That innings from Bairstow probably gives us the answer as to how we get Duckett into the side, who is a far more natural replacement for Stokes (in terms of being left-handed and batting in the middle order in t20).
Something like a 15 run loss wouldn't be a disaster. But something like a 50 run loss really would. Can't afford to go down in flames here.
Zampa doing what your premier spinner should be doing on a wicket like that. He looked to attack the stumps far more than Rashid did.
I don't think that's a bad score on that wicket. Maybe only about 10 under par. The problem is that we let them get way over par.
Someone needs to be having a word with the bowlers because this is the second game where they’ve been carted around the field without looking threatening. Even a decent over tonight was ending with a loose delivery that was launched out of the ground. Scotland averaged 9 an over and the Aussies 10. Doesn’t matter how good the batting lineup is, when they are under pressure to score at such a high rate from the first ball, the pressure tells and your best batsman gets caught doing a reverse sweep. Great when it comes off but one of the worst ways to get out when it doesn’t. Australia’s last game is against Scotland. Assuming Scotland beat Oman tomorrow and Australia beat Namibia midweek, The Aussies could let Scotland win and knock England out of the tournament.
Christ that was a tight run-out call. Probably fair enough to give it not-out - I couldn't decide on the replay.
It's Taunton. No point being a bowler at Taunton. Until that Fuller over, we were just about managing to keep a lid on things. But now they risk spiraling away.
One good thing about being in the South group is that it makes it impossible to ever end up with an away QF at Taunton. Being trashed by them in the group stage is fine - every season it's just one game out of 14. Same as that one match at the Oval.
