Posted:
2024-06-11 23:53:48
Original link:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-12/live-updates-t20-cricket-world-cup-australia-vs-namibia/103965636
Adam Zampa has continued his brilliant form at the T20 World Cup, picking up another four wickets as Australia cruised to a nine-wicket win over Namibia in Antigua.
The leg-spinner finished with figures of 4-12 off his four overs, becoming the first Australian men's player to reach 100 T20 international wickets, as Australia booked its spot in the Super Eight stage of the tournament.
Zampa joins women's stars Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry as the only Australians to reach the magical three-figure mark in the T20 format.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Australia dominated the powerplay overs, with strikes from Josh Hazlewood and Marcus Stoinis leaving Namibia reeling at 3-17 after six overs.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh wasted little time bringing Zampa on after the field restrictions were lifted and the 32-year-old made an immediate impact.
Zampa removed Zane Green, David Wiese, Ruben Trumpelmann and Bernard Scholtz in a devastating spell which left Namibia at 8-43 at one stage before a late rearguard effort from skipper Gerhard Erasmus lifted the African side to a paltry total of 72. Namibia's total was a record low conceded by an Australian men's side in T20s.
Marsh heaped praise on Zampa after Australia's win, declaring him Australia's "most important player" in the limited overs formats.
"If you look at his career, especially over the last four or five years, he's probably our most important player in terms of how we structure up," he said.
"He loves the big moment, loves the pressure, and I think that comes with experience.
"He's bowling beautifully at the moment, so we're lucky to have him."
Zampa was less effusive in his praise towards himself, labelling some of his wicket-taking deliveries as "pies".
"To get the win tonight and qualify for the Super Eights, that is a nice feeling," he said.
"I bowled a couple of pies tonight but in general, the ball feels like it is coming out well. Being encouraged to pick up wickets in the middle, particularly by the captain.
"We are happy, it is the first step in trying to take the trophy home but a long way to go."
Australia's top order made light work of the chase, with David Warner (20 off eight deliveries), Travis Head (34 off 17) and Mitch Marsh (18 off nine) running down the 73 runs required in just 5.4 overs. The 34 deliveries required for the win was Australia's fastest ever successful run chase in T20s, beating the 38 balls required to beat Bangladesh in Dubai in 2021.
The win leaves Australia on top of Group B with three wins from three outings and an impressive net run rate of 3.58.
Australia will next be in action on Saturday afternoon AEST when it faces Scotland in its final group stage clash at Gros Islet in Saint Lucia.
Follow the live blog below for a recap of all the action as it happened.
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Marsh impressed by 'professional' Aussie performance
Some words from Australian captain Mitchell Marsh after that win.
"I thought it was a great performance from our bowling team," he says.
"We want to try and take early wickets. It was an all-round very professional performance.
"It's obviously great to qualify for the Super Eights, it'll get pretty busy after our game against Scotland, so we'll manage as many people as we can over the next few days."
Marsh also full of praise for the milestone man Adam Zampa.
"If you look at his career, especially over the last four or five years, he's probably our most important player in terms of how we structure up," he says.
"He loves the big moment, loves the pressure, and I think that comes with experience.
"He's bowling beautifully at the moment, so we're lucky to have him."
Erasmus on Namibia's lessons from Australia clash
Namibian captain Gerhard Erasmus laments the fact that his side didn't fight "fire with fire" with Australia tonight.
Australian great Matthew Hayden asks Erasmus what he's learnt from tonight's clash.
"Well I guess the fact that you can't sit back against the best in the world, that's one thing we learnt," he says.
"The skill gap is perhaps there, which you can close a little bit by fighting fire with fire a little bit, and we obviously didn't do that throughout this tournament thus far.
"A good side like Australia with their skill set will expose you if you're not ready mentally and unfortunately not quite willing enough to mentally step up on this level."
Zampa named Player of the Match despite 'pies'
Adam Zampa is named the Player of the Match after a four-wicket haul tonight.
Zampa became the first Australian man to take 100 wickets in T20 internationals.
Zampa pretty humbly says a couple of his wickets came with "pies" against Namibia.
"To get the win tonight and qualify for the Super Eights, that is a nice feeling," he says.
"I bowled a couple of pies tonight but in general, the ball feels like it is coming out well. Being encouraged to pick up wickets in the middle, particularly by the captain.
"We are happy, it is the first step in trying to take the trophy home but a long way to go."
Australia cruises to easy win, dominating Namibia
FOUR! Classic Mitch Marsh there as he takes a good length Brassell delivery at the top of its bounce and smacks it through backward point for a boundary.
SIX! Brassell responds with a slower ball that sticks in the wicket, and Marsh rocks on the back foot and clubs it over midwicket.
FOUR! Marsh with three straight boundaries to end this as he pumps another one down the ground.
Australia wins it easily in the end by nine wickets after just 5.4 overs. Utter dominance.
That win is the second biggest win in terms of balls remaining in T20 history.
