Australia vs Scotland Highlights, T20 World Cup 2024: AUS defeat SCO to ensure ENG qualify for Super 8

OH MY WORD!! 

Tim David hits the ball high around the midwicket region. Sole moves under the ball, but ends up grassing the catch. This would have been the gamechanger! Australia level the scores.

On the next ball, Australia are home with Tim David smashing a six over deep midwicket. 

Scotland have been knocked out. England are through to Super Eight.

This game is slipping out of Scotland's hands. That partnership of Stoinis and Head blew the wheels off Scotland's momentum.  

Australia need five runs off the final over with Tim David and Matthew Wade in the middle. Scotland entrust Wheal with the final over. 

Tim David making an instant impact for Australia. Two fours in the 18th over off Wheal. 

Stoinis departs too. He hit two back-to-back fours off Watt, and then got bowled while attempting an reverse sweep shot. SO both set batters depart after crossing the half century mark for Australia. 

Australia need 26 runs off 18 balls | AUS: 155/5 after 17 overs 

Here's what happened in over no 16 from Safyaan Sharif that saw 24 runs being conceded and the wicket of Travis Head fall.

6, 6, 1 wide, 6, W (Head), 1, 4

Travis Head c Jones b Sharif 68 (49b 5x4 4x6) SR: 138.77

Australia need 36 runs from 24 balls

After watching Stoinis floor the accelerator, Travis Head finally crosses the 50-run mark himself off 45 balls. 

AUS are 121/3 after 15 overs | Australia need 60 runs from 30 balls

Marcus Stoinis was on 13 runs when Travis Head entered his 40s. Head is still in his 40s as Stoinis is catching up with him.

WOW! What acceleration! 

SIX, SIX, FOUR.

*IF* Australia manage to win this game, this will be the over that turned the ship around for Australia. Michael Leask leaks 18 runs in the 14th over. Australia leap past the 100-run mark. 

AUS are 110/3 after 14 overs | Australia need 71 runs from 36 balls | Travis Head 48 (42b 5x4 1x6) | Marcus Stoinis 38 (21b 4x4 2x6)

With Travis Head slowing down, Marcus Stoinis has taken it upon himself to propo up the run rate. 

He slaps the third ball of Mark Watt's third over for a boundary through the covers. More of those needed for Australia. And now!!

Despite that boundary, Australia scored just six runs off that over! 

AUS are 92/3 after 13 overs | Australia need 89 runs from 42 balls | Travis Head 47 (40b 5x4 1x6) | Marcus Stoinis 21 (17b 3x4)

Quick and economical first over from Chris Greaves, who gives away four runs! 

Australia (and England) getting hot under the collar here. 

 AUS are 86/3 after 12 overs | Australia need 95 runs from 48 balls | Travis Head  46 (39b 5x4 1x6) | Marcus Stoinis 16 (12b 2x4)

Travis Head helps himself to another boundary in the 11th over. He's now on 44 runs off 35 balls, thanks to five fours and one six.

But Australia are gasping for oxygen here.

Australia need 99 runs from 54 balls | AUS are 82/3 after 11 overs

When Josh Hazlewood said that they would have the temptation to play slowly against Scotland to push England out of the T20 World Cup via run rate, many had raised their eyebrows. But not many would have given Scotland the chance to cause an upset over Australia, without Australia conspiring. 

So far in the match, scotland have been dominant. Australia have struggled. Here's how things stand:

• Australia have managed to limp to 74/3 at the end of 10 overs.
• Australia's Current Run Rate is just 7.40
• Australia's Required Run Rate is now 10.70
• Australia need 107 runs from 60 balls

Australia in trouble! Glenn Maxwell is bowled! And Scotland have their third wicket! Australia slump to 60/3 after 8.2 overs. 

Mark Watt absolutely bamboozles Maxwell with his second ball. 

Marcus Stoinis replaces Maxwell and starts off with a boundary at point. That was a misfield with the fielder Leask diving over the ball. 

Glenn Maxwell b Watt 11 (8b 0x4 1x6) SR: 137.5 | AUS are 67/3 after nine overs 

Australia are maintaining the run rate tension well so far after two early wickets. 

Head tonks Sole for a maximum in the 7th over while Leask's final ball of the 8th over was heaved for a six by Maxwell.

