a nod to his army background.

Usman Khawaja was roughed up by Oshane Thomas before swatting Andre Russell behind for 13. Aaron Finch was the first batsman to depart, to Thomas, for 6.

Smith, who was lightly booed onto and off the field for his part in the Australian ball-tampering scandal of last year in South Africa, shared a partnership of 68 with wicketkeeper Alex Carey (45) and then 102 runs off 89 balls with Coulter-Nile for the seventh wicket.

Australia was all out with one full over remaining.

Andre Russell had best bowling figures of 2-41 off eight overs, but clearly struggled with a longstanding left knee injury.