HOBART : Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins shared seven wickets between themselves to help skittle out a hapless Scotland for 130 in 25.4 overs in the final pool A league encounter of the cricket World Cup, here today.
Backing captain Michale Clarke’s decision to bowl first, pace spearhead Starc (4-14) struck early to pack the openers, Kyle Kotzer (0) and Craig McLeod (22), back in the pavilion.
The left-arm pacer leads the wicket-takers list with 16 scalps from 5 matches ahead os India Mohammed Shami, who has 15 wickets from as many games.
Sharing the new ball with Starc, Pat Cummins (3-42) and Shane Watson (1-18) also combined well to keep the wicket-taking count going.
Watson got opposition skipper Preston Mommsen for a duck while Cummins also got Freddie Coleman for nought.
The procession continued as off-spinner Glenn Maxwell (1-24) joined the party, even while No.3 batsman Matt Machan scored a resilient 40.
The innings also saw some late-order resistance from Josh Harvey (26) and Michael Leask (23 not out), who stitched together a 35-run ninth wicket partnership to try and fightback as rain stopped play after the 25th over.
But the rain interruption was the only bit of delay in the brutal Australian exercises as they got the remaining two wickets quickly, in the space of four balls, after the break.
A victory against a rock-bottom Scotland will ensure Australia a second-placed finish behind leaders New Zealand and a possible quarter-finals battle with Pakistan, who may end up third from pool B if they notch up a win against Ireland tomorrow. (AGENCIES)
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