England are by to the Tremendous Eight stage of the T20 World Cup after Australia did them a favour in St Lucia on Saturday evening with a tense five-wicket win over Scotland.
Jos Buttler’s crew had accomplished their bit earlier within the day in Antigua, beating Namibia by 41 runs after rain had lowered the sport to a 10-over-a-side thrash. However Scotland would have leapfrogged them into the following part with a victory over the Australians, who had little to play for aside from satisfaction after already qualifying.
And when Australia slipped to 60 for 3 within the ninth over, chasing 182 for victory, the Scots had been eyeing up arguably the best end result of their historical past.
However Marcus Stoinis counter-attacked fantastically whereas Travis Head bided his time on the different finish, earlier than Head upped the tempo with three sixes in an over off seamer Safyaan Sharif.
He perished for 68 off 49 aiming for a fourth, whereas Stoinis moved to a robust 25-ball half-century, with the required charge now nicely into double figures.
Tim David and Matthew Wade shake arms after sealing Australia’s win over Scotland
Chris Sole suffered late heartbreak within the subject, dropping a catch off Wade within the ultimate over
Scotland did not surrender, and left-arm spinner Mark Watt – who had earlier knocked over Glenn Maxwell with a magnificence – then bowled Stoinis for 59. However the momentum had swung, and a few boundaries from Tim David within the 18th over, bowled by Brad Wheal, took the wind from Scottish sails.
The Scots’ ultimate probability got here with Australia needing three off 4 balls, when David launched Wheal excessive to deep midwicket, the place Tim Sole put down the catch. Seconds later, David hit the profitable six with deliveries balls to spare, sending a relieved England by and a deflated Scotland out.
A vigorous Scotland innings had centred on a second-wicket stand of 89 in eight overs between opener George Munsey, who hit three sixes in his 23-ball 35, and Brandon McMullen, who hit six in an excellent 60 off 34.
With captain Richie Berrington contributing an undefeated 42 off 31, Scotland completed on 181 for 5, the very best rating by an Affiliate nation in opposition to the Australians, who appeared unusually lacklustre and missed six catches of various problem – a document for a males’s T20 World Cup recreation.
Earlier within the day, England had accomplished their bit by beating Namibia in a rain-affected recreation
Australia’s Marcus Stoinis is bowled out through the win over Scotland in St Lucia on Saturday
Later, when Head and Mitchell Marsh did not push exhausting for a 3rd within the third over of the chase, former Australian nice Matthew Hayden mentioned within the commentary field: ‘That simply reveals that their angle is not fairly 100% tonight.’
Fellow pundit Pommie Mbangwa added: ‘It is not usually you say they don’t seem to be on the races.’
For England, who had earlier feared that Antiguan rain would wash away their possibilities of reaching the final eight, it should have been an agonising watch.
And it introduced into focus feedback earlier within the week from Australian quick bowler Josh Hazlewood, who mentioned his crew’s first objective could be victory but additionally entertained the opportunity of serving to the Scots out in case they wanted to oust England on internet run-rate.
‘On this event you doubtlessly come up in opposition to England at some stage once more, and so they’re one of many prime few groups on their day,’ mentioned Hazlewood. ‘We have had some actual struggles in opposition to them in T20 cricket, so if we are able to get them out of the event that is in our greatest curiosity, in addition to most likely everybody else’s.’
Requested how this may play out, he mentioned: ‘Not too certain actually. Whether or not you get shut and simply knock it round and drag it out. There’s a number of choices there.’
Hazlewood was rested for this recreation, together with Pat Cummins, who had stepped in to minimize his team-mate’s feedback, suggesting any such subterfuge could be in opposition to the ‘spirit of cricket’.
Rival Scotland and Australia followers pose for a photograph on the Daren Sammy Cricket Floor
Sole drops a catch, which may have helped Scotland to a win within the ultimate over vs Australia
Within the occasion, Australia fielded a weakened assault, with Maxwell bowling his full allocation of 4 overs for the primary time in a T20 worldwide since October 2021. Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar had not performed a T20 worldwide since October 2022, whereas Stoinis, who opened the bowling in opposition to Namibia, and has taken six wickets on this event at 9 apiece, didn’t bowl in any respect.
When David Warner fell within the second over of the chase for a single, quickly adopted by Marsh for eight, Scotland had been daring to dream – extra so when Watt eliminated Maxwell.
However the Australians chipped away skilfully at a goal of 107 from their final 10 overs, earlier than breaking Scottish hearts on the demise.
England head to St Lucia at this time for Tremendous Eight matches in opposition to West Indies on Wednesday and South Africa on Friday, earlier than returning to Barbados to tackle the USA on Sunday. Above all, after an enervating day, they’re respiration once more.
