T20 WC: Disciplined Australia hand 36-run defeat to England despite fiery start by Buttler-Salt

BRIDGETOWN (Barbados): Disciplined bowling from Australia in the second half of the innings after a fiery start by openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt helped the 2021 champions secure a 36 run win over England in their ICC T20 World Cup match at Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday.

Australia is at the top of Group B with two wins in two matches while England is at fourth place with a loss and a no-result game.

In the run-chase of 202 runs, the English opening pair of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt responded with almost the same aggression as Australia, keeping a run-rate of almost nine or ten per over during the powerplay. Both right-handers targetted pace quartet of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Marcus Stoinis with disdain, with Starc and Hazlewood going for 18 and 20 runs in their first two overs.

At the end of six overs of the powerplay, England was 54/0, with Buttler (21*) and Salt (29*) unbeaten. Australia reached the 50-run mark in 5.2 overs. The seventh over by Starc proved to be expensive as he gave away 19 runs, including two sixes and a four by England’s dominant opening pair.

However, in the next over, Adam Zampa’s spin did its magic as Salt missed the ball completely and was cleaned up for 37 in 23 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes. England was 73/1 in 7.1 overs. Zampa also ended Buttler’s stay at the crease after being caught by Cummins at deep backward point while attempting a reverse sweep. The English skipper scored a fine 42 in 28 balls, with five fours and two sixes. England was 92/2 in 9.5 overs.

With Australia getting a big wicket of hard-hitting Will Jacks for just 10 in 10 balls, they had removed the top three of England’s line-up. Stoinis got the wicket thanks to a brilliant catch from Starc. England was 96/3 in 10.5 overs. England reached the 100-run mark in 11.2 overs.

After a couple of slow overs, Moeen Ali broke the shackles by smashing Glenn Maxwell for three sixes. However the start of 15th over, Jonny Bairstow (7) gifted his wicket to Hazlewood with a slow-timed shot that was caught by Maxwell at deep-midwicket. Australia was 124/4 in 14.1 overs.

Pressure was piling up on the defending champions as they needed 76 in the final five overs. England had scored just 33 runs in between overs 10-15. Cummins delivered a fine 16th over, getting the important wicket of Moeen for 25 in 15 balls, with three sixes. David Warner caught him near the boundary. England was 128/5 in 15.5 overs.

Livingstone broke a streak of boundary-less overs, smashing a huge straight six after 21 balls in 17.4 overs. England was left with 54 runs to get in the final two overs. Livingstone lost his wicket while attempting a straight six against Cummins, getting out for 15 in 12 balls, with a six. England was 152/6 in 18.5 overs.

England could not chase down the total, ending their innings at 165/6, with Brook (20*) and Jordan (1*) unbeaten. Cummins (2/23) and Zampa (2/28) were the top bowlers for Australia. Hazlewood and Stoinis got a wicket each.

Earlier, an explosive 70-run opening stand between openers Travis Head and David Warner helped Australia reach a competitive score of 201/7 in their 20 overs during the ICC T20 World Cup contest against arch-rivals England at Barbados on Saturday.

None of the Aussie batters could get a big score. However, nearly everyone chipped a solid amount of runs with a great run rate to make sure the 2021 champions reached a solid score.

After being put to bat first by England, Australian openers Travis Head and David Warner put the team to a fine start. The second over by Will Jacks saw Australia get 22 runs, with a six by Warner and two maximums by Travis.

Warner continued to bully English pacers into submission, this time bludgeoning Mark Wood’s express pace for three big sixes and a four in the fourth over. With another 22 runs from the over, Australia touched the 50-run mark in just 3.4 overs.

Head and Warner smashed Moeen Ali’s spin around the park, but the veteran spinner got the prized scalp of Warner for 39 runs in just 16 balls, with two fours and four sixes. Australia was 70/1 in five overs. In the very next over, Jofra Archer deceived Head with his slower ball which crashed into his middle stump.

The attacking opener was gone for 34 in 18 balls, with two fours and three sixes. Australia was 74/2 in 5.4 overs. At the end of the powerplay in six overs, Australia was 74/2, with Glenn Maxwell and skipper Mitchell Marsh yet to score.

For the next four overs, Australia’s run flow slowed down, though Marsh hit some fine boundaries. Australia reached the 100-run mark in 9.3 overs. Maxwell, battling a poor run of form, took his time to settle. At the end of 10 overs, Australia was 102/2, with Marsh (18*) and Maxwell (10*) unbeaten.

Australia’s run-rate got some much-needed uptick after two lesser productive overs as Chris Jordan’s 13th over was smashed for 18 runs, including two fours and a six. The duo of Marsh and Maxwell reached the 50-run partnership in 41 balls.

Liam Livingstone’s part-time spin managed to end this 65-run partnership as skipper Marsh was stumped for 35 in 25 balls, with two fours and two sixes. Australia was 139/3 in 13.5 overs.

In the next over, spinner Adil Rashid got Maxwell’s scalp, who could not find the desired elevation in his shot and handed a catch to Phil Salt at deep midwicket. Maxwell was gone for 28 in 25 balls, with three fours and a six. Australia was 141/4 in 14.2 overs. At the end of 15 overs, Australia was 149/4, with Marcus Stoinis (8*) and Tim David (1*) unbeaten.

Australia reached the 150-run mark in 15.1 overs. Tim’s brief knock of 11 in eight balls was ended by Jordan, who got the assistance of Livingstone at deep extra-cover. Australia was 168/5 in 16.5 overs. Matthew Wade was next up on the crease and he kept the run-rate nice with some clean hitting along with Stoinis. Australia reached the 200-run mark in 19.3 overs.

Jordan ended Stoinis’ quickfire knock at 30 in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes, with Harry Brook taking a fine catch. Australia was 200/5 in 19.4 overs. On the very next ball, Pat Cummins was run out for a duck. Australia was 200/6 in 19.5 overs.

Australia ended their innings at 201/7, with Matthew Wade (16*) and Mitchell Starc (1*) unbeaten. Jordan (2/44) was the pick of the bowlers for England. Rashid, Livingstone, Ali and Archer got a wicket each. (ANI)