Australia thrash Namibia to cement spot in Super Eight stage

If you’re a die-hard Aussie cricket fan, today’s game was great. But there’s something else that needs to be said, hidden behind today’s relentless assault.

Australia has cemented its place in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with a commanding win over Namibia.

Namibia showed great intent but simply couldn’t produce enough to trouble the Australian juggernaut.

The Aussies barely broke a sweat as they chased down the 72-run total Namibia set.

Skipper Gerhard Erasmus showed some opposition with a well-hit 36, but the rest of the side’s order was manipulated like putty in the hands of Australia’s attack.

Adam Zampa was the star once again, bamboozling the underdogs to finish with the brilliant figures of 4-12 from his four overs.

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But for those watching at home, it was a little demoralising. Organisers of the World Cup are clearly clutching at straws if they believe brilliant showdowns will come from clashes between players paid millions of dollars versus others earning fractions.

To add insult to injury, Erasmus’ World Cup branded microphone cut out as he was forced to explain why exactly his team lost.

We love to see more and more nations join the cricketing fray, but sending out an XI full of medium pacers who clearly can’t compete with the likes of Pat Cummins feels a bit cruel.

There were empty seats aplenty at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

Travis Head scored 34* off 17.

It was all over in a couple of hours.

There were empty seats aplenty at Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, despite the fact some of the world’s best cricketers were taking the field.

You could almost hear the echo of the claps around the ground after the anthem ceremonies.

It looked like the mercy rule should have been enforced when Travis Head (34 not out from 17 balls) and Mitch Marsh (18 runs from nine balls) reached the target with 86 balls remaining.

The Aussies reached the target in just 5.4 overs.

David Warner was the only Aussie batter dismissed, caught out after reaching 20 from eight balls.

Australia could have to play five games in eight days, including a semi-final and a final, to lift the trophy for a second time in four years, with travel in between the second and third games as well.

It means there will be some big decisions over when and where to play their key men.

Coach Andrew McDonald says management of the squad was the number one priority throughout the tournament, and the way forward will be dictated by the results on the field today.

“You plan for best-case scenario and you plan for worst-case scenario, so there’s plans based upon each scenario that will unfold,” he said.

Australia could have to play five games in eight days, including a semi-final and a final, to lift the trophy for a second time in four years, with travel in between the second and third games as well.

12.22pm - Warner falls

David Warner walked out to the crease attempting to get the job done inside the power play, blasting Namibia’s quicks for 20 off eight deliveries.

But his big hitting got the best of him after he top edged a drive off David Wiese, sending an easy catch to Ruben Trumpelmann at mid-off.

Mitch Marsh has joined Travis Head at the crease to chase the remaining 50 runs.

Head picked up on Warner’s vibe and immediately began blasting the ball to the fence to bring Australia to 1-48 at the end of the fourth over.

11.56am - Stoinis cleans up the tail, Namibia out for 72

Marcus Stoinis dismissed Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus in the 17th over, forcing a top edge from the 29-year-old that flew straight to Glenn Maxwell.

Erasmus started slow, taking 17 balls to get off the mark, but was easily the star of the innings with a well-hit 36.

He was able to smash Pat Cummins with a brilliant pull shot for six the previous over, but needed to stay at the crease until the end to post a defendable total.

Stoinis closed out the innings on the final ball of his over as Ben Shikongo top-edged one high in the sky for Tim David to scoop up.

Australia needs 73 runs to win.

11.35am - Namibia star goes big, goes home

Ruben Trumpelmann smashed Namibia’s first six of the night after Adam Zampa fed him a delicious full-toss. Trumpelmann rocked back and sent it over the deep midwicket fence.

But his match-saving innings wasn’t to be.

He tried going again the very next ball and sent the ball straight to Glenn Maxwell in the deep.

Zampa took his fourth of the night in the same over, clean-bowling Bernard Scholtz for a duck to leave the underdogs at 8-43 at the 14th over.

Ruben Trumpelmann went six and out.

11.26am - Brilliant catch from Hazlewood

At five wickets down, Namibia’s skipper Gerhard Erasmus knew it was now or never to get some runs on the board. He blasted Pat Cummins through the covers for four, while David Wiese tried to get things moving up the other end.

Wiese tried launching Adam Zampa over deep midwicket but got too much air, giving Josh Hazlewood time to sprint around and scoop it up.

Weise fell for one, bringing Namibia’s delicate tail into the fray.

11.10am - Namibia is falling apart

Aussie seamer Nathan Ellis, who is replacing Mitchell Starc tonight, was doing great things early in his spell, dismissing JJ Smit LBW with a delivery that nipped back in on the right hander.

The on-field umpire gave it not-out, but DRS cameras showed there was no bat involved and had the ball careering into the middle and leg stumps.

Meanwhile, Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus is having his own troubles. He faced 16 balls without scoring a single run before almost falling LBW to Adam Zampa in the following over.

He finally got one away to the leg side and earned a little cheer from the dwindling crowd.

Zampa struck a few balls later, dismissing Zane Green for one. Green tried his luck sweeping Australia’s premier white ball spinner and missed it entirely, giving the umpire an easy decision to send him on his way.

Australia is running riot.

10.52am - Hazlewood gets another

The collapse begins.

Josh Hazlewood has taken another, forcing another rash shot from the Namibian top order as Michael van Lingen flashed towards the off side.

Glenn Maxwell took his second catch of the night, sending van Lingen to the sheds with 10.

10.46am - Hazlewood strikes, Cummins joins the party

Josh Hazlewood has broken through in his second over, tempting opener Nikolaas Davin into flashing at a short and wide delivery.

Davin couldn’t get enough on it and fished out Glemm Maxwell at backward point for a simple catch.

Davin fell for 2.

Pat Cummins joined the fun in the very next over, forcing an error from Jan Frylinck, who tried driving him down the ground but lofted it too much.

Mitchell Marsh took the grab and sent Frylinck on his way for one, bringing Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus to the crease.

10.30am - Stands nearly empty in Antigua

There are empty seats aplenty at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium this evening in Antigua, despite the fact some of the world’s best cricketers are taking the field.

You could almost hear the echo of the claps around the ground after the anthem ceremonies.

Namibia’s openers have a massive job to do first up against Australia’s pace attack. There was a bit of weather around, forcing a brief delay at the start.

The slightly wet outfield will make it harder to hit boundaries, so we might see some attempts to clear the fence here.

There are empty seats aplenty at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium this evening in Antigua, despite the fact some of the world’s best cricketers are taking the field.