Mitchell Starc's five-over spell that yielded four wickets helped Australia thrash Scotland by seven wickets in their World Cup 2015 Group A match played in Hobart on Saturday.

Michael Clarke won the toss and opted to bowl first and his new-ball attack, with Pat Cummins back from injury, provided an impressive display early-on.

Starc was the first to strike for Australia and he dismissed Scotland's openers, Kyle Coetzer and Calum MacLeod in the first seven overs of the match.

Starc made the most of the swing on offer and troubled the batsmen regularly with his in-swinging yorkers.

Cummins, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson added to Scotland's misery and wrecked their middle-order, before Starc returned for a short second-spell and claimed two-more wickets. He finished with match-winning figures of four for 14 in just five overs. Scotland managed to survive for just 25.4 overs and posted 130.

Clarke promoted himself up the order, and he and Aaron Finch added 30 runs before Finch fell in the fourth over. Clarke top-scored with 47, before he fell in the 14th over. Australia though coasted to the target in the 16th over.

"We're done and dusted with the group stages. We're looking forward to the knockouts. I've been working at [my bowling] quite hard with Craig McDermott since the one-day series in Zimbabwe. Look forward to continue with [my form] through the back-end [of the World Cup]," Starc said.