England has taken an unassailable 2-0 lead within the T20 collection in opposition to Australia, defeating the reigning world champions by eight runs at Canberra’s Manuka Oval on Wednesday night.
Regardless of fielding a full-strength beginning XI for the primary time in virtually 12 months, the Australians have been suffering from sloppy fielding and lazy dismissals as their T20 World Cup preparation took a flip for the more severe.
Watch Australia v England. Each T20 Reside & Unique to Fox Sports activities on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin your free trial now >
A batting masterclass from England No. 3 David Malan and a formidable bowling show from all-rounder Sam Curran was sufficient for the guests to seal the three-match bilateral collection with one sport to spare.
The Australian innings was headlined by a magical piece of fielding by England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who saved 4 runs with a “ridiculous” one-handed seize within the twelfth over.
Stokes managed to leap within the air, full the catch and flick the ball again into play earlier than touchdown over the rope, denying Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh a sure boundary.
There was significantly extra swing on supply on the Australian capital than throughout Sunday’s season opener at Perth, with New South Wales seamer Josh Hazlewood beating each edges of the bat within the opening over of England’s innings.
Australian paceman Pat Cummins trapped rival captain Jos Buttler on the pads within the second over, however the right-hander was given a reprieve after Hawkeye steered the Kookaburra would have missed leg stump by a whisker.
Cummins bought his man a couple of minutes later, with Buttler top-edging a prolonged supply that was taken by spinner Adam Zampa at brief third man inches off the turf.
Buttler’s opening accomplice departed quickly after, with Alex Hales driving Marcus Stoinis’ first supply of the day straight to mid-off.
Stokes by no means regarded comfy on the crease, ultimately shedding his endurance and wildly swinging at a full Zampa supply that crashed into the stumps, clear bowled for 7 (11).
English younger gun Harry Brook got here and went, feathering an edge via to Matthew Wade with the gloves to present Stoinis his second wicket of the night time.
The guests have been all of the sudden 4/54, and the scenario may have been far worse if Glenn Maxwell had held onto a tricky likelihood at backward level, giving Moeen Ali an additional life on 1.
England No. 3 Dawid Malan and Ali then mixed for a vital 92-run partnership for the fifth wicket, with the previous mentioning his half-century in 31 balls.
The Aussies have been left to rue two dropped catches within the fifteenth over, with David Warner and Tim David volleying possibilities over the boundary rope.
Warner was escorted off the sector by a staff medic after touchdown closely on the turf, however the veteran opener returned having handed a concussion check.
It was second time fortunate for David, who pouched a catch within the seventeenth over to ship Ali again to the sheds for 44 (27), a knock headlined by a monstrous 98-metre six over sq. leg.
Malan was dismissed by Stoinis within the ultimate over as England registered 7/178, with the West Australian all-rounder ending with career-best figures of three/34.
Australian captain Aaron Finch was the primary domino to fall within the run chase, slapping a full supply from English seamer David Willey to mid-off, gone for 13.
And Warner, maybe nonetheless rattled from his head knock, adopted go well with a couple of minutes later after top-edging Reece Topley straight within the air, with Brook settling beneath for a regulation catch.
Glenn Maxwell struggled to seek out his rhythm on the sticky Canberra wicket, and he ultimately pulled a Curran bouncer straight in the direction of the boundary rider at sq. leg for 8 (11).
It was the Victorian’s sixth consecutive single-figure rating in T20Is, a worrying pattern forward of the T20 World Cup.
However Marsh and Stoinis steadied the ship, combining for a 40-run partnership earlier than Curran eliminated the latter for 22 within the twelfth over.
The slog sweep proved an efficient weapon for the Australians, with England leg-spinner Adil Rashid on the receiving finish of a few big sixes all through the center overs.
Marsh’s heroic knock got here to a deflating halt within the fifteenth over, caught at deep sq. leg off Stokes’ bowling for an entertaining 45 (29).
However that prompted David to take management of the innings, muscling six boundaries earlier than Curran bowled the T20 globetrotter round his legs to place England on the verge of victory.
The left-armed seamer completed with career-best figures of three/25, efficiently defending 22 runs off the final over regardless of Cummins thumping the primary supply for six.
The third T20 between Australia and England will get underway at Manuka Oval on Friday night, with the primary ball scheduled for 7.10pm AEDT.
Initially revealed as Ben Stokes dazzles with ‘ridiculous’ boundary save as England clinch T20 collection