Australia manage to reach 59/2 at the end of 8 overs.

Australia lose their second wicket! Safyaan Sharif is into the attack and he immediately delivers Scotland the wicket of Australia captain Mitch Marsh.  He gets a wicket off the first ball!!

Sharif bowls a short one which Mitchell Marsh tries to pull. But that shot is against the wind and the ball goes only as far as deep mid-wicket where Charlie Tear, the substitute fielder, grabs it like his life depended on it.

Glenn Maxwell is forced to come out in the middle in the sixth over. 

Mitchell Marsh c sub (C Tear) b Sharif 8 (9b 1x4 0x6) SR: 88.88 | AUS are 36/2 after 6 overs

Travis head starting to cut loose now. 

He upper-cuts the second ball of the 4th over past backward point for a four and then slaps the fifth ball to deep mid-wicket. 

Brad Wheal gives away nine runs in the 4th over.

After 4 overs, Australia are 23/1 |Travis Head 15* (14) Mitchell Marsh 5* (6)

Mark Watt is brought into the attack and he's welcomed by the Australians with two fours. Its Marsh first who blasts his second ball over midwicket for a four and then Travis Head hits his final delivery over point for another boundary. 

11 runs there in the third over. 

After 3 overs, Australia are 14/1 | Travis Head 7 (9b 1x4) Mitchell Marsh 4 (5b 1x4)

Australia lose David Warner's wicket in the second over. 

Good bounce, good carry on the surface, and good pace on the ball. Warner goes down on a knee and tries to slap the ball to the boundary, but gets a thick outside edge and the ball flies in the air. Caught by Berrington.

David Warner c Berrington b Wheal 1 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 25 | Aus are 2/1 after 1.2 overs

The ploy to throw the ball to Michael Leask has worked! He's given away just two runs in the first over. WOW! 

And it will be Brad Wheal at the -- pardon the wordplay -- wheel in the second over for Scotland. 

After 1 over, Australia are 2/0 | Travis Head 1 (4b) David Warner 1 (2b)

David Warner and Travis Head are in the middle for AUS. Leask has been handed the ball to open the bowling. He's not opened the bowling for SCO at this tournament.

Scotland's half centurion is out in the middle speaking in between innings. 

"It was fun batting out there, good wicket as well. Most venues here have had a strong breeze so far and that was crucial for us in putting up a good total. So it was a bit of gameplan to hit boundaries with the breeze. Munsey is super aggressive, so I love sitting at the other end. And we play for the same club in Scotland," says McMullen.

This is Scotland's highest total in a T20 World Cup. Their previous best was the 176/5 they scored in Hobart in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

This is also the highest total scored by an Associate Nation against Australia in this format.

Just nine runs coming off the final over for SCO, who looked like they would breeze past the 200-run mark at the halfway stage of the innings when they were 96/2. 

But the wickets of George Munsey and Brandon McMullen in quick succession took the tempo out of the Scottish innings. 

The Scotland team has set Australia a target of 181 runs. Australia conceded only 42 in the last five overs

Just six runs coming in that over as Mitchell Starc reins in the Scottish batters. He ends his four-over spell with figures of 31/0.

After 19 overs, Scotland are 165/5 | Chris Greaves 8 (8b) Richie Berrington 37 (27b 1x4 2x6)

After Munsey and McMullen departed, it's been Richie Berrington who has been tasked with powering SCO to the 200-run mark 

He ensures that Adam Zampa ends his quota of four overs with just one wicket and conceding 30 runs. 

After 18 overs, Scotland are 165/5 | Chris Greaves 5 (4b) Richie Berrington 35 (25b 1x4 2x6)

Ellis gets a wicket at last. 

Leask was trying to steo on the gas and ends up sacrificing his wicket by giving a simple catch to Starc at long-on

Michael Leask c Starc b Ellis 5 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 62.5

Another decent over that started off with a six.

Ashton Agar's final over is off with a six, thansk to Richie Berrington who tonks it over mid-wicket

After 16 overs, Scotland are 149/4 | Richie Berrington 26 (21b 1x4 1x6) Michael Leask 3 (4b)

A catch that's taken at last for Australia! 

