Aussie U19s start World Cup in style by thumping Windies

Teague Wyllie's patient 86 not out has guided Australia to a comfortable victory in the opening match of the Under-19 World Cup as the Australians chased down a modest West Indies total with 31 balls to spare.

Wyllie applied himself from the outset and displayed an admirable temperament at the crease, striking eight boundaries in an innings that showed experience beyond his 17 years.

After seeing many of the Windies batters throw their wickets away in a below-par total of 169 all out in the 41st over, the right-handed opener was determined to put a price on his wicket and barely played a false stroke to start his tournament in style.

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He formed important partnerships with his skipper Cooper Connolly (23) and allrounder Nivethan Radhakrishnan (31) along the way, and that pair were also pivotal with the ball in a strong team performance in Guyana.

The Windies opted to bat first after winning the toss but got off to the worst possible start with Queensland quick Tom Whitney finding Matthew Nandu's edge for wicketkeeper Tobias Snell to take a nice catch down low on just the second ball of the match.

Whitney had his second in the fifth over, again caught by fellow Queenslander Snell, this time after a top edge to pick up the big wicket of Teddy Bishop (5.

And when NSW quick William Salzmann joined the party in the fifth over, trapping Shaqkere Parris lbw for just four, the Windies were reeling at 3-12.

The Australians were full of confidence with their opening bowlers setting the tone, just as skipper Connolly had predicted earlier in the week, but they wouldn’t have it all their own way as Rivaldo Clarke and West Indies captain Ackeem Auguste set about rescuing the innings.

Image Id: 57E3698C853F4174965F7BBB93307CB6 Image Caption: Will Salzmann is mobbed by teammates after dismissing Parris // Getty

The two consolidated to see off Whitney and Salzmann and had progressed their partnership past fifty when spinners Harkirat Bajwa and the ambidextrous Radhakrishnan, who holds a Tasmanian Tigers contract, beginning to bowl in tandem.

With Radhakrishnan going for 26 runs off his first three overs and Bajwa unable to secure a breakthrough, Connolly brought himself into the attack and almost immediately changed the course of the match.

The Windies looked to be cruising at 3-104 after 21 overs, however three wickets in 14 balls brought all their hard work undone.

It was first Radhakrishnan who struck, drawing Clarke (37) into a false shot to be caught at mid-off, before Connolly's left arm orthodox trapped new batter Giovonte Depeiza in front for a duck.

But it was Connolly picking up his opposing captain Augeste (57) that really turned the match. The Windies skipper's attempted slog sweep was caught at deep square leg, with the Aussies realising the importance of the wicket and celebrating accordingly.

Image Id: 736896778B2A40A38DF18A72A94DFF5A Image Caption: Aussie U19 captain Cooper Connolly collected 3-17 off seven overs // Getty

The Windies were unable to form another partnership, but three lusty sixes from No.9 batter McKenny Clarke (29 from 35 balls) helping them to 169.

Radhakrishnan finished with 3-48 off his 10 overs, all his wickets coming from his right-arm deliveries, while Connolly also picked up another wicket to finish with an incredible 3-17 off seven.

Whitney picked up the final wicket to also give himself three for the match, with the Windies bowled out with the best part of 10 overs remaining.

Wyllie and Sydney's Corey Miller opened the run chase for Australia but the Northern Districts batter fell without scoring as he dragged a wide Johann Layne delivery back onto his stumps.

That brought South Australian Isaac Higgins to the crease, who just as he was starting to look comfortable, fell as Shiva Sankar found his edge for nine.

Image Id: 8F6FA0822F1C43488CE77B1CB00C841E Image Caption: Queensland's Tom Whitney claimed 3-20 off 8.1 overs // Getty

Connolly joined his fellow West Australian Wyllie out in the middle, full of confidence on the back of his warm-up 117 against India during the week, and the two set about steadying a shaky start at 2-21.

They put on 53 for the third wicket before Connolly (23) was bowled attempting to sweep Onaje Amory.

Radhakrishnan, however, showed his all-round capabilities coming in at five and worked with Wyllie who rarely looked flustered throughout his brilliant knock, as they capitalised on any loose deliveries while respecting some dangerous spin bowling from the hosts.

They had worked themselves within 20 runs of victory when Radhakrishnan was dismissed by Nandu for 31, but the inevitability of an Australian victory was evident in the lack of celebration from the home side.

Image Id: F4D9F71C9FD74D03BD70DCC99856416A Image Caption: Nivethan Radhakrishnan took three wickets and hit 31 in an all-round effort // Getty

With still 11 overs remaining, Wyllie and new batter Campbell Kellaway (10 not out) simply knocked the ball into gaps and ticked over the final 20 runs with ease for a six-wicket victory.

Wyllie thoroughly deserved his red ink, playing the perfect top -order innings in a low run chase, with his knock characterised by some stunning backfoot shots early off the pace bowlers and deft touch to show his class off the spinners.

Australia next plays Sri Lanka on Tuesday morning in what shapes to be a match-up between Group D's strongest sides, after Sri Lanka recorded a 40-run victory run over Scotland in their opening match.

That game will begin at midnight AEDT and will be streamed via the ICC.tv app.