Smith, Starc set up record win for New South Wales

New South Wales 3 for 338 (Smith 143*, Maddinson 108) beat Cricket Australia XI 59 (Starc 6-25) by 279 runs
Scorecard

The first day of Cricket Australia's experiment with a seventh Matador Cup side ended with an Australian record victory for New South Wales, after Steven Smith and Nic Maddinson smashed centuries at Bankstown Oval. Set 339 for victory, the Cricket Australia XI failed to handle the class of Mitchell Starc, who picked up 6 for 25, and in their first official List A game they were skittled for 59, surviving less than half their allotted overs.

The margin of 279 runs made this the biggest victory in Australia's one-day domestic history, and the tenth biggest in all of List A cricket. The Cricket Australia XI, made up of the best young players who did not squeeze into the 14-man squads of the six states, were always going to find the step up significant against a New South Wales side that boasted 10 out of 11 players with international experience.

Had Australia's Test tour of Bangladesh gone ahead as scheduled, Smith would have been captaining Australia on the final day of their warm-up match in Fatullah today; instead he was leading New South Wales on a suburban ground in Sydney. Smith won the toss and chose to bat, and found himself at the crease at 1 for 56 after Ed Cowan fell for 21 to debutant James Bazley.

Smith and Maddinson then combined for a 153-run partnership as they enjoyed the hit-out against an attack featuring four players on List A debut. Maddinson was strong driving through the off side and scored his maiden one-day century before on 108 he skied a return catch to Jack Wildermuth off a leading edge when he tried to work a ball through leg.

Against what is effectively a youth side, Smith looked about as threatened as if he'd played against primary school kids, hitting to every part of the ground at will. The No.1 Test batsman in the world, Smith struck ten fours and five sixes on his way to an unbeaten 143 from 122 deliveries, and he had support in the late overs from Moises Henriques (48 off 42).

If the Cricket Australia XI thought things might get easier when their chance to bat arrived, they were mistaken. Another of the world's best - Starc is the highest-ranked fast bowler in the ICC's ODI bowling rankings - caused them just as many problems as Smith had. Starc collected 6 for 25 from his 8.4 overs as New South Wales ran through the CA XI for 59.

Alex Gregory was the only batsman who reached double figures; he finished unbeaten on 23 as the final wicket fell in the 25th over. The job was done so effectively by Starc, Sean Abbott, Gurinder Sandhu and Steve O'Keefe that Australia's first-choice Test spinner, Nathan Lyon, was not even required to bowl.