3 minute read
Australia are already safely through to the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup, but they will be keen to move on with a perfect record by defeating Scotland on Sunday.
The Baggy Greens have already seen off Oman, England and Namibia in Group B and have certainly shown the quality needed to be seen as a leading contender to win the tournament.
They will be facing, at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia, a Scotland side who could join them in the last eight if they pull off an upset win.
. What: Australia v Scotland
. Where: Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet
. When: 10:30 (AEST), Sunday 16th June 2024
. How to watch: Prime Video
. Odds: Australia 1.10, Scotland 7.00
Australia may opt to rotate
Josh Hazlewood's jokey comments about the Baggy Greens playing in a way to try and ensure that Scotland progress at the expense of holders England grabbed some headlines in the lead-up to the game.
However, there is little or no prospect of the Aussies taking their foot off the pedal, although they may make changes to make sure that they are peak condition of the next phase of the tournament.
Cameron Green, Ashton Agar and Josh Inglis are yet to feature in the tournament and Green may be offered an opportunity to impress if fellow all-rounder Marcus Stoinis is handed a rest.
Stoinis has taken six wickets across the first three game, at an average of just 8.66 and an economy rate of 5.77 runs an over.
Amazingly that record is trumped in all fields by Adam Zampa, who has eight wickers at 8.00 and an economy rate of 5.33. The leg-spinner is 1.61 to take over 1.5 wickets against Scotland and 4.00 to be Team - Top Bowler.
With the pace quartet of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood and Nathan Ellis also impressing, it is clear that Australia are blessed with what might well be the best bowling attack in the tournament.
Runs have perhaps not been flowing as Australia would have liked, but the tournament as a whole has seen many sides struggling to put big runs on the board in some testing conditions.
David Warner has provided quickfire runs at the top of the order, smashing 56 against Oman, 39 from just 16 balls against England and 20 of the first 21 runs scored in the nine-wicket thrashing of Namibia.
The veteran left-hander bows out of international cricket at the conclusion of this tournament and will be desperate to exit on a high - he is 2.00 to make 30+ runs against Scotland on Sunday.
Scotland ready for "must-win" showdown
Scotland know that they will have to pull off a major shock victory if they are to continue on in the tournament, with all-rounder Murray Leask admitting: "We always knew this was going to be a must-win game for us.
"It's a hell of an opportunity for us to go and…take on one of the best (teams) in the world."
With England expected to see off Namibia in their final group game, Scotland will have to try and go all-out for the win in Gros Islet, with George Munsey, Brandon McMullen, Leask and skipper Richie Berrington all dangerous customers with the bat.
With the ball the Scots will hope to have paceman Brad Currie back in action after he was forced to sit out the seven-wicket win over Oman due to a slight injury problem.
Should he be fit to feature, Safyaan Sharif is the player most likely to make way.
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