T20 World Cup, Group B, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Scotland 180-5 (20 overs): McMullen 60 (34), Berrington 42 (31); Maxwell 2-44
Australia 186-5 (19.4 overs): Head 68 (49), Stoinis 59 (29); Watt 2-34
Australia won by five wickets
Scorecard. Table
England are through to the T20 World Cup Super 8s after Australia battled past an excellent Scotland side in St Lucia.
England’s rain-interrupted win over Namibia earlier on Saturday meant Scotland needed a win to progress, while Australia were already through to the next stage.
Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis both made half-centuries as Mitchell Marsh’s side chased down their target of 181 with two balls to spare.
Scotland have impressed throughout this tournament and flourished again here, unfazed by their big-name opponents.
It looked like they might struggle when Michael Jones was dismissed for two, but Brandon McMullen led the way with a superb 60 from 34 balls as the Scots posted the highest total made against Australia by an associate team.
McMullen and George Munsey (35) added 89 for the second wicket, before captain Richie Berrington made 42 from 31 balls to help set a competitive total.
In reply, David Warner, Marsh and Glenn Maxwell all fell cheaply and Scotland looked well placed to pull off a seismic shock.
However, Head timed his innings to perfection and alongside the powerful Stoinis, he wrestled back the momentum.
Tim David finished the job with a mighty six to break Scottish hearts and keep England’s World Cup defence alive.
Impressive campaign propels Scots to greater chances
As Scotland demonstrated throughout their Caribbean campaign, the inclusion of more associate members of the International Cricket Council has undeniably enhanced this World Cup.
Before the rain came in their first match against England, they were in a real position to pull off an upset. After that, they strolled past Oman and Namibia thanks to some outstanding run chasing.
They have an exceptional third-stringer in McMullen. The right-hander, who was born in South Africa, loved taking on the best bowlers in the game and scored with relative ease, finding gaps in the field from various locations.
No one should be surprised if the 24-year-old soon signs a contract with a franchise or starts working for the county.
Though they don’t play them very often, Scotland always proves they can hold their own against the complete members of the ICC.
In September, they will host Australia for three Twenty20s in Edinburgh and will be hoping that their recent form gives them further chances to face cricket’s heavy hitters.
Scotsman Richie Berrington: “We were in a pretty good position.”—quote. The men provided a solid foundation in the first ten to twelve overs, so it was clear that the wicket was good tonight. In the end, we were unable to make use of it.
“It was an excellent beginning. We were unable to maintain execution for a enough amount of time. They have excellent ball strikers across the board, and a few of huge overs late in the game gave them a fighting chance.
The way the boys have played cricket throughout the competition gives them reason to be proud. Travis Head had a great knock, and Stoinis had several solid strokes.
We’re learning a lot, and the guys are getting a lot of experience. We could have won, and we’re just disappointed that we weren’t.
According to Australia’s captain Mitchell Marsh, Scotland has made tremendous strides in recent years and is now a formidable team. They fought until the finish, and we have a lot of admiration for them because of the exciting chase that ensued.
As a team, we discussed the importance of maintaining a constant style of play. As a team, we weren’t under as much pressure tonight, but we’ve always performed better when we’ve faced tough challenges. There, we were tested to our limits, and our experience showed.
The World Cup is back in full swing now. We have full faith in our team’s ability to maintain our winning streak in cricket matches. Twenty20 is a challenging game because, as we nearly witnessed today, even a small mistake may lead to a loss.
