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In the opening encounter of their five-match T20I series, Australia defeated England by 28 runs at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday. The match showcased Australia’s resilience and tactical prowess, as they set a challenging target of 180 runs. Despite a valiant effort from England’s batsmen, key breakthroughs and disciplined bowling from the Australian side ensured a solid victory, giving the visitors an early edge in the series.
Josh Hazlewood’s crucial wicket disrupts England’s progress
Josh Hazlewood, known for his effectiveness in the middle overs, delivered a slower ball in the 14th over of the second innings that landed on a hard length outside off-stump. Liam Livingstone, uncertain about how to play the delivery, attempted a shot but managed only an inside edge. This edge deflected the ball back onto the stumps, resulting in Livingstone’s dismissal.
England, already in a challenging position after the loss of another key player, Sam Curran, needed Livingstone to anchor the innings. His departure left England in a precarious situation as they sought to recover from their setbacks.
Also READ: Sean Abbott, Josh Hazlewood lead Australia to victory after Travis Head’s explosive knock crushes England in 1st T20I
Here is the video:
Very cunning from Josh Hazlewood yesterday.
Sold a dummy to Livingstone by giving Livingstone a visual cue that he is about to bowl an off cutter (by showing back of his palm and an off cutter's grip for a brief period) but then changed his grip later to bowl a pace on delivery pic.twitter.com/AGMEXxXUhI
— Bishontherockz (@BishOnTheRockx) September 12, 2024
Australia takes lead in the T20I series
Australia, having been dismissed for 179, initially dominated with a strong performance from Travis Head and Darcy Short, who added 86 runs during the powerplay. However, their progress was halted by effective spin bowling from Rashid Khan and Livingstone, followed by precise finishing from Jofra Archer. Despite Head’s early dismissal, Australia’s innings faltered, with only Inglis offering significant resistance before his dismissal. England’s bowlers managed to restrict Australia’s scoring effectively.
Conversely, England seemed to have control until three early wickets in the powerplay shifted momentum. Attempts by Liam and Sam Curran to stabilize the innings were thwarted when their partnership was broken. Australian bowlers, including Sean Abbott with three wickets and Adam Zampa with two, capitalized on the opportunity. Australia emerged victorious, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
