Defending champions England’s hopes of reaching the T20 World Cup Tremendous 8s took an enormous dent as they slipped to a heavy 36-run defeat to Australia in Barbados.
Jos Buttler’s aspect, batting for the primary time within the match after rain prevented them starting a chase within the abandonment in opposition to Scotland on Tuesday, may muster solely 165-6 having been set 202 to win, with Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa bagging 2-28 and supported beautifully by the seamers, together with Pat Cummins (2-23).
Buttler (42 off 28) and opening associate Phil Salt (37 off 23) smoked 73 in seven overs however then fell to Zampa as Australia seized management and the dot balls constructed up, with Moeen Ali’s three sixes of Glenn Maxwell within the 14th over solely a fleeting excessive on the backend.
Defeat shouldn’t be terminal for England’s hopes of reaching the following stage however even victories over Oman on Thursday and Namibia on Saturday, each in Antigua, will not be sufficient with their possibilities of development presumably coming all the way down to web run-rate.
Australia posted 201-7 after being inserted, a complete underpinned by a riotous opening stand of 70 in simply 4.5 overs between David Warner (39 off 16) and Travis Head (34 off 18) because the left-handers ruthlessly focused the brief boundary, punishing England’s pace-on balls and choice to bowl part-time off-spinner Will Jacks.
The 2021 champions prime Group B on 4 factors, with their win in Bridgetown following a 39-run victory over Oman earlier this week, and so they now maintain the best rating within the 2024 match up to now with their knock eclipsing the 197-3 Pakistan’s conquerors USA managed of their win over Canada within the opening sport.
Australia savage England assault within the powerplay
England can be left to rue Australia’s speedy begin with the bat – the second over, bowled by Jacks, and the fourth, delivered by categorical paceman Mark Wooden, had been every flogged for 22 as Warner and Head carted a mixed six sixes, a far cry from the sedateness of Moeen’s three-run opening over.
Moeen was first to strike, castling Warner with a supply that saved low on the finish of a three-boundary fifth over, whereas native boy Jofra Archer then cleaned up Head with a cutter within the sixth – England lastly studying that taking velocity off the ball was very important on this pitch.
Australia’s run fee quietened from that time, with Chris Jordan’s 18-run thirteenth over by far probably the most damaging within the second half of the innings, though each batter within the center order contributed, with Mitchell Marsh (35 off 25) and Maxwell (28 off 25) placing on 65 from 49 balls for the third wicket earlier than falling to Adil Rashid (1-41) and Liam Livingstone (1-15) respectively.
Marcus Stoinis, who cracked an unbeaten 67 from 36 balls in opposition to Oman, chipped in with 30 from 17 balls earlier than he turned Jordan’s one hundredth T20 worldwide wicket.
Jordan – whose pal and fellow Bajan Archer recorded economical figures 1-28 from his 4, together with 11 dot balls – conceded solely eight runs from the ultimate over, with England not overly punished for having to place an additional fielder contained in the circle resulting from a gradual over fee.
Zampa removes openers as England fall brief
England, needing the third-highest run chase in T20 World Cup historical past, made a brisk begin, with the spotlight a 106-metre six for Salt off Mitchell Starc over deep midwicket, however Salt was then first to fall, bowled hacking Zampa throughout the road.
Buttler reverse-swept the identical bowler to backward level in the direction of the tip of the tenth over, one ball after lofting a six down the bottom, whereas Jacks (10 off 10) then holed out at long-off as Starc took a superb catch off Stoinis and Jonny Bairstow may solely make seven off 13 balls throughout a skittish outing.
Moeen (25 off 15) had his enjoyable with three leg-side maximums off Maxwell, however then picked out Warner at deep cowl two overs later off Cummins, whereas Maxwell gave it again to the England followers after catching Bairstow off Josh Hazlewood (1-28).
These England supporters noticed their aspect’s innings largely finish with a whimper and they’ll now be hoping the match doesn’t conclude the identical means, simply as their 50-over World Cup title defence did in India final autumn.
Buttler: England should maintain their heads up
England skipper Jos Buttler:
“The situation we find ourselves in is the situation we find ourselves in. We’ve got to be confident, keep our heads up and look forward to the next one.
“We’ll maintain puffing our chest out and play some actually good cricket, which we all know we’re able to. Sure, we had been outplayed by Australia. They absolutely deserved it and I feel there’s issues we need to tidy up.”
Zampa: Australia put England ‘underneath the pump’
Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa:
“I think England were under the pump and it showed. It’s so hard to bowl to us in the powerplay and if your bowlers aren’t summing it up quickly enough it can be frustrating.
“We strive to not be like that. We discuss it a little bit bit. Our management is not like that, that helps us as bowlers as properly.”
What’s subsequent?
It is a three-game day on the T20 World Cup on Sunday, headlined by the blockbuster showdown between India and Pakistan in New York from 3.30pm UK and Eire time.
Co-hosts and two-time champions West Indies play match debutants Uganda in Windfall, Guyana from 1.30am, whereas Oman vs Scotland rounds off the day, from 8pm in Antigua.
Scotland have made a promising begin to the competitors, racking up 90-0 from 10 overs in opposition to England earlier than rain triggered that conflict to be deserted after which beating Namibia by 5 wickets.
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