5th over - Head in a hurry with trio of boundaries
FOUR! Head is seeing it like a beach ball here. Trumpelmann bangs one in short, and Head glides it over short third man for another boundary.
FOUR! A slower ball from Trumpelmann, and Head pumps it down the ground over mid on. He was slightly beaten by the change of pace there, but it didn't matter.
FOUR! This time Head backs away to the leg side and slams one through the covers.
Head is beaten by another slower ball to end the over, but this one could be over in another six balls. Australia with just 13 to get.
4th over - Erasmus tidy after early boundary
SIX! Erasmus too short and Head has time to hop onto his back foot and swings it through the leg side and over the fence.
A good response to that boundary from the Namibian skipper, who is definitely trying to skid the ball through.
Almost has Head caught behind off one which leaped up off a length.
3rd over - Aussies continue brisk run chase
FOUR! A beautifully-timed late cut from Travis Head as he uses Shikongo's pace to glide the ball past short third-man who is up in the circle. Too much width.
SIX! Head follows that up by bludgeoning Shikongo over his head for a six down the ground. Imperious stuff from the Aussie opener.
FOUR! Shikongo goes short as a response to the last two balls and he's pulled through the leg side for a third straight boundary.
FOUR! Marsh shimmies down the wicket to hit Shikongo over mid-off for a fourth boundary.
19 off the right-arm paceman's first over. Australia already over halfway to the target.
2nd over - Wiese gets a wicket at a major cost
FOUR! Wiese starts with one outside off stump and you can't give Warner width, this is crashed through the covers for a boundary.
FOUR! Another one, this time it's straighter as Warner drives Wiese between mid-off and extra cover. He's a man in a hurry here.
SIX! Wiese adjusts too far by dragging this one onto Warner's pads, and the Aussie opener heaves it off his hip into the stands.
Wiese ends the over with the wicket of Warner after having the Aussie opener caught at mid off, but he's also given up 15 runs in the over.
Australia wasting no time here.
WICKET! Warner perishes after blistering start
David Warner attempting to go for four boundaries in a row, gets caught at mid-off.
He tries to pump this one from Wiese down the ground, but only succeeds in hitting it high into the night sky and Trumpelmann takes the catch.
Warner falls for 20 off eight deliveries and there's some welcome respite for Wiese.
Mitch Marsh the new man in the middle for Australia.
1st over - Head narrowly avoids diamond duck
RUN OUT CHANCE MISSED! Travis Head is almost gone for a diamond duck! Warner taps one into the off side and immediately calls Head through and luckily for Australia the diving attempt at the stumps misses the mark.
That would've been a dream start for Namibia.
FOUR! Warner repents for his sins by smacking a short one through the off-side. Can't bowl there Trumpelmann.
Seven off the first over for the Aussies.
Players coming out for the second innings
We're just about to get underway here in Australia's batting innings.
David Warner and Travis Head striding out to the wicket.
Trumpelmann to take the new ball for Namibia.
Australia's record-setting outing with the ball
Namibia's score of 72 is the lowest score Australia has ever conceded in a T20 international.
They were absolutely ruthless out there tonight.
Namibia's scorecard
Here's how the scorecard looks currently with the Namibian innings all wrapped up.
Completely dominant from Australia so far.
Namibia all out for 72 after another diving catch
Brilliant from Tim David!
Another slower ball from Stoinis is misread by Shikongo, who attempts to work it through the leg side but pops it straight up.
It looks like it's going to land safely, but David charges in and takes a terrific diving catch.
Right then, 73 to chase for Australia. This shouldn't take too long for Warner, Head and Marsh you'd think.
WICKET! Erasmus rearguards ends with brilliant catch
Gerhard Erasmus's stay at the crease is over!
A slower delivery from Stoinis and Erasmus attempts to swing it into the stands again but only succeeds in a top edge.
Glenn Maxwell charges in from the boundary to take a terrific diving catch.
What a fielder he is.
Ben Shikongo is the final man in for Namibia.
16th over - Erasmus deposits Cummins into the stands
The commentators talking about Namibia playing the ball and not the man, and Erasmus certainly did that in this over.
Cummins slams one in short and Erasmus deposits it handily over cow corner, what a strike!
Australia still in control, but they're being frustrated by this little partnership between Erasmus and Brassell.
10 runs off that Cummins over.
15th over - Injury scare for Nathan Ellis
A bit of an untidy over from Nathan Ellis as he goes for nine with two boundaries.
One of them was a misfield it must be said, but the second is a delightful glide over the keeper from Erasmus.
Ellis also had a little bit of a limp after having some trouble with his run-up on one of the deliveries and pulling up short.
He's looking OK out there now though thankfully.
Namibia's run rate finally up to four. It's only taken 15 overs to get there.
14th over - Captain Erasmus continues the fight
Eight runs off that Hazlewood over, with all of them coming off Erasmus's bat.
The Namibian skipper once again gives himself room by backing away to the leg side and creaming one to the boundary on the off side.
Namibia finally past the half-century mark here.
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