Twenty20 World Cup: Australia face Scotland in final group stage game to decide England’s super-eight fate
Australia did it the hard way, but survived an almighty scare from Scotland to record a narrow win and save England from elimination at the T20 World Cup.
Recap the action in our blog below.
HALFWAY MARK - Australia 3-74
The Aussies are more than 20 runs behind where the Scots were at this stage of the innings.
Head has been steady - despite getting dropped - for his 39 off 31, and Stoinis is easing into his work with two early boundaries, but that required rate is creeping toward 11.
107 off 60 is the equation. David, Wade, and then Agar the next men in
After 9 overs - Australia 3-67
Stoinis takes advantage of a misfield to find the boundary at deep point.
But the Maxwell wicket may have rattled the Aussies... the man who can so oftern get them out of a jam is no longer available for this rescue job.
Required run rate is 10.36.
MAXWELL GOES!
The upset is well and truly on!
Maxwell misses one that grips and straightens, and offers a tiny edge onto his stumps to get bowled by Mark Watt for 11.
It is GAME. ON. Marcus Stoinis to the crease
After 8 overs - Australia 2-59
Maxwell goes JUST over the man at long-on for his first boundary with a six to end the over!
A reminder: The Aussies are chasing 181 to win, and keep England alive in the tournament. A loss means Scotland goes through
After 7 overs - Australia 2-47
Head carves out the first six of the Aussies’ innings with a brilliant lofted cut off Chris Sole.
He takes 9 off the over himself to move to 33.
Australia need 134 off 78 balls at a tick more than 10 an over. A big test of their credentials.
MARSH GOES!
Mitch Marsh makes way!
The Aussies are 2-36 after the powerplay, with the skipper holing out to deep midwicket off Sharif’s bowling. Ball into the breeze, didn’t have the journey.
Maxwell comes in to join Head, with the game in the balance.
DROPPED!
How costly might that be?!
Head skies one, real high, toward long-on, with Jones running back to get under it.
But the swirling wind proves tricky despite him getting both hands to it, and it bobbles out of his fingers and away from his grasp on the second attempt.
Head survives and pushes along to 23 thanks to a straight boundary moments later, and it’s 1-34 after 5.
Head putting the foot down
Travis Head was on 1 from his first 7 deliveries, but is shifting through the gears now.
He smokes three boundaries in quick succession to move to 15, with the Aussies 1-23 from their first four. Two powerplay overs remain
After 3 overs - Australia 1-14
Marsh pulls one through midwicket for the first boundary of the innings, and Travis Head follows with a lofted cut to the rope, as the Aussies take a steadying 11 off the over.
Bookmakers still have Australia as $1.45 favourites to get this done, with Scotland a $2.75 outsider but firmly in contention.
After 2 overs - Australia 1-3
What a start from the underdogs!
Warner’s gone, Head and Marsh are being conservative facing some disciplined bowling, and it is well and truly game on in St Lucia... Mark Watt’s slow left armers now in action
