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THE TIMES OF INDIA | Jun 12, 2024, 07:56:15 IST
Australia vs Namibia T20 World Cup Live Score: Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bowl first against Namibia in the Group B match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. After wins against Oman and arch-rivals England to get their campaign underway, victory in this fixture will confirm a place in the Super Eights for the Aussies, who have rested Mitchell Starc and replaced him with fellow pacer Nathan Ellis. Having followed a narrow win over the Omanis with defeat to group leaders Scotland, the Namibians are in a must-win situation. The African side made three changes to the side which lost to the Scots in Barbados, bolstering their bowling stocks with the inclusion of the fast-medium pair of Ben Shikongo and 19-year-old Jack Brassell.
Ben Shikongo to Travis Head, FOUR! Skillfully done!
Ben Shikongo to Travis Head, Comes into the attack and starts off with a full delivery, swinging away, on off, Travis Head's weight stays on the back foot as he drives it along the ground to mid off.
Score after
3
overs
22 - 1
- Mitchell Marsh 0 (2)
- Travis Head 1 (2)
David Wiese to Mitchell Marsh, Tighter line this from Wiese, on a length, on off, Mitchell Marsh gets half-forward and pushes it back to the bowler with a straight bat.
David Wiese to Mitchell Marsh, WIDE! Gets the line horribly wrong as this is way down leg. Zane Green does well to dive to his left and makes a good stop.
David Wiese to Mitchell Marsh, Wiese attacks the stumps and bowls it full, on middle, Mitchell Marsh presents a straight bat and defends it out solidly.
Mitchell Marsh comes out to bat now.
David Wiese to David Warner, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! The fun is over for David Warner! Going across the left-hander, on a length, outside off, David Warner sets deep in his crease and tries to go over mid off this time. The bat twists in his hands on contact and skies it high in the air towards mid off. Ruben Trumpelmann settles under the skier and takes a good reverse-cup catch.
David Wiese to David Warner, SIX! David Warner is on an early charge! David Wiese goes short and it is around middle but it is not short enough. David Warner is expecting a short ball as he goes deep in the crease and swivels to hammer the pull over deep backward square leg for a biggie.
David Wiese to David Warner, FOUR! Width offered again and the result is the same! Angling away, on a good length, outside off, David Warner gets his weight on the front foot and drives it between cover and mid off for four more runs.
David Wiese to David Warner, FOUR! Width offered and David Warner cashes in! Starts a bit too wide and on a short of a good length, David Warner does not miss out as he frees his arms and thumps it through covers for a boundary.
David Wiese will operate from the other end.
- Travis Head 1 (2)
- David Warner 6 (4)
Ruben Trumpelmann to Travis Head, Hits the deck hard and gets the ball to nip back in, on middle and leg, Travis Head hops back and does enough to stab it down the deck.
Ruben Trumpelmann to David Warner, Angling in, on a length, on middle, David Warner checks his shot and chips it to the right of mid off for a single.
Ruben Trumpelmann to David Warner, Big swing and a miss! Tailing in, on a hard length, over middle, David Warner clears his front leg and shapes up to go back over the bowler's head but gets beaten as the ball sneaks under the bat.
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Ruben Trumpelmann to David Warner, FOUR! Short and punished! Too short from Ruben and offers width as well, on off, David Warner gets on his toes and reaches out to slap it between cover and mid off for the first boundary of the chase.
Ruben Trumpelmann to Travis Head, Full and sliding on the pads, Travis Head flicks it through square leg and gets off the mark with a single.
Ruben Trumpelmann to David Warner, Oh, that was risky! Travis Head was gone for all money had the throw hit. Ruben Trumpelmann charges in from over the wicket and angles it in, on a good length, on middle and leg, David Warner just taps it in front of cover and calls Head through. Head responds but the fielder is in really tight and fires an underarm throw quickly. Head had given up there.
Welcome back for Australia's reply. Merwe Erasmus with some final words in the Namibian huddle before they disperse to take their places on the field. Out come the two Australian openers, Travis Head and David Warner. Ruben Trumpelmann will kickstart proceedings with the new ball for Namibia. Let's play...
Right then, Australia are just 73 runs away from securing their place in the Super 8 stage. As for Namibia, it's all about making Australia work hard for each of those runs and trying to salvage some pride in what has been a tough encounter. Back in a bit for the chase.
Josh Hazlewood is in for a chat. He says the wicket was good. Adds it was turning. Mentions he’s happy with the effort of the team. Says they have 15 members to pick from and rotation is important as there are back to back games. Ends by saying it is important to adapt to the conditions.
The Aussie bowling attack proved to be just too hot for Namibia to handle. After Merwe Erasmus's 36 and Michael van Lingen's 10, the next highest score was the 9 extras, which tells you everything you need to know about the African side's struggles with the bat. The ruthless pressure applied by the Australian bowlers left Namibia unable to find any rhythm, resulting in a dismal batting performance. Merwe Erasmus, taking as many as 17 balls to get off the mark, had a real struggle but hung in there for his side. Batting with Jack Brassell, he farmed the strike as much as he could and did a commendable job at it, providing some resistance in an otherwise one-way traffic. However, he fell on 36 and Ben Shikongo followed him into the hut soon after, resulting in Namibia failing to bat the full quota of 20 overs.
