England in meltdown as Spirit of Cricket furore erupts at World Cup

Josh Hazlewood has ignited a new Spirit of Cricket debate after revealing a shock ploy by Australia at the T20 World Cup.

Grab your popcorn, the T20 World Cup is about to get very, very interesting.

A fortuitous series of results in Group B has not only guaranteed Australia passage to the second round of the tournament – but also with control over England’s fortunes.

The Aussies secured a place in the Super Eights with three wins from three matches, including an impressive thumping of the Poms.

England have just one point from two games and need to win their remaining two matches to have any chance of joining the Australians in the next phase.

But in a delightful twist for Aussie cricket fans who have been bored to death by the Barmy Army’s Spirit of Cricket rants since the most recent Ashes series, that still might not be enough.

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has sparked a firestorm by declaring “it’s in our best interest” to see the defending champions suffer an early exit and refusing to rule out manipulating the system to ensure it happens.

The Aussies can do that by taking it easy in their final group match against Scotland, which is

currently second with five points and set to grab the remaining Super Eights spot.

Australia and Scotland, who crucially have a vastly superior net run-rate to England, meet on Sunday at St Lucia.

“In this tournament you potentially come up against England at some stage again and they’re probably one of the top few teams on their day,” said Hazlewood after Australia cruised past Namibia by nine wickets on Tuesday.

“We’ve had some real struggles against them in T20 cricket so if we can get them out of the tournament that’s in our best interest as well as probably everyone else.

“It’ll be interesting to see. We’ve never really been in this position before as a team.”

Josh Hazlewood has sent England into panic mode. Picture: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Hazlewood insists Australia will go for a group clean-sweep by beating Scotland but with the temptation to help the Scots preserve their superior run rate over England.

“Whether you get close and you just knock it around and drag it out. There’s a few options there,” he added.

Former Australian captain Tim Paine described the situation as a “no-brainer” for Australia.

“Stopping a quality side progressing if you have the chance is a smart play to help you win a World Cup,” he tweeted.

But English journalists didn’t see it the same way, quickly running to the rule book to see if there was a way to save their side.

Cricinfo’s Andrew McGlashan warned Aussie skipper Mitch Marsh could be suspended for two matches if officials were convinced Australia had manipulated a result.

“He could be charged under Article 2.11 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which is designed to prevent the manipulation of games for ‘inappropriate strategic or tactical reasons … such as when a team deliberately loses a pool match in an ICC Event in order to affect the standings of other teams in that ICC Event’,” McGlashan wrote.

“The code of conduct clarifies it could also apply to ‘the inappropriate manipulation of a net run rate’ and the captain would be held responsible, and charged with a Level Two offence.

“Depending on the severity of the offence, this could carry a minimum sanction of a 50 per cent match fee fine, with a maximum of four demerit points and two suspension points – which would rule Marsh out of Australia’s first two Super Eight matches.”

Australia and England can’t go more than a few months without a Spirit of Cricket debate. Picture: Randy Brooks/AFP

Hazlewood’s comments also sparked hundreds of social media comments from panicked England fans, but the Poms’ coach Matthew Mott, an Australian who worked with Hazlewood at state side New South Wales, was sure the 33-year-old quick’s comments were made in jest.

“I think I know Josh pretty well and I know his integrity,” Mott told reporters in Antigua. “He’s got a very good sense of humour.

“I am hoping it was very much tongue in cheek. I actually don’t think it is ever going to play out.

“Having grown up in Australia, and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore. I am very much hoping it was an offhand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”

Australia defeated England by 36 runs in their pool clash in Barbados last weekend after also seeing off Oman by 39 runs at the same venue.

England’s game with Scotland, also at Bridgetown, was abandoned. The Scots then clinched convincing wins over Namibia and Oman.

“We take confidence from winning and winning well, I think that’s almost more important than potentially trying to knock someone else out,” added Hazlewood.

“They’ve still got a lot to do on their behalf as well, so I think it’ll become clearer the closer we get to that sort of stuff.”

England face Oman in Antigua on Thursday and then Namibia on Saturday. Australia and Scotland, however, will meet on Sunday after England have completed their group games.

– with AFP

Originally published as England in meltdown as Spirit of Cricket furore erupts at World Cup