World Cup Warm up: Steve Smith 76 powers Australia to seven wicket win

Needing 230 to win, Smith and Shaun Marsh put on a 109-run stand for the third wicket as Australia got over the line with 70 balls to spare.

Published : May 22, 2019 22:21 IST

Steve Smith announced his return to one-day international cricket in style with a 82-ball 76 as Australia beat the West Indies by seven wickets in an unofficial World Cup warm-up match against the West Indies in Southampton.

Needing 230 to win, Smith and Shaun Marsh (55 not out) put on a 109-run stand for the third wicket as Australia got over the line with 70 balls to spare. Aaron Finch, David Warner and Smith were the only wickets to fall in a run chase which got Australia's world cup preparations off to a solid start.

As it happened| World Cup Warm up: Steve Smith, bowlers power Australia to victory

West Indies, inserted in to bat, rode on fifties by Evin Lewis (50 off 56 balls) and Carlos Brathwaite (60 off 64) to post a modest 229 after Australia's seamers triggered an early collapse of 5-46.

Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell and Coulter-Nile grabbed two wickets each while Jason Behrendorff and Adam Zampa picked up one each. Zampa got rid of the in-form Andre Russell, cleaning him up for just five.

Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja, who copped a nasty blow to the head from a bouncer by Andre Russell, has been taken to the hospital for scans.

Australia will begin its World Cup defence against Afghanistan at the County Ground in Bristol on June 1.

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