What an emphatic victory this for England. A six-wicket win that not only gives them the series but also makes the Three Lions the No. 1 T20I side in the world. Congratulations to Eoin Morgan and Co. Massive props to Malan and Buttler who set up the run chase with that partnership up front. Plenty to ponder as far as Australia's concerned. Their middle-order once again came undone. There's a strong case here to play someone like Marnus Labuschagne in the XI. Their fast bowlers too need to pull up their socks. Anyway, that would be all from our side. Good night and take care.
Zampa to bowl out. Is there a final twist left in this tale? Moeen Ali thinks not as he clobbers this one over long-off for six. Follows it up with a four next ball. That should seal Australia's fate. Buttler finishes off in style, a six to win the game and the series!
ENG 140-4, 18.0 Moeen Ali comes to the crease. Agar to bowl out. Both batsmen see off Agar, five singles off it in the end. England need 18 in 12 balls.
ENG 135-4, 17.0 Adam Zampa is back into the attack. Buttler continuing his rich vein of form: punches it past the two extra-cover fielders for four. England's game to lose. Captain Morgan joins in: absolute smokes this one down the ground for four. Hang on, hang on! Now , Morgan departs and Zampa has a wicket to his name. England four down.
ENG 125-2, 16.0 OUT! Agar again. Banton holes out to Cummins. Surely, England aren't going to collapse, are they? Eoin Morgan, left handed bat, comes to the crease. Good one from Agar, four runs and a wicket. Too little too late, or is it?
ENG 121-2, 15.0 Mitchell Starc is back into the attack. Six runs from the over but you would imagine Buttler and Malan have done the damage here. Australia once again paying the price for some pretty ineffective Powerplay bowling. Both Starc and Cummins have been quite expensive in the two T20Is.
ENG 115-2, 14.0 GONE! Just the breakthrough Australia wanted. Agar gets Malan out, caught by Stoinis . The partnership has been broken. Tom Banton comes to the crease. The dismissal doesn't affect Buttler, who gets to his 50 with two successive boundaries. This has been a dominating innings from Buttler. 10 runs and a wicket from the over. England needs 43 runs in 36 balls
ENG 105-1, 13.0 Pat Cummins is back into the attack. Malan and Buttler going neck and neck. Both batsmen collect a four each off Cummins to inch closer to their fifties. England are now past 100. The partnership is also nearing the three-figure mark. 11 runs from that over.
ENG 94-1, 12.0 Ashton Agar, Left arm orthodox, comes into the attack. He is welcomed by Buttler with a boundary to deep backward point, the keeper-batsman bringing out the reverse sweep. Eight runs off that over. Eight runs off that over.
ENG 86-1, 11.0 Kane Richardson is back into the attack. Nothing going Australia's way at the moment. They need to conjure up a breakthrough from somewhere because these two are in no mood to relent. More runs for England, Buttler adds to his boundary count by collecting his third four of the innings. 12 runs from it.
ENG 74-1, 10.0 Now, Zampa finds himself in the firing line: Another reverse-sweep, another four for Malan. He follows it up with yet another boundary. England hurtling towards the total at the moment. Malan's in a hurry. 10 runs off it in the end.
ENG 64-1, 9.0 Maxwell to continue. Malan collects two back-to-back boundaries and once again, the pressure is off both these batsmen. A premeditated reverse sweep is followed by a cracking cut shot past point. Runs continue to flow for the host. 11 runs off that over. England needs 94 runs in 66 balls
ENG 53-1, 8.0 Adam Zampa comes into the attack. Buttler brings up England's 50 with a single. A stroll in the park for England so far. Given Australia's pacers have failed to deliver the goods, Finch will once again turn to the spinners in hope of a breakthrough. They have been good so far. Zampa goes for four in his first.
ENG 49-1, 7.0 Glenn Maxwell, right-arm off break, comes into the attack. Good start again from Maxwell. He has been good with the ball so far. Five runs from his first over.
ENG 44-1, 6.0 Pat Cummins is back into the attack. Once again, Cummins bowls five good balls before conceding a boundary off the last. This has been Australia's story in the Powerplay. They just haven't been able to build the pressure. It was a streaky boundary all right, but Malan won't mind as the thick inside edge runs away for four. Seven from it.
ENG 37/1, 5.0 Starc continues. He has a slip and gully in place for the in-form Malan. Good start from Starc. Three successive dots. Once again, ruins it by bowling a wide. The very next ball, Malan pulls a short ball for four. Now, Buttler joins the fun - helps a short ball backward of square on on-side for four. 10 off that over.
