‘In our best interest’: Aussies eye chance to orchestrate England’s T20 World Cup elimination
Australia has a chance to help Scotland advance, ahead of England, at this Twenty20 World Cup. Josh Hazlewood explains how he’d like his in-form side to attack the quandary.
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Josh Hazlewood has declared it is in Australia’s best interests to try and manipulate England’s elimination from the World Cup, setting the stage for an extraordinary go-slow in their final group match against Scotland.
Australia completely annihilated Namibia by nine wickets in just 34 balls in Antigua on Wednesday morning AEST to guarantee their qualification for the Super Eights stage of the tournament, meanwhile England must end the tournament with a superior net run rate to Scotland to qualify.
As a result, Australia now has England at its mercy in what shapes as a stunning chapter in World Cup history unfolding in St Lucia on Sunday morning AEST.
First things first Australia will be out to beat Scotland, but how they try and beat them is the intriguing part and Hazlewood said the simple fact is his team’s chances of winning the World Cup will improve if England is knocked out.
“Yeah I think so. In this tournament, you potentially come up against England at some stage again and as you said, they’re probably one of the top few teams on their day,” Hazlewood said.
“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 I don’t think.
“Whether we have discussions or not, or we just try and play again the way we played tonight, that’ll be up to people, not me.”
The ICC has invited this potential gamesmanship due to a flaw in its points system, which means net run rate starts with a clean slate for the Super Eights stage of the tournament.
Therefore there is zero incentive for Australia to flog Scotland as they did Namibia because they can’t take their domineering group stage record forward with them.
Had tournament rules dictated that net run rate would carry through the tournament, then Australia would have been taking a major risk by considering a go-slow to eliminate England.
Hazlewood is unsure how trying to win slowly might look or whether Australian decision-makers will even elect to try it.
“Not too sure really. Whether you get close and just knock it around and drag it out,” Hazlewood said.
“There’s a few options there.
“But as you said to take confidence from winning and winning well, that’s almost more important than potentially trying to knock someone else out.
“They’ve (England) 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’s mission to try and topple Scotland on net run rate is made all the more difficult by the fact they will have played their final group match against Namibia before Australia goes into battle against the Scots.
It means Australia has time to get the calculator out and know exactly what it needs to do to win, but win slowly enough to force England’s exit from the World Cup.
England is extremely disadvantaged by this flaw, and is why playing final group matches simultaneously is a fixture of FIFA football World Cups.
Hazlewood downplayed the prospect of Australia resting multiple players against Scotland.
It’s possible selectors will see benefit in giving squad players Ashton Agar and Cameron Green a game before the Super Eights stage, but Hazlewood for one does not want a spell.
“Obviously it’s up to the coaches and the captain and the selectors but I haven’t been playing, so I’m still keen to get out there and still work on a couple of things,” he said.
“But a lot of the guys have been playing IPL so potentially one or two of those might have a rest. But it hasn’t been a gruelling schedule.
“A game every three or four days isn’t too tough in T20 cricket. I think it’ll be almost up to the individual I think in that regard.”
Adam Zampa took four wickets and Glenn Maxwell four catches to inflict Australia’s most dominant ever bowling performance, and most efficient ever run chase in a World Cup annihilation of Namibia which confirmed their status as the ultimate minnow munchers.
The nine-wicket bloodbath completed in just 5.4 overs came after Namibia’s 72 all out became the lowest total Australia has ever kept an opposition to in a T20 international. Chasing down a win within 6.2 overs was the previous quickest run-chase the Aussies had ever pulled off.
This carve-up was all over in just 34 balls thanks to Travis Head (34 not out off 17), David Warner (20 off 8) and Mitchell Marsh (18 not out off nine).
Zampa became the first Australian to reach 100 T20 international wickets with his clinical display against Namibia.
Warner, Head and Marsh then came out and made short work of the run chase – finishing the entire match in under two hours.
The previous lowest total Australia had kept a team to in T20s was the 73 they skittled Bangladesh for in 2021.
Australia completed the bowling carnage in 16.5 overs and Marsh’s team is now qualified for the Super Eights.
Back-to-back @aramco POTM awards ðŸ…
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) June 12, 2024
Adam Zampa continues his red-hot form against Namibia 🙌#T20WorldCup | #AUSvNAMpic.twitter.com/LEX8HPno9h
Zampa was brilliant, taking 4-12 - his equal most economical performance in a T20 international, and second only to a spell of 5-19.
Maxwell was at his dynamic best in the field, with a catch he took running in from the deep to a ball smashed sky high off Marcus Stoinis was the pick of a faultless fielding performance from one of the best fielders in world cricket.
No one has taken more than four catches before in a T20 World Cup match.
Hazlewood was also impressive, taking 2-18 while Stoinis continued his outstanding start to the World Cup with figures of 2-9.
Mitchell Starc was rested for the match as a precaution due to minor calf soreness but is in no doubt for the Super Eights stage.
Australia make history in T20 World Cup annihilation of Namibia
Australia has confirmed their reputation as cricket’s ultimate minnow munchers to leave England officially quivering in their boots.
