Malan, Curran secure series win for England

Malan, Curran secure series win for England


With under about fourteen days to go for England's first game at the T20 World Cup, Dawid Malan (82 off 49) and Sam Curran (3 for 25) coordinated a  morale-lifting series victory for the side against Australia - the hosts and holders of the masterpiece occasion. Australia - the hosts and holders of the showpiece event. Australia made five changes to bring back their regulars but eerily fell short by eight runs - the same margin they lost the first T20I by, four days ago.


Australia returnees' watch

Mitchell Starc (1 for 42) and Josh Hazlewood (0 for 39) had forgettable outings with the ball however Marcus Stoinis' fitness holding up for him to bowl four overs will be a major upside for the home side. Stoinis struck on his first ball, taking out Alex Hales and stirred up his lengths and speed well. He was still distant from being inperfect rhythm  as he got dismantled by Moeen (14 runs in his third finished) and he gave away 13 in his last. Stoinis  managed to pick 3 wickets  - including that of England's best player Dawid Malan, who pulled the slow bouncer to the deep square leg fielder.


Adam Zampa had a mixed outing. He cleaned up Ben Stokes early but was dealt with severely by the left-handed Malan who comfortably targeted the leg-side boundaries while hitting with the turn. Zampa still had a fascinating duel against the other left-hander, Moeen Ali. The legspinner went full and outside off in order to cut out the leg-side avenue for big shots. Moeen still got a four down the ground but then perished while trying to dispatch a googly - full and wide - over long off.

Pat Cummins began well, got the ball to swing late and even had a close LBW call against Jos Buttler upset by DRS. Only two overs later, in the fourth, he got the England captain  to top-edge one that Zampa did well to get as the ball swerved in the night sky.

The Malan-Moeen reprieve for England

Malan and Moeen saved England from 54 for 4 in the 10th over with a blazing fifth-wicket stand worth 92 off 8.4 overs. Malan began to liking for Zampa who turned the ball into him while Moeen took on Stoinis as the runs came rapidly through the middle overs.They also combined to sully the comebacks of Starc and Hazlewood, taking them apart heading into the death overs. England managed to double their score from the 12-over mark, hitting 47 off the last five that took them to 178/7.


Injury scare for David Warner?

The Aussie opener hit his head to the ground in the deep while attempting a catch in the deep and looked dazed in the immediate aftermath of the blow. He however, cleared his concussion test and walked out to open in chase.

Unhappy return to the top for Finch

With Green out, Aaron Finch got back to the top of the order to go with Warner, however was left exasperated by his shot-production as soon as the fourth over.A loud 'no' was heard over the stump mic from him as soon as he played an uppish drive off David Willey that carried to Stokes at mid off. A few deliveries later, Reece Topley put an end to David Warner's laboured stay - 4 off 11 - to leave the home side tottering at 22 for 2.

Start-stop middle-order effort

Maxwell's return to the side supported the all around solid line-up yet he was snuffed out early. Mitchell Marsh and Stoinis gave indications of being able to replicate the kind of stand that Malan and Moeen pulled off yet that also was sliced short to mark the Aussies once more.

Tim David exceptional?

Nearly.

On the way to a whirlwind 40 off 23, the broad-shouldered David disdainfully dealt with Adil Rashid, Stokes and Chris Jordan. He hit five fours and a six and took the equation down to a gettable 34 off three overs but even that wasn't enough.

Clever Sam Curran

Sam Curran was wherever during Australia's chase, as demonstrated by some sharp ground fealding right off the bat and an outstanding low catch at profound square leg that finished Marsh's dangerous innings. Before that, Curran ensured there was no let off after the early breakthroughs as he bounced out Maxwell cheaply. His wicket of Stoinis, again at a crucial juncture, came with an element of good fortune as it was down to the batter failing to clear the deep square leg boundary. Nonetheless, it had the desired effect of derailing Australia's chase.

David immediately set it back on target and looked set to take his team through, until Curran cleaned him up with a 137kmph full ball. Indeed, even with 22 to get from the last over, Pat Cummins kept Australia's expectations alive. Curran killed that too with a fine last over. He conceded a six on the first ball yet proceeded to offer only seven more off the following five to get his team eight-run victory.

Brief Scores: England 178/7 in 20 overs (Dawid Malan 82, Moeen Ali 47; Marcus Stoinis 3-34, Adam Zampa 2-26) beat Australia 170/6 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 45, Tim David 40; Sam Curran 3-25) by 8 runs


For More Latest Cricket News Please Visit: