2024 T20 World Cup: Loss to Australia could put Aussie Matthew Mott’s position as England white-ball coach in jeopardy
England’s fast bowlers shoulder enormous responsibility in an attempt to blast out Australia’s batters and secure a win over their old foe which perhaps may save their coach’s job.
Australia may have the chance to push England to the brink of World Cup elimination in Sunday’s Ashes showdown against fast bowling destroyers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer.
If England lose to Australia in Barbados they may be consigned to a Braveheart qualification battle with little brothers Scotland, where their fate in the tournament – and the future of their Aussie coach Matthew Mott – could be decided by net run rate.
There is enormous pressure on speed demons Wood and Archer to reharness the terror they have inflicted on Australia in Test cricket, but that won’t be easy on a slow Barbados wicket that looks a far cry from the surfaces back in England where they have wreaked havoc as Ashes assassins.
Wood has already conceded the Australia clash is “crucial” for England following their first-up washout against Scotland, and admits the knives will be out should they lose on Sunday and the humiliating prospect of being usurped by their minnow UK cousins looms larger.
Should England lose and enter into a run-rate dogfight, the fact Australia plays its last group game against Scotland only makes the potential mind games even more intriguing.
Archer has not faced Australia since his terrifying bowling in the 2019 Ashes, where he famously felled Steve Smith at Lord’s, and it is somewhat fitting that the long-awaited rematch should be at his childhood home ground in Barbados.
It was Wood who single-handedly turned the momentum of the Ashes with his devastating spell in the third Test at Leeds last year.
Australian opener David Warner said facing Wood and Archer in T20 cricket is a completely different ball game to the nightmare it can be in the Ashes, and believes their extra could pace could actually work to Australia’s advantage on Sunday.
“There’s a fair difference,” Warner said after his expert 56 off 51 matchwinning knock against Oman in Australia’s first World Cup match in Barbados.
“You just use their pace. Test cricket they set different fields, (bowl) different balls). In Twenty20 cricket you only have to get half an edge on it and it can go.
“(In Barbados) you just have to adjust to the slowness of the wicket. Coming up against England, they’ve got a bit more pace so that’s going to be a little bit better.”
Australia faces England in a day match at Kensington Oval which means potentially different conditions to what they encountered late at night against Oman on Thursday morning (AEST).
In the 10 overs managed earlier this week before the match was abandoned, Scotland had powered to 0-90 and the extra pace of England’s firebrand attack was coming onto the bat well.
England understands the very real pressure they are under against Australia, particularly following their meek departure in last year’s 50-over World Cup.
Mott – the former coach of Australia’s champion women’s team – would be under serious pressure to hold his job as England’s white ball coach if his side were unable to get out of the group stage in this World Cup.
Wood has not sugar coated the fact that what originally looked like an inconsequential group game against Australia has suddenly become high stakes.
“The rivalry, the tournament … it’s crucial now,” Wood said.
“Especially with weather around and the run-rates being tight. If we can get ahead there it will be easier when it gets down to the wire.
“You never need to get up for an Australia game but it’s one that’s got more importance because of the points.
“It puts a different spin on things if we win that game compared to losing.
“It has a different look and feel.
“Lose, and I’m sure in the media there will be questions asked like the last World Cup in India, so it’ll be an important game for us and one we’ll desperately be trying to win.”
Warner said that even though it is Australia versus England, this is not the Ashes, and the relevant statistic in his team’s mind is that England are defending World Cup champions.
And that if Australia loses, they too could walk a qualification tightrope should an upset occur in the group.
“I know everyone talks about the rivalry of the Ashes, but this is Twenty20 cricket,” Warner said.
“They’re the reigning champions, we have to respect that.
“We have to come out here and be on our game. It’ll be great to get momentum and get one up on them because you just never know in these pool games.
“Someone can turn it on and you can lose one.
“Given it was a wash out as well for them.”
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