Australia did their arch-rivals England a big favor with a five-wicket victory over a plucky Scotland as Richie Berrington’s side crashed out of the Super Eight leg race of the T20 World Cup in Saint Lucia. With England defeating Namibia earlier in the day in a rain-truncated game, all Jos Buttler’s side needed was Australia’s victory over Scotland to throw themselves a lifeline. Australia scored 186/5 as they chased down 181 in 19.4 overs after Scotland fought to the end to keep their hopes alive.
After putting a formidable total on board, Scotland even reduced a nervous Australia to 60/3 at one stage, but their most successful batsmen this World Cup – Travis Head (68) and Marcus Stoinis (59) – delivered again.
With Australia’s chase appearing to be falling apart, Head and Stoinis joined forces to bring them back into the game.
On a wicket where batsmen could swing their willows without worrying too much about pace or movement off the surface, the two experienced campaigners put Scottish resolve to the test with a robust association of 80 runs for the third wicket off just 44 balls.
The head hit four sixes and five fours to top score with 68 off just 49 balls, but Stoinis was more aggressive, hitting nine fours and two sixes to make a quickfire 59 off just 29 balls.
But before that, there were some nervous moments for the former champions as David Warner (1) was taken out of the equation early, captain Mitchell Marsh failed to assert himself and Glenn Maxwell’s torrid run with the bat continued.
Maxwell was beaten by one from Mark Watt who straightened enough to swing his bat and hit the top of the stump, further extending the all-rounder’s struggles with the bat, although he did take two wickets in the first half.
Earlier, Scotland did their best in terms of putting up a formidable total against the heavyweights, finishing at 180 for five after being asked to bat first.
Australia were hoping to rest some of their frontline pacers and their absence was felt with the others not producing as much impact and control as their first-choice bowling attack can.
Brandon McMullen was the star with the bat for the Scots as they took on the Australian bowling, hitting six sixes and two fours to race to 60 off just 34 balls and set a strong platform for his team after an early knock.
Aston Agar cleaned up Michael Jones’ opener for two in the first over, but the duo of McMullen and George Munsey produced a superb comeback for Scotland, putting on 89 runs for the second wicket in just 48 balls.
If McMullen was the more belligerent of the two, Munsey played his role well with a 23-ball 35, studded with three sixes and a pair of fours.
After the pair were separated, Scottish captain Richie Berrington took it upon himself to take his team forward while forging several crucial positions with the following batsmen to take them to 180.
Berrington hit 42 off 31 balls with two sixes and a four to keep the pressure on for the Scots even as Australia tried to pull back in the final five overs, conceding 42 runs.
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