As dominant as a bowling effort can be! Australia have simply swept away the Namibian batting unit, skittling them out for just 72. As he has so often done, Josh Hazlewood set the tone with his immaculate lines and lengths, taking two wickets in his opening spell. Fellow pacers Pat Cummins and Nathan Ellis maintained relentless pressure, giving Namibia no breathing space whatsoever. Adam Zampa then joined the fray, making an immediate impact and ultimately removing Bernard Scholtz with the final ball of his spell, becoming the first male Australian bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets. Australia faced stiff resistance from the Namibian skipper, but when Stoinis was brought back into the attack, he removed Erasmus and struck again in the same over to close out the innings. Adam Zampa was the pick of the bowlers for Australia with figures of 4 for 12 from his 4 overs.
Score after
18
overs
72 - 10
- Ben Shikongo 0 (4)
- Jack Brassell 2 (3)
Marcus Stoinis to Ben Shikongo, OUT! THAT IS A FINE CATCH! End of the Namibian innings. They are all out for 72! On middle. Ben looks to flick but it goes off the leading edge as he closes the face of the bat early. David runs to his left from mid on, dives and takes it.
Marcus Stoinis to Ben Shikongo, A short one now on middle. Evaded.
Marcus Stoinis to Ben Shikongo, Fuller and on off. This is pushed to cover.
Marcus Stoinis to Ben Shikongo, On middle. A slower one. Kept out.
Ben Shikongo is the last man in.
Marcus Stoinis to Merwe Erasmus, OUT! TAKEN! Erasmus falls. He fought a lone battle but now walks back. Fuller and on middle. Erasmus walks across and looks to heave it over the leg side but it is more off the lower half. Maxwell runs in from deep mid-wicket and takes a very good catch.
Marcus Stoinis to Merwe Erasmus, WIDE! Goes full and wide outside off. Erasmus looks to jam it out but misses.
Marcus Stoinis to Merwe Erasmus, WIDE! Short and wide outside off. Erasmus looks to cut but misses. Wided.
Marcus Stoinis to Merwe Erasmus, Goes wide outside off. Erasmus looks to sweep but misses.
Score after
17
overs
70 - 8
- Jack Brassell 2 (3)
- Merwe Erasmus 36 (41)
Pat Cummins to Jack Brassell, Negotiates the one ball he had to. A short one. Brassell watches it and lets it go.
Pat Cummins to Merwe Erasmus, Just the one this time! Shorter and on middle. Erasmus pulls it through square leg for one.
Pat Cummins to Merwe Erasmus, SIX! This time nails it. That is a strong hit. Shorter and on middle. He moves in this time and pulls it over the square leg fence.
Pat Cummins to Merwe Erasmus, Two! Outside off. Erasmus lifts it over cover for two more. He has placed the ball well. Found the gap again.
Pat Cummins to Merwe Erasmus, Outside off. Shorter. Erasmus looks to cut but chops it back to the bowler.
Pat Cummins to Jack Brassell, Brassell does his job! Fuller and around off. This is pushed through covers for one.
Score after
16
overs
60 - 8
- Merwe Erasmus 27 (37)
- Jack Brassell 1 (1)
Nathan Ellis to Merwe Erasmus, FOUR! Uses the pace really well. A little edgy but he won't care! Shorter and around off. Erasmus looks to guide it down to third man but it goes off the top edge and down to the third man fence. Good over for Namibia.
Nathan Ellis to Merwe Erasmus, Sweet timing but no runs! Around off. Erasmus guides it but to point.
Nathan Ellis to Merwe Erasmus, Slower and fuller, around off. Erasmus looks to go over cover, it goes off the inner half back to the bowler.
Nathan Ellis to Merwe Erasmus, FOUR! Done in by the spin. A full toss on the pads. This is hit towards fine leg. Josh moves to his left but this spins away to his right after bounce and he fails to stop it.
Nathan Ellis to Merwe Erasmus, A yorker outside off. Erasmus fails to reach it.
Nathan Ellis to Jack Brassell, Full and on the pads. This is worked down to fine leg for one.
Score after
15
overs
51 - 8
- Merwe Erasmus 19 (32)
- Jack Brassell 0 (0)
Josh Hazlewood to Merwe Erasmus, Two! Shorter and on middle. Erasmus pulls it through wide mid on. He takes two. Not sure why he ran two there! He gets off strike now. Fifty up for Namibia.
Josh Hazlewood to Merwe Erasmus, FOUR! Just short and Namibia are one short of fifty. Short and outside off. Erasmus yet again stays leg side of the delivery. He slaps it over cover and this goes for a one-bounce boundary.
Josh Hazlewood to Merwe Erasmus, Bangs it short this time and on middle. Erasmus looks to play the upper cut but misses.
Josh Hazlewood to Merwe Erasmus, Two! Well placed! Shortish and around off. This is slapped past cover. Wide of the sweeper. Two taken.
Josh Hazlewood to Merwe Erasmus, Does not take the run. He makes room again and hits it hard but straight to sweeper cover. No run taken.
Josh Hazlewood to Merwe Erasmus, Around off. Erasmus stays leg side and slaps it but to point.