1 week Ago By Nick Spencer
Australia made it a clean sweep in Scotland by comfortably winning their third T20 international, with key players finding good form before the side heads south to face England. The Scots’ total of 9-149 was never likely to be enough and Cameron Green starred with ball and bat, taking three wickets and ensuring no slip-ups with a controlled 62 off 39 in Australia’s reply. The only real blot for the Aussies was another duck for opener Jake Fraser-McGurk .
Captain Mitch Marsh was delighted with the way his team had performed. “First and foremost we wanted to win but to see some young guys really step up - I think we played some really good, all-round cricket.” Scotland have beaten Australia, but not since a tour match in 1882 and they seldom looked like improving on that record in this series.
The Aussies gave a debut to WA all-rounder Cooper Connolly, who replaced Xavier Bartlett. Connolly has played just 20 pro games for the Perth Scorchers, but he was soon into the attack, bowling left arm round, in the fourth over. Cameron Green smashes some more runs during the third T20 International win over Scotland.
Credit: AP Brandon McMullen hit Cooper’s fourth ball for six but the 21-year-old bowled tidily and beat the bat more than once without taking a wicket. Scotland’s best partnership of the series was just 44 and wickets fell steadily from the moment Oli Hairs played on to Aaron Hardie for 12. Free-swinging George Munsey was caught by Travis Head off Cameron Green for a swift 25, off 17, to leave the Scots 2-52 in the final powerplay over.
The Scots passed 100 in the 13th over and the run rate had nudged past eight an over when Tim David dived forward to expertly pouch Michael Leask for 13 off Sean Abbott. The winning Australian team with the series trophy. Credit: AP Australia were superb in the field.
Scotland’s most dangerous batter, Brandon McMullen, reached 50 off 32 deliveries but departed to a wonderful goalkeeper style catch from Head for 56. Marsh then snaffled Jack Jarvis for three off Abbott, Hardie bowled Chris Sole with one that kept low and Fraser-McGurk took a superb catch on the boundary to get rid of Mark Watt for 18. Man of the match Green was the most successful bowler with 3-35.
The Aussies got off to the worst possible start, however, when Fraser-McGurk edged Brad Currie and McMullen took a brilliant diving catch. The Scots battled hard to restrict Australia to 44 in the powerplay but ultimately they had too few runs to defend. Australia reached their target with six wickets and 3.
5 overs to spare. Marsh added: “It’s been fantastic to be in Scotland. The fog yesterday and being 15 degrees provided a different challenge but it’s been a real privilege to come here and play.
” Australia now move on to Southampton on Wednesday for the first of three T20 internationals against England. Matches follow at Cardiff and Manchester on Friday and Sunday. The sides will then face each other in five one-day internationals, starting at Nottingham on September 19.
AAP.
