Warner leads Aussie charge

Australia registered the highest total of World Cup history on Wednesday as they thrashed Afghanistan by a record 275 runs, a result which was also the greatest winning margin in the quadrennial event ever.

The home team made 417 fo six at the WACA led by opener David Warner's 178-run blitz, his fourth one-day international century and his country's highest individual World Cup score as the four-time champions went past the previous best of 413 for five made by India against Bermuda in the 2007 edition.

It was the third 400-plus total of the tournament after South Africa twice went through the barrier -- 408 for five against the West Indies and 411 for four over Ireland.
In reply, Afghanistan could manage just 142 from 37.3 overs, although Nawroz Mangal, who top-scored with 33, gave their smattering of fans at the ground something to cheer about when he hit Mitchell Marsh for successive sixes.

Johnson did much of the damage to claim four for 22.Fellow left-armer Mitchell Starc (2/18) continued his amazing vein of form and has claimed 10 wickets so far.

Australia were sent in to bat by Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi, a decision greeted by a chorus of cheers from the crowd, and then tormented the minnows.

Experienced all-rounder Shane Watson was dropped to allow James Faulkner to return after a side strain, but the onslaught that followed was extremely predictable.

The dashing Warner led the way and accelerated markedly after reaching three figures in 92 balls.

Dropped on 114, the left-hander seemed set to compound Watson's misery by passing his Australian ODI record of 185 not out against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2011 only to sky a delivery to mid-on off the bowling of Shapoor Zadran (2/89).

He faced 133 balls, hitting 19 fours and five sixes. Although Warner fell shy of the overall ODI individual record, he passed the previous mark for the highest innings by an Australian at the WACA, which previously belonged to Damien Martyn for his 144 against Zimbabwe in 2001.

Warner and Steve Smith, who made 95, also set a new benchmark for an Australian partnership in ODI cricket with their 260-run second-wicket stand from 209 balls. The pair passed the previous record of 252 set by Watson and Ricky Ponting against England in South Africa in 2009.

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell then chimed in with a quickfire 88 off 39 balls, including seven sixes, before being well caught at mid-off from the bowling of Dawlat Zadran (2/101) in the 48th over.

Australia face Sri Lanka at the SCG in their next match on Sunday, while things don't get any easier for Afghanistan as they face unbeaten New Zealand on the same day at Napier in a bid to add to their lone win against Scotland.