"Complete team performance": Nasser Hussain on Australia's 36-run win over England
Jun 09, 2024
Barbados [West Indies], June 9 : After Australia's thumping 36-run win over England in the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, former cricketer Nasser Hussain said that it was a complete team performance from Mitchell Marsh's side.
Aussie spinner Adam Zampa was named the 'Player of the Match' after the 32-year-old bagged two crucial wickets in his four-over spell.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Nasser said the Aussies outclassed England in the 17th match of the marquee event. The former England skipper said that Australia's 201-run knock in the first inning was too much on Kensington Oval's pitch.
"Australia outclassed England, it was a complete team performance. A total of 201 was too many on that pitch, even with that short boundary," Nasser was quoted by Sky Sports as saying.
The 56-year-old added that England's decision to bowl Will Jacks in the first inning has backfired on the English side. Jacks bowled for just one over in the match and gave 22 runs.
"The decision to bowl Jacks backfired but I didn't like how they were too slow to go to their slower balls and cutters. I saw them obsessed by blowing away opposition with pace and I think it was a pace-off pitch and they didn't adapt quickly enough," he added.
Former England cricketer Michael Atherton also gave a similar statement and said that Jos Buttler's decision to bowl Jacks was odd as the 25-year-old is inexperienced.
"I thought the decision to bowl Jacks was odd on a couple of counts, as England have gone with pace in their line-up with Wood and Jofra Archer and also because Jacks is pretty inexperienced and the type of off-spinner that is quite floaty. It could have paid off against the lefties but it was a high-risk strategy and one that cost 22 runs," Atherton said.
Recapping the match, Australia opening pair Travis Head and David Warner's fiery 70-run stand laid the foundation for the Baggy Greens. The rest of the batters chipped in valuable contributions which took Australia to their biggest total in the history of the competition - 201/7.
In reply, England's opening pair Jos Buttler and Phil Salt began the chase in a similar fashion. However, the middle order failed to provide the required support. Australia managed to restrict their arch-rivals to 165/6 and clinch a thumping 36-run win.
