Openers, Samuels flex batting muscle in WI win

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-2016Having been sent in by West Indies, Australia lost Aaron Finch in the first over for a duck•AFPSteven Smith walked in at No.3 and was tested with a flurry of short balls•AFPUsman Khawaja found his groove at the other end, and brought up his second successive fifty•AFPSmith also brought up his second consecutive fifty and had a 170-run second-wicket stand with Khawaja•AFPCarlos Brathwaite broke the partnership in the 35th over by taking a return catch to remove Smith for 74•AFPKhawaja was run out soon after, for 98, as the hosts began tie Australia down•AFPGeorge Bailey chipped in with 55, but Australia could score just 94 off the last 16 overs to post 265 for 7•AFPAndre Fletcher struck a run-a-ball 27 in a 74-run opening stand before falling to James Faulkner in the 10th over•AFPJohnson Charles made an attacking 48 before he was pinned lbw by Adam Zampa•AFPDarren Bravo and Marlon Samuels then steadied the chase by adding 82 for the third wicket•AFPSamuels raised his half-century off 58 balls, even as Bravo gloved Zampa behind for 39•AFPSamuels thumped three successive sixes off Zampa in the 41st over before he was run out off the next ball for 92 off 87 balls•AFPAustralia made some late inroads but West Indies cruised to a four-wicket win with 26 balls remaining•AFP