Live Report – Eng vs Aus – Australia close in as Zampa strikes

Australia 201 for 7 (Warner 39, Marsh 35, Head 34, Stoinis 30) beat England 165 for 6 (Buttler 42, Salt 37) by 36 runs

Australia outplayed England in Barbados to leave the defending champions sweating on their qualification for the Super 8s. They posted the highest score of the T20 World Cup to date after David Warner and Travis Head blitzed 70 runs in the first five overs, before Adam Zampa made the difference in England’s lacklustre run chase.

The result is not terminal for England’s title defence, but they have one point from their first two matches and face an anxious week ahead in Antigua. They will almost certainly need to beat both Oman (on Thursday) and Namibia (on Saturday), but even then would likely have to rely on Net Run-Rate to qualify for the second round ahead of Scotland.

The dimensions played a major role at Kensington Oval: one square boundary was nine metres shorter than the other, measured at just 58m. Australia targeted it, almost immediately: Will Jacks, surprisingly given the second over, conceded three sixes in his first four balls, all flying over the shorter leg-side boundary; Mark Wood’s first over from the same end also cost 22.

Australia’s total relied on cameos throughout their batting line-up rather than one substantial innings. Warner, likely facing England for the final time in international cricket, top-scored with 39 but everyone in their top five reached at least 28; Matthew Wade’s 10-ball 17 not out was another useful cameo from No. 7, taking Australia past 200.

England, by contrast, fell away badly after Zampa accounted for both of their openers – Jos Buttler and Phil Salt – inside his first 11 balls. They were 73 for 0 after seven overs but only managed 92 for 6 in the following 13, their middle order failing to adjust to a dry pitch quickly enough against a clinical Australian attack.