ENG 27/1, 4.0 Kane Richardson, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack. Malan gets a single and gives the strike back to Buttler. A really disciplined effort from Richardson until the last ball : five dots and Buttler sends this full delivery for a maximum. Ruins what was turning out to be a good over.
ENG 20/1, 3.0 Starc's problems continue. Bairstow gets into the act now - He leans into the drive and gets four before scything a length delivery past the non-striker for four more. Starc bleeding runs again. GONE! He redeems himself, does Starc. Hang on... Bairstow is out hit wicket. Oh Dear! Dawid Malan comes to the crease. Nine runs and a wicket.
ENG 11-0, 2.0 Pat Cummins to share the new-ball duties. Good start. Two dots and a single to start off his spell. Buttler and Bairstow take a single each, before Buttler punches one through extra-cover for four. He is in sizzling form, is Buttler. Six runs from the over.
ENG 5-0, 1.0 Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow begin the run chase. Mitch Starc with the new ball. Eventful over. A huge shout for lbw off the second ball... the umpire thinks it is not out. But Australia review. It's umpire's call on impact and the visitor loses a review. Bairstow finishes the over with a boundary... oh, looks like he flicked and missed. The ball brushes the pads and runs away for four.
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England will be pleased with their bowling performance, save that final over from Archer which cost them 18. Australia, on the other hand, have Agar and Cummins to thank for taking them to 157. Given England's batting line-up, shouldn't be a tall ask but if the first T20I has taught us anything, do not take the chase for granted. We will back shortly. England needs 158 to go 2-0 up and win the series.
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Jofra Archer to wrap up the innings. Archer starts off by conceding three off the first two balls including a wide. Another wide from Archer... Cummins finally gets a big shot going... streaky but Australia will take it. A boundary to third-man takes Australia closer to 150. My word! Nothing streaky about that: Cummins clobbers this over long-off for six and Australia have gone past the 150-mark. Another wide from Archer, has been a very wayward over from him so far. OUT! Ashton Agar has been run out . Mitchell Starc will be on strike for the last ball. He manages to collect a couple and Australia finishes on 157/7.
Australia 139-6, 19.0 They surely can... if Maxwell gets going. Good start to the 19th over as Maxi drives this near-perfect yorker past Morgan at extra-cover for four. Beautiful shot. GONE! Maxwell falls off the very next delivery... caught behind by Buttler. Australia sinks deeper... Huge wicket. Maxwell could've easily made a difference of atleast 10-15 runs to the final total. Pat Cummins joins Agar. Takes a single and gives the strike to Agar, who hits one to the long-on fence for four. Excellent strike. 11 runs off the over.
Australia 128-5, 18.0 Tom Curran is back into the attack. MAXWELL! That should give him some confidence: clobbers it between mid-wicket and long-on for six. Some much-needed impetus. Good recovery from Tom. A couple of slower balls in there and keeping the batsmen down to singles. 11 runs from it. Can they get to 150 ?
Australia 117/5, 17.0 Jofra Archer is back into the attack. He has two overs left. Starts off with two singles. England will not mind those, especially with someone of Maxi's calibre and skill at the crease. He is going at almost run-a-ball at the moment, is Maxi. Agar collects two back-to-back braces, a top-edge off the fourth delivery almost had Agar in trouble. But the ball lands safely. Seven runs from it in the end. England have Australia in shackles at the moment.
Australia 110/5, 16.0 Chris Jordan is back into the attack. Maxwell is going to be the key here. He knows it. England know it. Can he break free? He is happy with ones and twos at the moment but Australia need that one 20-run over to get to 150 and make a match out of this. Nine runs from it but more importantly, fro England's point of view, no boundaries. Four overs left in this innings .
Australia 101/5, 15.0 Moeen Ali comes into the attack. Morgan is back on the field by the way. Agar gets one away, a thick edge races away to the third-man boundary for four. Eight runs from that Moeen over. Australia finally goes past the 100-run mark.
Australia 93/5, 14.0 Ashton Agar comes to the crease. Wood is back into the attack. Maxwell takes a single first ball and gives the strike to Agar. The left-hander gets off the mark with a single to sweeper-cover. Excellent bowling from Wood. He completes his quota. Just four singles off his last over. Wood: 4-0-25-1.
Australia 89-5, 13.0 Glenn Maxwell comes to the crease. Meanwhile, Rashid is about to bowl out. He bowls one right in the slot and Stoinis says 'thank you very much' and plonks it over long-off for a maximum. OUT! Oh dear, Rashid gets his revenge off the last ball of his spell: gets Stoinis out caught for 35.Adil Rashid: 4-0-25-1.
