Remember the days when the Australian cricket captain scored runs? Thankfully Steve Smith revived those memories with a 53-ball 90 in the only T20 international at Sophia Garden overnight.
AUSTRALIA VS ENGLAND T20 FULL SCOREBOARD
But it was all in vain as England won by five runs in a nail-biting finish.
Smith won the toss and decided to bowl, and the decision was working a treat until the 15th and 16th overs.
That’s when Smith’s opposite number Eoin Morgan cut loose with the score at 2-114.
Shane Watson bowled the 15th and was carted for 22, with Morgan smashing three sixes.
Pat Cummins went for 16 in the 16th over, with Morgan belting two more huge sixes.
Those 38 runs took England’s score to 2-152 and it was a vastly different ball game.
Morgan was out in the next over, caught by Watson on the midwicket ropes for 74 off just 39 that included three fours, and seven sixes.
His third wicket partnership with Moeen Ali, the most under-rated cricketer in England, realised 135 off 98 to set Australia a sizeable target of 5-182.
The Australian attack was very ordinary.
Mitchell Starc 1-32 off 4,
Nathan Coulter-Nile 1-24 off 4.
Pat Cummins 2-25 off 4.
Mitchell Marsh 0-21 off 2.
Marcus Stoinis 0-13 off 1.
Shane Watson 0-33 off 2.
And Cameron Boyce 0-19 off 1.
The Australians got off to a disastrous start with David Warner (4) and Watson (8) both back in the shed with the score at 12.
But it was Steve Smith to the rescue once again – along with the dubious talent of Glenn Maxwell who in the blink of an eye can be the hero or the bum.
This morning it was hero, and his 112-run third wicket stand of 72 had Australia well on track until Maxwell holed out a midwicket for 44 off 32, with six fours and a six.
Australia was home and hosed, providing the skipper stayed there and kept finding the ropes, or clearing them.
But on 90, Smith skied an attempted pull and Sam Billings did the necessaries.
The rest of the order showed their lack of cricket nous, especially Marcus Stoinis on debut.
Batting with the experienced keeper Matt Wade, Stoinis froze on a second run and ran Wade out.
Former captain Mark Taylor in summary predicted Stoinis will learn from the experience.
Ace it up ‘Tubby’, if Stoinis has to learn cricket nous at the top level, his international career will be very short.
His run out at a critical time was simply dumb cricket.
It all got down to the last Ben Stokes over with Australia needing 12 to win, or 11 for a super over.
But Stokes was up to it, taking three wickets. First there was the dumb Stoinis run-out of Wade where Stokes took the bails off, then he bowled Coulter-Nile, and ran out Cummins who never faced a ball.
On the bright side, Moeen Ali was rightfully named man of the match.
So England home by five runs,as both teams prepare for a five-game ODI series, starting Thursday at the Rose Bowl.
Then Lords (September 5), Old Trafford (September 8), Headingley (September 11), and Old Trafford again on September 13.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Probably because I didn't say that? Silly you.
JoM
Roar Rookie
I'm with you. It is going to be interesting who the next target will be for some authors and some who put in comments on here now that their punching bag is Michael Clarke is gone. The very first sentence says it all about this author's obvious disdain and dislike of our previous captain. I kind of feel sorry for Steve Smith because I wonder how long or how many losses it will take before some turn on him.
JoM
Roar Rookie
What he actually said was that if Australia played as good as they had in the previous 18 months England wouldn't come close. Australia didn't play as well as they had in the previous months and England came out on top.
Wallaby thrasher
Guest
But Smith said before Ashes that England 'wouldn't come close' It looks as if England are going to come out on top in all forms of the game
BurgyGreen
Guest
Agree with you that Stoinis is not an international bowler. The worrying thing is that the selectors think he is, and played him as an allrounder. Unbelievable. Do they even follow domestic cricket? However, the staunch Faulkner defender in me takes offence at the idea that "Mitch is way better than Faulks". I suppose it'll be a few years before we really know their respective capabilities, but for now I'm on the Faulkner bandwagon, he just edges Mitch imo.
BurgyGreen
Guest
The match confirmed my suspicions that Stoinis is nowhere near international quality as a bowler. How the selectors didn't know this is beyond me. Like Maxwell, he should be told to focus on his batting, a skill that we actually need, not more allrounders.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
"Former captain Mark Taylor in summary predicted Stoinis will learn from the experience. Ace it up ‘Tubby’, if Stoinis has to learn cricket nous at the top level, his international career will be very short." Yes, because no cricketer has ever improved past their first game at international level. Fair dinkum, but Lord is getting nuttier by the article... Disappointing The Roar's editors actually publish this rubbish...
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Actually you only have to go back to the Adelaide Test last summer. But Lord has never been one for logic or sense, has he...
The Bush
Roar Guru
David's memory must be going, I seem to remember only a year or two ago the Australian captain was the only player who scored runs...
13th Man
Guest
Why the hell did they play Watto instead of Burns? Got out in hilarious fashion and got smacked around the park. And Boyce flew a long way for one over!
jamesb
Guest
Neil Didn't realise that twenty/20 game was just as important as the Ashes. Silly me.
ajay
Guest
well agreed ncn is gun white bowl paceman ! but what's wrong with starc inswinging zaffas went wrong ??
Ankush Deshpande
Roar Rookie
Sorry,but i thought Boyce was in the squad for his bowling prowess.Giving him one over on a pitch where slow bowling was proving to be effective was a blunder. Reece Topley with his variations in pace (bolwing at the late 70's MPH) proved to be effective.If he is in the squad,give him a go for gods sake.I completely disagree with Lehmann's all pace strategy.it will work in England(or i hope so it does),but won't on the dust bowls of Bangladesh or even India where the World T20 is to be played next.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Agree, except for the last line, Don. That was always two runs, Stoinis should not have stopped.
ajay
Guest
tbh ! stokes are limited in county (club cricket of australia) right?
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
100% agree, Joey.
ajay
Guest
"Mitch is way better than Faulks" cmo'n faulkner is absolute champion his avz when aus is chasing 114 way better than AB,kohli (best chasers in the game atm)etc. 64 in 29 balls (mohali hammered ishant what a finish that was),116(banglore aus fall short), 69 in 47( gabba hammered pom's another terrific finish),31in 18 balls(vs saffa last nov) etc etc. !how about mitch marsh?? than shaun "duck" marsh is better than warner??
JimmyB
Guest
Your opinions aren't worth my time...
really
Guest
Might be an Idea for Australia to use a 2nd spinner. Especially with Boyce still learning the international game. You could easily dump watto for Nathan Lyon and nothing much would change.
While we're at it
Guest
Cummins was excellent. Besides 2 ill advised deliveries, both of which cleared the ropes, he was spot on, conceding only 13 runs from 3.4 overs in effect, and hurrying every batsman up. NCN was also effective. Between Stoinis Watson and Boyce, their 4 overs cost 65 runs, that is what allowed the Poms to post their score. Maxwell was useful with the ball, should have bowled a 3rd rather than Boyce a 1st, leg spin to left handers was always looking for trouble.