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Dominic Cork discusses Windies' batsmen's woes after nine-wicket defeat to Australia in first ODI at the WACA

Image: Sammy (left) was not smiling for long at the WACA, as his side were knocked over for 70

Dominic Cork described West Indies' batting display as "atrocious" after they were dismissed for 70 en route to losing the first ODI of their five-match series in Australia.

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Rhythm
Glenn Maxwell was the star of Australia's very brief batting show, cracking 51 off 35 deliveries after being propelled to the top of the order, as the hosts reached their modest target of 71 in 9.2 overs. But erstwhile Baggy Green all-rounder Ian Harvey, who watched the action unfold in the Sky Sports studio along with Cork, was quick to praise the bowling of New South Wales seamer Mitchell Starc, who tore the Windies to shreds with career-best figures of 5-20. "Starc seems to know his game and looks in rhythm at the moment," said Harvey. "He is bowling in exceptionally good areas and swinging the ball late at a decent pace and his performance at the WACA was up there with his best. "He has a big series against India coming up and has to be fit and selected for the Ashes, but he has all the attributes to bowl well in England, as he is tall and generates good bounce. He is part of a good stock of fast-bowlers that Australia have at the moment." On Starc's fellow paceman James Faulkner, who returned figures of 2/14 on his debut, weeks after helping Melbourne Stars reach the Big Bash semi-finals, Cork added: "He is not a big swinger of the ball and is still understanding his action and what his stock ball is, but I have been impressed by him since the Big Bash. "I like the way he attacks the opposition, I like the way he is in their face and aggressive, I like the fact he is confident but not over-confident and I like the fact he can bat, too. He, along with (seamer) Ben Cutting and Maxwell, should be part of the future of Australian cricket."

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