We had a really good chance to win against England: Michael Jones

Michael Jones feels Scotland had a “really good chance to win” against England on June 4 (Tuesday). The Match 6 of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados was cut short to 10 overs a side because of two long rain breaks. Scotland were 90/0 at the end of 10 overs and the target set for Jos Buttler and his men was 109 off 10 overs. However, it started raining once again during the innings break and that’s when the umpires decided to call off the match.

“I think we can take confidence from the start that we've had. Obviously, George (Munsey) and I had a good partnership out there and we knew the challenges we were going to face, the pace that England have through Mark Wood and Jofra Archer in particular,” said Jones, who slammed 45* off 30 deliveries. 

“So, it was all about trying to combat that but I think we take confidence from the start that we've had but also match that with some frustrations knowing that if the game is going to be restricted, particularly to, I don't know, five - six, whatever, how many overs it was going to be restricted to - we had a really good chance of winning that game, I think.

“If you asked us before the game, do you want to point from this game? We might well have taken it, but taking on England and being in that position, it's actually really frustrating knowing that we had a really good chance to win the game. But yeah, the rain beat us, so there you go.”

Scotland were 51 for no loss in 6.2 overs when the game had to be stopped for a couple of hours. They returned back to play 3.4 more overs after the game was reduced to 10 overs a team. So, wouldn’t it have been better if the match was reduced to 5-6 overs a side? 

“The decision's not really up to us to be fair we just sort of do what we're told. I was told I had three overs to bat or whatever. So, in hindsight, it would have been nice to have got a game in anyway. But those are the cards that were dealt to us in a way. So, yeah obviously, pleasing performance, but it would have been nice to have sort of had a bowl.

“I think it was probably - the game was more in our favour if the game was going to be shorter, arguably. So yeah, definitely if it meant that the game was only going to be six overs, then we probably would have happily gone out to field knowing that, I don't know how many the total would have been, but you know, we would have been in a strong position to say the least.”

Speaking about the surface, Jones said: “I thought it was a good wicket and the odd ball misbehaved a little bit, kept a little bit low but apart from that I think it was a good wicket. The seamers had good pace up front and then the spinners, there was a little bit of turn but I think it was a good wicket.”

Scotland are placed in Group B alongside Namibia, Australia, England and Oman. When asked about their chances of qualifying for the next round, Jones said: “Having played this game not to look too far ahead, but I think, everyone would be thinking about qualifying, before the start of the tournament, let alone now. 

“But I think the cliche still goes that we take it one game at a time and we've played Namibia before and lost and we've played Namibia before and won - so we've got a job to do in that game and we'll take it as seriously as every game and we'll look to get another victory on the board and then we'll reassess again where we are and hopefully it's two points for Scotland.”

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