5 highlights from Australia thumping over arch-rivals England

David Warner-Travis Head’s ‘power’ play

Just five overs - that’s all it took for David Warner and Travis Head to put on 70 runs in a manner that stung the Three Lions. 

In that partnership, Warner and Head scored seven sixes in between them, the second-most in powerplay for any side. Not just that, the 70 from Warner and Head took Australia to their highest powerplay score - 74/2. 

Australia’s middle-order - blowing hot and cold

At 74/2, Australia had a great head start, and Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis were responsible for taking it from there.

While Marsh (25-ball 35) and Stoinis (17-ball 30) aced their role, Maxwell’s struggle was evident, with a 25-ball 28 for the off-spinning all-rounder. With Tim David too failing, all that Australia could get to was 201. 

Salt leads England’s response

In response to 202, Phil Salt powered England to the best start possible, taking the attack to his Kolkata Knight Riders' teammate Mitchell Starc with a four. If that wasn’t enough, he hit a 106-m six, not allowing Starc to settle down.

He led England’s powerplay charge with a 19-ball 29, taking the Three Lions to 54. Meanwhile, Jos Buttler struggled in that phase, just scoring 21 off 17.  

Adam Zampa’s scintillating spell that broke England

At 73/1, Australia needed the best of Adam Zampa, and they got exactly that.

Over the next four overs, Zampa used the longer boundary to his use, with figures of 2/28, removing both Buttler and Salt, bowling 58.3% of his deliveries in a good length area. That spell reduced England from 73/0 to 92/2, dooming further trouble. 

Australia’s solid plans to counter shorter boundary

What do you do when there’s a shorter side? Protect that boundary. In a free-scoring battle, England and Australia had contrasting plans to protect the shorter boundary.

However, England’s plans failed, with them conceding 121 off 71 balls from that end, mainly due to the presence of Australia’s two left-handers at the top. Meanwhile, England could only score 98 off 72 balls, with the Australian bowlers protecting the shorter boundary with some top-class plans, led by Pat Cummins’ 2/23.

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