Matthew Cross' stint in the middle ends as he cannot capitalise on a full toss from Glenn Maxwell. The bowler got the length wrong and ended up delivering a thigh-high full toss on a platter. But Matthew Cross gets the timing just wrong, and the ball flies towards deep mid-wicket. The shot is against the wind, which means it flies into the hands of Ashton Agar near the ropes.

Matthew Cross c Agar b Maxwell 18 (11b 1x4 1x6) SR: 163.63 | After 15 overs, SCOT: 138/4

When was the last time we have seen Australia drop so many catches? They have let slip at least five catches. 

To be fair to the Australians, none of the catches we have seen go down were sitters, but Australia usually pride themselves on their fielding.

As Mitchell Starc takes the ball, Matthew Cross hits him for a six and a four in the over. A big 14th over for Scotland, 14 runs coming off it. 

After 14 overs, Scotland are 135/3 | Matthew Cross 18 (9b 1x4 1x6) Richie Berrington 15 (15b 1x4)

Another breakthrough for Australia and this time it's the big one! 

Zampa has managed to induce an error from McMullen vy tossing the ball up slightly wide outside the off stump. McMullen throws his bat at it, but can only manage an edge which is pouched by Starc at short third. He dove forwards to take it, which is checked by the TV umpire. But it's clean.  

Zampa ends the over giving away just one run! Clearly has taken the wind out of Scottish sails with that wicket. 

Brandon McMullen c Starc b Zampa 60 (34b 2x4 6x6) SR: 176.47 | SCOT: 112/3 after 12 overs

Richie Berrington picks up from where George Munsey left off. He hits Maxwell for a six and a four as 15 runs come off that over.

After 11 overs, Scotland are 111/2 | Richie Berrington 9 (8b 1x4), Brandon McMullen 60 (32b 2x4 6x6

Scotland head into the drinks break with a run rate that is just short of 10 runs per over. What powerhitting from George Munsey and Brandon McMullen.

Both of them have punished anything that has been even slightly off from the Australian bowlers. 

England fans and their players are probably muttering their prayers right now. 

George Munsey hits the fifth ball of Glenn Maxwell's over for a six over deep square leg. And right on the next ball, he throws away his wicket! 

George Munsey c Ellis b Maxwell 35 (23b 2x4 3x6) SR: 152.17 | After 9 overs, Scotland are 92/2

Brandon McMullen has his second 50 in this tournament. he races to the half century off just 26 balls!!!

16 runs off that over. Agar is back into the attack, and he's tonked for two sixes by McMullen. We're watching something special tonight. 

After 8 overs, Scotland are 83/1 | George Munsey 28 (19b 2x4 2x6), Brandon McMullen 50 (26b 2x4 5x6)

Powerplay ends, fileding restrictions are lifted, cotland continue as usual. 

Brandon McMullen punishes two back-to-back balls from Adam Zampa for a six and a four. 

Scotland plunder 13 runs from Adam Zampa's first over. 

After 7 overs, Scotland are 67/1 | George Munsey 27 (18b 2x4 2x6), Brandon McMullen 36 (21b 2x4 3x6)

Scottish batters are in the mood for blood today. After 10 runs in the 4th over, 18 runs in the 5th over, there are 11 runs in the 6th over. 

Two boundaries in the 6th over for Scots, as George Munsey and Brandon McMullen help themsleves to a boundary each. 

After 6 overs, Scotland are 54/1 | George Munsey 26 (17b 2x4 2x6), Brandon McMullen 24 (16b 1x4 2x6)

SIX, SIX, FOUR

Glenn Maxwell is into the attack and is punished by George Munsey. He reverse-sweeps the fourth ball over deep point for a maximum, then tonks ithe 5th ball back over the bowler's head for another six and finally slaps the ball past the bowler and the diving mid-on fielder for a boundary.

Munsey is currently in the top 5 run-scorers at teh T20 World Cup 2024. 

Scotland score 18 runs off that over

After 5 overs, Scotland are 43/1

Scotland got lucky -- TWICE -- in that over. First it's Marsh dropping George Munsey at mid-off and then Travis head drops Brandon McMullen! 

And there is another six in that over with McMullen coming down the pitch on the fifth ball, and heaving the ball over the off side.