Adam Zampa took four wickets and Glenn Maxwell four catches to inflict Australia’s most dominant ever bowling performance, and most efficient ever run chase in a World Cup annihilation of Namibia.
The nine-wicket bloodbath completed in just 5.4 overs means Australia have guaranteed their qualification for the Super Eights stage of the tournament and are in the luxurious position of being able to rest multiple players for their final group game against Scotland this Sunday morning AEST.
Namibia’s 72 all out was the lowest total Australia has ever kept an opposition to in a men’s T20 international, while 6.2 overs was the previous quickest run-chase the Aussies had ever pulled off.
This carve-up was all over in just 34 balls thanks to Travis Head (34 not out off 17), David Warner (20 off 8) and Mitchell Marsh (18 not out off nine).
The scale of the victory is potentially bad news for England, who desperately need Australia to flog Scotland as they just have Namibia in order to survive in the tournament.
It’s unclear whether Australia would consider a more go-slow approach to beating Scotland, but for the next few days they have England at their mercy.
England must lift themselves higher than Scotland’s net run rate to sneak into the Super Eights and at the moment they have plenty of work to do starting with their third group match against Oman on Thursday in Antigua.
Zampa became the first Australian man to reach 100 T20 international wickets with his clinical display against Namibia.
Warner, Head and Marsh then came out and made short work of the run chase – finishing the entire match in under two hours.
The previous lowest total Australia had kept a team to in T20s was the 73 they skittled Bangladesh for in 2021.
Australia completed the bowling carnage in 16.5 overs and Marsh’s team is now qualified for the Super Eights.
Zampa was brilliant, taking 4-12 - his equal most economical performance in a T20 international, and second only to a spell of 5-19.
Maxwell was at his dynamic best in the field, with a catch he took running in from the deep to a ball smashed sky high off Marcus Stoinis was the pick of a faultless fielding performance from one of the best fielders in world cricket.
No one has taken more than four catches before in a T20 World Cup match.
Josh Hazlewood was also impressive, taking 2-18 while Stoinis continued his outstanding start to the World Cup with figures of 2-9.
Mitchell Starc was rested for the match as a precaution due to minor calf soreness but is in no doubt for the Super Eights stage.
Australia are now in the position where they can rest players for their final group game against Scotland given they have already secured qualification.
It puts England in a nervous position, because their fate in this World Cup will come down to whether or not they can better Scotland’s net run rate.
Re-live the action below.
12:30PM: HEAD IN A RUSH
Chasing a small target, Australia is unsurprisingly looking to get the job done quickly. After a seven-run first over, David Warner smashes David Wiese for three consecutive boundaries before falling for 20 off eight with a strike rate of 250.
With Warner gone, Head takes over and by the end of the third over the Aussies are 1-41.
INNINGS UPDATE: ZAMPA RUNS RIOT AS AUSTRALIA MAKE HISTORY
Adam Zampa has taken four wickets and Glenn Maxwell four catches as Australia inflicted its most dominant ever bowling performances to bowl Namibia out for 72.
It is the lowest total Australia has ever kept an opposition to in a men’s T20 international – the previous lowest being the 73 they skittled Bangladesh for in 2021.
Australia completed the carnage in 16.5 overs and Mitchell Marsh’s team is seemingly just a formality away from officially confirming qualification for the Super Eights stage of the World Cup.
Zampa was brilliant, taking 4-12 – his equal most economical performance in a T20 international, and second only to a spell of 5-19.
Maxwell was at his dynamic best in the field, with a catch he took running in from the deep to a ball smashed sky high off Marcus Stoinis was the pick of a faultless fielding performance from one of the best fielders in world cricket.
No one has taken more than four catches before in a T20 World Cup match.
Josh Hazlewood was also impressive, taking 2-18 while Stoinis continued his outstanding start to the World Cup with figures of 2-9.
Mitchell Starc was rested for the match as a precaution due to minor calf soreness but is in no doubt for the Super Eights stage.
Australia are now in the position where they can rest players for their final group game against Scotland given they have already secured qualification.
It puts England in a nervous position, because their fate in this World Cup will come down to whether or not they can better Scotland’s net run rate.
12:00: ALL-OUT
Namibia is all out for 72. It's the lowest score a team has ever posted against Australia in a completed men’s T20 innings, eclipsing the 73 Bangladesh was skittled for in 2021.
11:40: AUSTRALIA CHASING HISTORY
Australia is on track for inflicting its biggest ever Twenty20 demolition, with Namibia in crisis at 8-43 after just 13 overs.
Namibia crawled past the mark for the lowest ever T20 total, which was the 39 Uganda made against West Indies earlier this tournament.
But 73 currently stands as the lowest mark Australia has kept an opposition team to, and Namibia are a long way away from getting past that.
Spinner Adam Zampa has dominated, taking four wickets for just 12 runs from his four overs.
Josh Hazlewood has taken two wickets.
It seems a formality before Australia confirms its qualification for the Super Eights stage of the tournament.