Australia 79-4, 12.0 Chris Jordan is back into the attack. Finch, meanwhile, is starting to flex his muscles: gets this one past fine-leg for four more. A short delivery aimed into his body, and the Aussie skipper puts it away. And again. Four more - Finch pulls it past fine-leg for four. OUT! Just when it looked like they were getting a move on, Jordan gets Finch - cleans up the Aussie skipper. He is out for 40 off 33 deliveries.
Australia 69-3, 11.0 Rashid continues. Finch swings and sends one over long-on for six. A much-needed big hit for the visitor. Three singles and a maximum off it in the end. Nine runs from the over.
Australia 60-3, 10.0 Tom Curran is back into the attack. Australians dealing in singles at the moment. Both these batsmen are more than capable of playing the big shots. So, England will be wary. Excellent over from Tom. Again, only four runs from it.
Australia 56-3, 9.0 Rashid to continue, Australia needs Finch to stay there till the end. Another good over from Rashid. Just four singles from it. Meanwhile, skipper Morgan has walked off the field with an injury. Buttler will be in charge in Morgan's absence.
Australia 52-3, 8.0 Chris Jordan, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack. WHAM! Stoinis hammers this short delivery flat over deep mid-wicket for six! Whattay hit. He brings up the team fifty with a brace, does Stoinis. Another couple makes it 11 off six balls.
Australia 41-3, 7.0 Adil Rashid, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack. Great start from the leggie. Just two runs from the over. Aaron Finch and Marcus Stoinis need to find a way to break the shackles. England all over the visitor at the moment.
Australia 39-3, 6.0 Stoinis hits two back to back boundaries off Mark Wood. Good over for Australia that. Nine runs from it. They need to get a serious move on if they want to challenge England.
Australia 30-3, 5.0 Steve Smith gets into the mood. He welcomes Curran with a boundary at the deep mid-wicket fence and two balls later he pulls over cow corner for maximum. But England has the last laugh as Morgan, with an under-arm throw from mid-on to the non-striker's end, catches Smith well short. He had one stump to aim at and made no mistake! The Aussies in all kinds of trouble now.
Australia 20-2, 4.0 Finch edges Wood and picks up a bounday as the ball goes past the only slip. And one ball later Finch gets four more off the other edge, wide on the crease this time and past short fine leg.
Australia 10-2, 3.0 Finch flicks Archeer's bouncer for six and the pacer replies with a 146kph leg-cutter. The 33-year-old manages the over, taking a single off the ball to keep strike.
Australia 3-2, 2.0 Carey tried to step away to get some room to the leg side and he only succeeds in giving Buttler a simple catch. Steven Smith walks in at 4.
Australia 1-1, 1.0 Fantastic start for England and Jofra Archer. After David Warner left the first ball, played and missed the second, he gloves the third gets caught behind. Alex Carey, in at 3, is almost run out by Aaron Finch in the final ball of the over.
TOSS: After choosing to chase on Friday, Aaron Finch decides Australia will bat first today.
All to play for
With 39 needed off 36 balls with nine wickets in hand and two set batsmen at the crease, it should have been a cakewalk for Australia. Except, the visitor let the advantage slip away in spectacular fashion and is now forced to play 'catch up' heading into the second T20I against host England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. While both sides will want improvement in their middle orders, Australia, in particular, will want new-ball bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins to shore up their performances. The duo looked rusty - understandably so - and were all over the place in the Powerplay. Conversely, Eoin Morgan will be mighty pleased with how Jofra Archer and Mark Wood applied the choke with raw pace before Chris Jordan and Tom Curran finished things off at the death.
Needless to say, we are in for yet another cracking game of T20 between the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked T20 sides. The forecast is for a dry, bright day in Southampton.
All set then.
The Build-up
Australia vice-captain Pat Cummins has said that the team is willing to give all-rounder Marcus Stoinis a longer run to help him evolve as a finisher in the mould of former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has praised top-order batsman Dawid Malan for his “incredible” consistency in T20 cricket, saying the left-hander delivers every time he comes out to bat.
Former England batsman Ian Bell, who was part of five Ashes-winning teams, will retire at the end of the domestic season.
Squads:
England: Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler(w), Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan(c), Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Tom Banton, Joe Denly, Tom Curran
Australia: Aaron Finch(c), David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Sean Abbott, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Daniel Sams, Josh Philippe
What: Australia tour of England, 2020
Where: Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Date: September 4
Time: 6:45 PM IST
(The match will be aired on Sony Network and live streaming will be available on SonyLiv App)
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