Wizards of Oz

Bridgetown, June 9

Defending champions England charged at Australia’s tournament-best total of 201 and fell 36 runs short in a one-sided T20 World Cup contest on Saturday.

The first big heavyweight match of the tournament failed to live up to the billing as Australia impressively squeezed England, who hit only three boundaries in the last six overs at Kensington Oval.

Forced to bat first, Australia’s openers David Warner and Travis Head made a brutal start — 70/0 in 4.5 overs. Despite being pulled back, Australia posted 201/7, the highest total in the week-old tournament featuring tricky pitches.

Tasked with making the third-biggest successful run chase in the tournament’s history, England took a swipe but fell apart to be restrained to 165/6. Adam Zampa and Pat Cummins took two wickets each.

Australia moved to the top of Group B with two wins from two matches, while England remained winless with Oman and Namibia to come.

England’s chase was measured but cruising. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler had them 54-0 after the powerplay. Zampa spun the momentum back Australia’s way. His first ball bowled Salt. Buttler then hit Zampa straight to backward point.

England were 92/2 in the 10th over and on track, but the middle-order failed to fire as they were pinned down by the Australian battery.

WI get big win

Georgetown: Uganda equalled the lowest score ever recorded at a T20 World Cup on Saturday when they tumbled to 39 all out against West Indies at the Providence Stadium. Netherlands also scored 39 against Sri Lanka in 2014.

West Indies, who reached 173/5 after winning the toss and electing to bat, won by 134 runs, the second-largest margin in T20 World Cup history.

West Indies, playing their final game in Guyana before flying to Trinidad where they meet New Zealand on Wednesday, also struggled to time the ball on another low, slow pitch. — Agencies

Pulling out of IPL working wonders for Zampa

Australia spinner Adam Zampa said that pulling out of the IPL was the “best thing” to do coming into the T20 World Cup, adding that skipping the league also allowed him to spend time with family and tend to injuries. “Obviously made that decision a little while ago to pull out of the IPL and I thought it was the best thing for me moving forward into this World Cup,” said Zampa, who was named the Player of the Match. “I was tired, I had some niggles and I’m a family man as well, so trying to put them first over work sometimes is pretty important. I actually am a bit of a slow starter and I put in a little bit of extra work. My body feels great and I just did that bit of extra work. Maybe a bit more bowling than I usually would before a tournament like this. And then the practice games and everything just feels nice at the moment,” he added.