Source : the age
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Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa showed why they will be key to Australia’s Twenty20 World Cup bid in a thrashing of Ireland as Steve Smith prepared to fly into Colombo amid doubts over the fitness of Mitchell Marsh.
Australia’s selectors have been given a fresh set of questions by a training blow to Marsh that has left him with testicular bleeding and an unclear return date.
Nathan Ellis was superb.Credit: AP
Marsh watched the Ireland game from the team viewing area, but there is now the possibility that Smith may come into the squad if the captain’s groin injury does not heal quickly.
Stand-in skipper Travis Head was given a straightforward evening in the field by Ellis (4-12) and Zampa (4-23), who got off to the ideal start as the team’s attack leaders in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
Smith took part in the Adelaide Pro-Am for LIV Golf on Wednesday but will be on the next available flight to Sri Lanka.
Marsh may yet be ruled out of the event entirely after scans showed he is suffering a more serious issue than the usual soreness experienced after copping a ball amidships.
“Mitchell Marsh will miss the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after sustaining a direct blow to the groin during training earlier this week,” said a Cricket Australia spokesperson. “He is experiencing ongoing pain and discomfort which is restricting his movement.
“Scans have confirmed internal testicular bleeding, and he will require a period of rest and rehabilitation. His return to play will be guided by symptom resolution and medical advice.
“Standby player Steve Smith will travel to Sri Lanka as cover to acclimatise and prepare, should he be required.“
Smith was controversially omitted from the squad for the Cup despite some stunning displays in recent editions of the Big Bash League, but remained in Australia on standby.
Without Marsh, Josh Inglis (37) opened for Australia and did well after he was involved in an early mix-up that ended with Head’s run out.
Cameron Green (21) did not make the most of his start, and it required a serviceable stand between Matt Renshaw (37) and Marcus Stoinis (45) to ensure Australia put up a strong total in slow and dry Colombo conditions.
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Wicket!
Ellis gets a deserved fourth wicket and Australia win by 67 runs, a big margin.
Having lost Mitch Marsh before the game, the Australians will be very happy with this display in the field, although they will want more batters to go on from starts.
Ireland never really recovered from the los of captain Paul Stirling to a leg injury when running a single first ball of the chase.
Wicket! Wicket! Wicket!
Zampa tempts Tucker into hitting into the breeze, and a well-hit slog sweep is not powerful enough to avoid settling into the hands of deep midwicket.
That’s probably Ireland’s last chance gone, bearing in mind that the run required rate is now nearing 15 per over.
Zampa gets another in his final over, this time drawing Dockrell down the pitch for a comfortable stumping. Dockrell, with 41, played well.
And then Zampa has four! Bowling into the wicket, he hurries one onto Adair for a miscue and another catch on the leg side.
Australia now have to contend with a stand between Dockrell and Tucker, who are playing a little smarter than their top order counterparts.
They are stretching Australia’s fielders, and after stretching to save one boundary, Maxwell signals he needs to go off the field. Possible injury niggle for the allrounder?
Wicket!
Adam Zampa often comes on at the end of the Powerplay and Head brings him on as scheduled here.
He reviews an lbw shout first ball as Tucker misses a sweep, but the ball has hit outside the line of the off stump.
But four bal later there’s another sweep, this time from Delany, and a thin edge behind is well held by Inglis.
Connolly’s next over is tidy with some evidence of spin.
Wicket!
If Australia are to compete at this World Cup they will lean heavily on Ellis, and tonight he is showing why, splintering Ireland.
Ben Calitz is bowled.Credit: AP
The Irish have had no answer to Ellis’ dizzying array of slower balls, cutter and pace-on deliveries, losing three wickets in seven balls.
After bowling Calitz with his first ball of the over, he concedes just a leg bye off the rest, and has figures of 3-5 from two overs.
Wicket! Wicket! Wicket!
Matt Kuhnemann bowls the second over and his second ball is cut in the air to Renshaw, who drops a very simple chance.
Still, it’s a very tight over from Kuhnemann, and last ball he coaxes a big drive from Tector, who skies it high enough for Green to run back from mid-off and take the chance.
Nathan Ellis come on for the third over and his first ball is a trademark slower ball that completely befuddles Adair and knocks out middle stump.
Two balls later and Campher completely miscues Ellis to midwicket. Australia all over Ireland.
Bartlett takes the new ball for Australia and first ball of the innings it appears that Ireland skipper Paul Stirling has done a hamstring.
After lingering at the crease for a few minutes, Stirling decides to retire hurt.
Paul Stirling does a hamstring.Credit: AP
Bartlett’s medium paced outswing is pretty friendly by comparison to the absent Cummins, Hazlewood and the retired Starc, and Adair tucks in with a four then a six over cover. Twelve from the first over.
Apparently unaware of how much Australia’s tail struggled against spin in Pakistan, Ireland go with pace for the last two overs of the innings and pay the price.
Connolly and Xavier Bartlett both find the boundary, allowing Australia to wriggle up to 6-182 with 23 run from the final two overs. The last ball of the innings is a slower ball and Connolly has no idea what to do with it. Spin might have been a better option for Ireland there.
Wicket!
Ireland have dropped multiple chances so far in this tournament and here’s another.
Stoinis carves one to cover and shouts “no” as he realises his error, but Delany puts the chance down.
As if to make Ireland pay, Stoinis then absolutely destroys a shorter ball that disappears for six well over midwicket. But then two balls later he swivels a ball straight to deep square leg. Good innings of 45 but not much batting to go for Australia now.
