Mixing
Jos Buttler leads England romp over Australia in T20 to complete dominant 6-0 clean sweep
27th June 2018,
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ENGLAND battered and brutalised the hapless Aussies one final time with another record-breaking batting demo.
Their crushing victory in the sole Twenty20 internationals means the score from white ball matches over the last two weeks is: England 6, Australia 0.
Jos Buttler’s elevation to open the innings brought further fireworks and a fifty from just 22 balls – the fastest by an England batsman in the shortest format.
And the usual suspects such as Jason Roy and Alex Hales helped pile on the runs.
The Aussies came on a charm offensive, trying to restore credibility after the sandpaper scandal.
But, although they have made some friends, Justin Langer’s team will depart wondering what the heck hit them.
PAINE-FUL Australia captain Tim Paine takes blow to the mouth from fast bowler Andrew Tye... then gets up and carries on
Well, it was flashing Pommie blades propelled by a cluster of the most devastating limited-overs players in the world.
England’s world record 481-5 at Trent Bridge was the highlight of their 50-over whitewash and they soared to 221-5 in 20 overs at Edgbaston.
It was by 12 runs their highest T20 total against Australia.
England’s margin of victory was 28 runs and it would have been much closer but for a hurricane innings of 84 from 41 balls by Aaron Finch.
Skipper Finch, who put England into bat, launched a string of savage blows with six sixes and seven fours. He was particularly harsh on spinner Moeen Ali, whose four overs cost 58 runs.
Over the past couple of years England have rested players because of their hectic schedule and it has usually been the Twenty20 team that has suffered.
Not now, though. This is England’s full-strength squad with the exception of Ben Stokes – and he is likely to appear during the three-match T20 series against India.
With assistant-coach Paul Farbrace in charge while head coach Trevor Bayliss watches some county cricket, it is clear England are taking these matches dead seriously.
Buttler’s promotion to the top of the order was an instant success as surpassed Ravi Bopara’s 23-ball fifty against the Aussies in Hobart in January 2014.
Buttler struck with murderous power, as likely to crash a six over cover as flip the ball over the wicketkeeper’s head.
He eventually pulled a long hop to deep mid-wicket and Roy, who was scarcely less effective, then skied a mis-hit pull and departed for 44.
Eoin Morgan promoted himself to No.3 and, after he reverse-swept to third man, Hales cranked up the pace with even more ferocity. His two sixes were monsters which bounced, pinball-style, near the dressing-rooms.
Joe Root was less brutal but Jonny Bairstow struck his first ball for six over long-on and hoisted another huge blow into the crowd at mid-wicket from the final delivery of the innings.
As so often over the past couple of weeks, the Aussies didn’t help themselves as Kane Richardson dropped a dolly at long-off to reprieve Roy on 28. Buttler hit the next two balls for four and six.
Australia lost five wickets in their first nine overs, which is no way to chase a big total.
Adil Rashid finished with three victims and, although Finch and Ashton Agar put on 86 in fewer than seven overs, the chase fizzled out once the burly Finch was caught at long-on by Chris Jordan.
ENGLAND battered and brutalised the hapless Aussies one final time with another record-breaking batting demo.
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