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Beware of Windies 'behemoth': Waugh

West Indies to pose a much sterner test for Australia in their second World Cup outing

Steve Waugh has warned Australia that the West Indies' array of strokemakers and aggressive bowlers will pose the first serious threat to the World Cup holders.

Former Australia captain Waugh was impressed with the no-nonsense way his country defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in their opening match on Saturday.

But the 54-year-old believes the West Indies will provide a much sterner test when they meet at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

Warner stars as Aussies complete emphatic win

Led by flamboyant opener Chris Gayle, who thumped 50 runs off 34 balls, the West Indies wasted little time polishing off Pakistan by seven wickets after bowling them out for 105 in their first match.

It was an impressive show of strength from the two-time champions and Waugh is intrigued to see how Australia fare against one of the tournament's most talented but unpredictable teams.

"The West Indies will provide a more realistic gauge on how the team are tracking, for they possess a squad full of matchwinners that can dominate if they gain any sense of ascendency in a match," Waugh wrote in a column for the ICC.

"They are the most watchable team in the tournament with a batting line-up that can kidnap any bowling attack with brute force.

"No ground is big enough when this behemoth of a batting order clicks into overdrive but they also have a vulnerability against high-quality bowling as they tend to play one dimensional at times."

Quicks, Gayle spark stunning Windies win

As well as their powerful batsmen, two-time World Cup winner Waugh was also impressed by the West Indies' pace attack, which bludgeoned Pakistan into submission with a bouncer barrage.

Andre Russell, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas and Jason Holder proved too hot for Pakistan to handle and Waugh said: "For the first time in a long while they have fast-bowling depth.

"Every side in this tournament will be wary of playing the Windies and I wouldn't want to face them in a knockout match.

"They are the sort of team that, if they get on a roll and build some momentum, then they could win it all."

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

June 1: Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

June 6: Australia v West Indies, Trent Bridge

June 9: India v Australia, The Oval

June 12: Australia v Pakistan, Taunton

June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval

June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE