Coulter-Nile gets best score by No.8 at ICC World Cup

Nottingham (PTI): Australian all-rounder Nathan Coulter-Nile's 60-ball 92 against the West Indies was not just a personal ODI best for him but also the highest by a No.8 batsman in an ICC World Cup game.

Coulter-Nile's knock, laced with eight fours and four sixes, was pivotal in Australia's 15-run win after the defending champions had been reduced to 79/5 at one stage of the match.

The average score by an Australian number eight since the 2015 World Cup stood at 16.3, the ICC said in a statement.

The governing body, however, did not specify the previous best by a No.8 at the mega-event.

The 31-year-old from Western Australia brought up his maiden international one-day half-century with a six off Carlos Brathwaite. He survived a dropped catch on 61 before smacking consecutive sixes off Brathwaite. He was finally caught by captain Jason Holder off the same bowler four runs short of what would have been an ODI record for a number eight.

Coulter-Nile has been troubled by frequent injuries and has also faced stiff competition for a place in the Australian pace unit against Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood with James Faulkner the first choice as all-rounder. He got a World Cup spot when Starc and Hazlewood were injured.