Scotland vs Australia 2nd T20I Highlights© AFP

Scotland vs Australia Live Score 1st T20I© AFP

Following his side’s five-wicket win over Scotland in their ICC T20 World Cup match, Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh said that facing a tough challenge brings the best out of team as a team and the WC will start once again in the Super Eights stage for them as they will be playing all the top nations throughout that phase. Half-centuries from Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis helped Australia end the group stage unbeaten and defeated Scotland by five wickets in their ICC T20 World Cup match at Saint Lucia on Sunday.

Speaking after the game in the post-match presentation, Marsh said, “We spoke about sticking to our game. We spoke as a group to stay really consistent in how we wanted to play. Having already qualified, there was little less pressure on us. Whenever our team is challenged, it brings the best out of us. Today we were challenged and it was a good experience and a good game of cricket. The World Cup kind of starts again now.”

Marsh also lauded Scotland’s progress over the years to have recorded their best performance in an ICC tournament, saying, “Scotland are a good team, they have improved a lot and we certainly wanted to respect them.”

On playing a much hectic schedule in Super Eights, Marsh said, “It’s going to be a busy schedule. T20 is a hard format. We are excited for what is to come.”

With this win, Australia tops Group B with four wins in four games and eight points. Scotland failed to qualify for the Super Eights, finishing third with two wins, a loss and a no result, giving them five points. Defending champions England have walked into the Super Eights with this big assistance from their arch-rivals, as they also have the same win-loss record and points as Scotland, just the higher net-run-rate.

Coming to the match, Australia put Scotland to bowl first. After losing Michael Jones early, George Munsey (35 in 23 balls, with two fours and three sixes) and Brandon McMullen (60 in 34 balls, with two fours and six sixes) put a quickfire 89-run partnership to put Scotland back in the game. A fine knock from skipper Richie Berrington (42* in 30 balls, with a four and two sixes) took Scotland to 180/5 in 20 overs.

Glenn Maxwell (2/44) was the pick of the bowlers for Australia. Ashton Agar, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa got a wicket each.

In the run-chase of 181 runs, Australia lost some early wickets and were 60/3 at one point. Then, a 80-run partnership between Travis Head (68 in 49 balls, with five fours and four sixes) and Marcus Stoinis (59 in 29 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) took Australia to the brink of a win and Tim David (24* in 14 balls, with two fours and a six) applied some fine finishing to get the win with two balls left.

Mark Watt (2/34) was the pick of the bowlers for Scotland.

Stoinis took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

Australia did their arch-rivals England a massive favour with a five-wicket win over a gritty Scotland as the Richie Berrington-led side crashed out of the T20 World Cup Super Eight stage race in St Lucia. With England hammering Namibia earlier in the day in a rain-truncated game, all that Jos Buttler’s side needed was Australia’s win over Scotland to a get a lifeline. Australia scored 186/5 while chasing 181 in 19.4 overs after Scotland fought right until the end to keep their hopes alive.

After putting on a formidable total on board, Scotland had even reduced an edgy Australia to 60/3 at one stage but their most successful batters in this World Cup – Travis Head (68) and Marcus Stoinis (59) – delivered again.

With Australia’s chase appearing to be falling apart, the in-from Head and Stoinis joined forces to bring them back in the game.

On a wicket where batters could swing their willows without fretting much over the pace or movement off the surface, the two seasoned campaigners put the Scottish resolve to a stern test with a sturdy 80-run association for the third wicket off only 44 balls.

Head smacked four sixes and five fours to top score with 68 off a mere 49 balls but Stoinis was more aggressive, cracking nine fours and two sixes to make a quickfire 59 from a mere 29 balls.

But before that, there were some nervous moments for the former champions when David Warner (1) was removed from the equation early, skipper Mitchell Marsh failed to impose himself, and Glenn Maxwell’s torrid run with the bat continued.

Maxwell was done in by one from Mark Watt that straightened enough to beat his bat and crash into the top of the off-stump, extending the all-rounder’s struggles further with the bat, even though he claimed two wickets in the first half.

Earlier, Scotland put their best foot forward in terms of setting a formidable total against the heavyweights, finishing at 180 for five after being asked to bat first.

Australia had expectedly rested some of their frontline pacers and their absence was felt with the others not producing as much impact and control as their first-choice bowling attack can.

Brandon McMullen was the star with the bat for the Scots as he took on the Australian bowling, hitting six sixes and two fours to race to 60 from a mere 34 balls and set up a strong platform for his side following an early blow.

Aston Agar had cleaned up opener Michael Jones for two in the first over but the pair of McMullen and George Munsey produced an excellent recovery for Scotland, putting on 89 runs for the second wicket in a mere 48 balls.

If McMullen was more belligerent of the two, Munsey played his part well with a 23-ball 35, which was studded with three sixes and a couple of fours.

After the pair was separated, Scotland skipper Richie Berrington took charge of taking his side forward as he forged multiple crucial stands with the following batters to take them to 180.

Berrington made 42 not out from 31 balls with two sixes and a four to keep pushing on for the Scots, even as Australia looked to pull things back in the last five overs, conceding 42 runs.