11:28: ZAMPA ON A ROLL
Adam Zampa is a man at the very top of his craft and he is proving too much to handle for Namibia. The leg-spinner starts his third over with a big leg break that turns sharply to beat David Wiese’s edge and runs away for four byes. Two deliveries later, Zampa gets his man. Fires in a wrong’un and Wiese lobs it straight to Josh Hazlewood at long-on. If anyone was going to get Namibia to a competitive total it was Wiese. 6-33 after 11 overs.
11:19AM: FIVE DOWN
It was already ugly for Namibia, but it’s getting worse quickly. Zampa traps Zane Green plumb in front for 1 and he’s got his first wicket of the day. The leggie has figures of 1/3 off two overs and he’s been more than good value for them. Nambia 5-21 after nine.
11:16AM: OFF THE MARK AT LAST
It’s taken 17 deliveries, but Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus is finally off the mark. Picks up his first run with a sweep around the corner for a single. He earns a warm applause from the crowd. He survived an lbw review a delivery earlier from Adam Zampa. If he had perished, it would have been the longest duck in T20 World Cup history by nine deliveries.
11:11AM: ELLIS CASHES IN
Nathan Ellis opens his account for the day. Into the team for the rested Mitchell Starc, Ellis traps JJ Smit in front and goes up with a big appeal but the umpire is unmoved. The Australians send it up and ball tracking has it smashing into the top of leg. 4-18 after eight.
10:53AM: AND AGAIN!
Namibia is in crisis at 3-15 as Josh Hazlewood struck for his second from the first ball of the third over.
Again it was another double act with Glenn Maxwell, who completed the catch at backward point.
Maxwell juggled the ball slightly but was always in control. It is now three wickets in as many overs.
10:51AM: CUMMINS JOINS IN
Pat Cummins has doubled down on Hazlewood’s fast start, taking a wicket in his first over – the fourth of the match.
Namibia are in trouble at 2-15 in front of a Sir Vivian Richards Stadium that is only partly full.
Captain Mitchell Marsh took the simple catch at mid-off after Cummins’ proved too good for Jan Frylinck, as the fast bowling star completed a wicket-maiden.
10:45AM: HAZLEWOOD STRIKES FIRST
Josh Hazlewood has drawn first blood in Australia’s World Cup group match against Namibia.
With Mitchell Starc rested, Hazlewood and Marcus Stoinis stepped up to take the new ball and it only took until the third over for Hazlewood to strike the first blow against the Africans.
Glenn Maxwell took a regulation catch at backward point to leave the associate side 1-15 after three.
10:30AM: AN-ALMOST-RAIN-DELAY
Australia looked like having a delayed start to its World Cup group match against Namibia, after the covers were brought onto the field just minutes before play was due to start.
But no sooner as they been slid all the way out from the out-field, they were whisked away again and Australia started measuring their run-ups.
There is only the slightest bit of rain on the radar and Australia don’t need any further delays to what is already a late night – with the match starting at 8.30pm local time.
In bizarre scenes, the covers came onto the field as the Australians stood out in the middle watching, almost bemused as to why.
10AM: AUSTRALIA FIELD FIRST
Mitchell Starc has been left out of Australia’s clash against Namibia with calf soreness, giving Nathan Ellis another shot to push his case ahead of the business end of the World Cup.
Starc is a man Australia can ill-afford to have injured when the whips are cracking the Super Eights, although team management say his soreness is “mild.”
Australia has won the toss and will bowl first against Namibia in Antigua, with no other changes to the XI that dismantled England.
Starc has endured a hectic schedule in the IPL where his team went all the way to the final, and he then was forced to undertake a marathon journey to the West Indies which took him over 60 hours.
It is unsurprising that Starc would be rested given Australia has all but qualified for the next stage of the tournament.
They can make it a guarantee by beating Namibia on Wednesday morning AEST.
Australia will be desperately hoping Starc’s calf issue does not linger.
There is the possibility further resting could take place for the final group match against Scotland starting on Saturday provided Australia win against Namibia and confirm their qualification for the next stage.
9:40AM: STARC SET TO BE RESTED
Mitchell Starc looks set to be rested for Australia’s third group match against Namibia starting in under an hour’s time.
The big fast bowler has endured a hectic few months in the IPL as well as a marathon flight to arrive in the West Indies, and Australia want to make sure he stays fresh through the tournament.
The early money would be on Nathan Ellis replacing Starc as he did Pat Cummins in the first game of the tournament.
Australia only needs to beat the African associate country to guarantee qualification for the Super Eights stage of the World Cup.
Other than Starc resting, Australia is likely to stick with an unchanged XI against Namibia.
9:30AM: CAN STOINIS CONTINUE HIS RED HOT RUN?
– Jacob Kuriype
Before the start of play today, a moment for Marcus Stoinis – a firm contender for player of the tournament so far.
The all-rounder sits sixth among the run-scorers with 97, just ahead of David Warner (95) but what’s impressive is the way he is going about it.
Among the top 10 run-scorers, Stoinis sits second for both average (97) and strike rate (183.01). Only USA’s Aaron Jones (130 runs at NA, strike rate of 196.96) has fared better on both counts.
All that, and he’s taken four wickets across two games as well.
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