Another chapter is added to cricket’s oldest rivalry in the early hours of Saturday morning, as Australia and England face off at Kensington Oval. It’s a game that will shape the make up of Group B, in what is a crucial clash.
2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Preview & Betting Tips
Australia vs England
Barbados, Sunday 9th June, 3:00am AEST
Australia
Predicted XI: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Australia left out Pat Cummins for their opening game of the tournament, opting for white ball specialist Nathan Ellis, in what proved to be a great choice. The conditions in Barbados may tempt Australia to look at playing Ashton Agar, however spinners have been more effective in night games in Barbados. The eleven Australia selected on Thursday gave them great balance, so it’s difficult to see them making a change after a winning start.
Australia were shaky early, but ultimately clinical in a 39 run win over Oman on Thursday morning, led by the all round brilliance of Marcus Stoinis. Coming in at 3-50 in the eighth over on a slow turning track in Barbados, Stoinis got himself in, then changed the complexion of the game in the fifteenth over.
Stoinis took 26 runs off Mehran Khan as he and David Warner lifted Australia to 5/164 with a 102 run partnership for the fourth wicket. Stoinis (67 not out off 35) and Warner (56 off 51) played the game scenario perfectly after a poor start, as Australia scored 101 runs off the final 8 overs to ensure the target was beyond the capability of Oman.
Stoinis backed up with his heroics with the bat, taking 3/19 to lead the Australian bowling attack that restricted Oman to 9/125. It was an even effort with Mitchell Starc (2/20), Zampa (2/24) and Nathan Ellis (2/28) contributing to an impressive performance.
England
Predicted XI: Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Given the washout, it’s unlikely England will make any changes to an eleven that has been settled for quite some time.
England had a fair from ideal start to their T20 World Cup defence, with a washout against Scotland seeing England only walk away with one point. Even for the 10 overs of play that occurred before the rain, England looked far from their best as Scotland made 0/90.
Adil Rashid (0/26 off 2) and Chris Jordan (0/24 off 2) were taken apart by George Munsey and Michael Jones, giving an insight to the vulnerable aspect to England’s game in white ball cricket. Their batting is full of power, flair and depth, however their bowling attack can leave a little to be desired.
Match Prediction
Although England may feel slightly underdone coming into this clash, one thing that cannot be denied is that Jos Buttler’s side have had the wood over Australia in T20 cricket over the last five years. In the last eight T20I’s between Australia and England, England have won six, lost one, with washouts in the last two games that these sides have played in.
The last time these teams met in a T20 World Cup fixture, England obliterated Australia in Dubai, chasing down 125 inside of 12 overs. Australia would go on to win that tournament, but England would back up winning the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. England will be desperate to avoid going winless from their opening two games, and they have been an outstanding T20 side for a long period of time. England will bounce back with a crucial win.
England
$1.75 (1.5 Units)
Prop Bet
Jos Buttler loves playing against Australia, the England captain has scored 542 runs at an average of 45 with a strike rate of 150 in T20I’s against Australia. Buttler’s last eight T20I innings against the Aussies have produced scores of 46, 61, 44, 77*, 71*, 68, 17 and 65*. The 71 not out in that slate was a brutal knock off just 32 balls to annihilate Australia during the 2021 T20 World Cup and Butler is coming into the tournament in good touch having scored 84 and 39 in his two knocks during the warm up series against Pakistan.
Jos Buttler England Top Run Scorer
$4