After 4 overs, Scotland are 25/1

A MASSIVE SIX! 

Brandon McMullen tonks the fifth ball from Nathan Ellis, the right-arm pacer, over long-off for a maximum.The first boundary for Scotland is a six.

So very interesting tactics from Australia: they have chosen to give just the one over to Agar, who claimed a wicket on his final ball. 

After 3 overs, Scotland are 15/1

Australia hand Starc the ball at the other end while for Scotland Brandon McMullen is at the crease, replacing Jones who fell on the final ball of the first over. 

And Starc hits the tarmac running! Massive shout for an LBW on the first ball itself. But Australia lose their review. On the 4th ball, Mitchell Starc bowls a fuller one straight at the off stump. The ball has nice swing away, and whooshes past the edge of the bat and the off stump! 

A good over from the pacer. 

After 2 overs, Scotland are 5/1

INSTANT IMPACT FROM AGAR!!!!

Michael Jones falls on the final ball of the first over as Agar induces an error from the batter. JOnes drags the ball on to his stumps! 

Michael Jones b Agar 2 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66 | After 1 over, Scotland are 3/1

Well, this is new. Spin to start the game. 

The players are out in the middle. And Australia have chosen to throw the ball to Ashton Agar to bowl first. George Munsey and Michael Jones will open for Scotland.

DID YOU KNOW?

The last time Australia handed a spinner the ball in the first over at the T20 World Cup, Brad Hodge had managed to dismiss Rohit Sharma in the 2014 edition.

WHY ASHTON AGAR?

Australian national selector George Bailey was talking to reporters about the rationale of giving Ashton Agar an outing today:

"Deep in a tournament, when the same grounds are being used a lot, we're starting to see some wickets that are starting to show a bit of fatigue in the West Indies. A lot of the guys we've got in the group have got a bunch of cricket behind them, either through the IPL most recently or have played quite a bit in this team. But Ash, just coming off his injuries and the way we've structured up when he has been available, he just hasn't been able to get much game time, as much as he'd probably like. He's training really well, as is everyone, but just getting that opportunity in the middle to be able to put that into place, for Mitch to be able to navigate what it's like with a number of spinners in the team," he said. 

Scotland's Chris Sole speaks before t he start of the game. He says that it was a pretty Scottish start to the game between England and Namibia and they were wondering if it was going to be washed out. Having played earlier at this venue in the CPL, he hopes to provide the team with some inside information. Adds that they have been preparing well. Shares that they have been playing some good cricket and they should be good if they stick to what has been working for them. Feels that if they adapt to the conditions quicker than the Aussies, they will be in a good position.

'A nice grass covering,' says Australia cricket legend Matthew Hayden. 'Not going to turn a great deal. But it will have a little bit of extra bounce and extra pace. Winning the toss is a big advantage.'

Hayden feels the captain winning the toss should bowl first and tells that 175 should be a par score on this pitch.

After multiple games have been washed out due to rains, Pommie Mbangwa has some good news for fans.

"The weather in absolutely fantastic," he says before the pitch report. "There is a pretty strong wind blowing across. The two square boundaries are 66 and 69 metres. Down the ground is 78 metres."

While teams like South Africa and England have had their fair share of worries in the group stages, Australia have been on song so far at the T20 World Cup. They are already through to the Super 8, winning all their three games.

Barring the game against Oman, where they were under a bit of pressure in the first half with the bat, it has largely been a smooth tournament for Mitchell Marsh and his men.

With not too much riding on this game, Australia have chosen to go spin heavy today bringing in Agar and Starc.

Scotland have an Unchanged Playing XI:  George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (C), Matthew Cross (WK), Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Mark Watt, Chris Sole, Brad Wheal, Safyaan Sharif.

Australia make two changes: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh (C), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (WK), Ashton Agar (In for Pat Cummins), Mitchell Starc (In for Josh Hazlewood), Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa.

Australia have won the toss and they have elected to BOWL first. 

The equation is simple for Scotland: a win will see them through. A washout, which is unlikely, will also suffice. However, a defeat will bring the NRR into play, as both Scotland and England are on five points. However, England have the advantage: their NRR is +3.611 while Scotland's is +2.164.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Australia versus Scotland group stage clash from the T20 World Cup.