Australia in Scotland, 3 T20I Series, 2024 |3rd T20I |9/7/2024 Grange Cricket Club, Raeburn Place, Edinburgh
Commentary
Right then, that's the end of this historic tour as Scotland hosted Australia for the first time in a bilateral T20I series and the crowd came in large numbers to see their side take on the big guns. The Aussies did wrap up the series 3-0 but Scotland will surely take a lot from this series. Australia now head to England for a proper white-ball tour that includes 3 T20Is and 5 ODIs. The first T20I will be played on Wednesday, 11 September at 5.30 pm GMT but you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up as well. Hope you enjoyed our coverage, until next time then, take care and goodbye!
Next up, Mitchell Marsh is presented with a traditional Scottish 'Quaich' which is a shallow bowl with two handles and it is a symbol of Scottish hospitality and friendship. Marsh is then joined by his teammates and they pose for a team photo along with the Quaich.
The captain of Australia, Mitchell Marsh says that it was a great week for them. States that they had a lot of contributors which is what you want in a young team. Further says that he is glad to see young guys stepping up at different moments. Shares that it was fantastic to play in front of this crowd and a privilege to come and play in this part of the world. Ends by saying with a grin on his face that it will be nice to have the Scottish people on their side when they travel to England.
Richie Berrington, the captain of Scotland says that it has been a tough week results wise for them but to get this opportunity and exposure is brilliant and it is something they need more of to keep improving. Adds that there were things they knew they should have done a lot better and to see the atmosphere and support at The Grange is amazing. Mentions that the margins of error are very small against the big sides and they did have some positives like Brandon McMullen and a few of the young guys putting in the effort. Also, he goes on to credit Cricket Scotland for hosting this tour and hopes to see more such series in the future.
Cameron Green is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his superb all-round performance. He says what they got from the series is a lot of guys getting opportunities and hopes that this can lead them to some good cricket in the next series. He says that he had a lot of fun in the Indian T20 League and loves this format equally as the other two. When asked what he liked the most about Scotland as a nation, he jokingly says that it was probably the golf.
The Presentation ceremony...
Earlier in the game, Mitchell Marsh won the toss and put Scotland into bat on a used deck but one that was still pretty good for batting. It was a similar story to the first game as Scotland scored quick runs inside the Powerplay but lost a couple of wickets and couldn't kick on in the middle. Too many starts and only one knock of real substance from Brandon McMullen who scored 56 and Scotland huffed and puffed to 149 runs. Cameron Green picked up 3 wickets and looked like the best of the bunch as the likes of Sean Abbott and Aaron Hardie picked up a couple of wickets each. In reply, Australia stumbled early on but were able to get ahead quickly and rounded off a very positive series with another comfortable win.
There was a bit in the deck for the Scottish pacers early on and the duo of Brandon McMullen and Brad Currie were used smartly for the first four overs. However, an extra over for both turned out to be a bane and those who came in to bowl later, simply couldn't pile on the pressure. Currie picked up a couple of wickets and there were a few opportunities created as well but Scottish bowlers couldn't pick up wickets in a heap and were brushed aside with ease.
Chasing a target of 150 runs, Australia were shaky to begin with and young Jake Fraser-McGurk fell for a duck yet again. Travis Head played the way he does but soon perished as well before Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green steadied the ship. They took on the bowling soon enough and got on top of the run chase. Green was the standout with an unbeaten knock of 62(39) with Marsh and then Tim David playing fine cameos as well.
A job well done for Australia and they have flexed their muscles by sweeping Scotland 3-0 in Edinburgh before heading off to play their eternal rivals England in a few days' time. Scotland showed glimpses of their greatness from a few months back in the T20 World Cup but were patchy with the bat and in their overall play as well.
16.1
4
Chris Sole to Aaron Hardie, FOUR! That will do nicely for Australia! Aaron Hardie seals the clean sweep with a boundary! Sole pitches it up, outside off, and Hardie is quick to pick the line and length. He leans into the drive and creams it through covers for a beautifully timed boundary. Australia win by 6 wickets and complete a clean sweep over Scotland!
END OF OVER 16 | 15 Runs & 0 Wkt | AUS 149/4
15.6
2
Mark Watt to Cameron Green, Watt drags the length back and this slides in with the angle, Cameron Green stays back and turns this one wide of deep mid-wicket again for a couple of runs more. Scores level now!
15.5
2
Mark Watt to Cameron Green, Fuller and quicker, at the pads, Cameron Green clips it to the left of deep mid-wicket for a brace.
15.4
6
Mark Watt to Cameron Green, SIX! BOOM! Salt in the wounds of Watt! Watt bowls it quicker, fuller and on off, right in the arc for the batter. Cameron Green swings cleanly and thumps it over long on for a six. Just 5 more needed now for Australia.
15.3
0
Mark Watt to Cameron Green, In the air...but safe! Watt smartly slows it up, full and on off, Green goes for a swipe across the line but gets a leading edge that goes straight up and in front of short third. The fielder there is late to judge the trajectory of the ball and fails to get there in time. The ball drops short of the rushing fielder. Watt feels that the fielder should have done better there.
15.2
1
Mark Watt to Aaron Hardie, Pushed through, short and on off, Hardie pushes it to the left of cover and crosses over.
15.1
4
Mark Watt to Aaron Hardie, FOUR! Innovative and effective! Watt fires it in full, on middle, Aaron Hardie stays low to make the connection as he brings out the reverse sweep. Snaps his wrists to hit this one wide of backward point for a boundary.
END OF OVER 15 | 4 Runs & 1 Wkt | AUS 134/4
14.6
1
Chris Sole to Aaron Hardie, This is on a shortish length, around off. Aaron Hardie hops and with an open bat face, runs it down to deep third for one.
14.5
1
Chris Sole to Cameron Green, Sole dishes it out on a hard length, on off, Cameron Green pulls it along the carpet to long on and picks up a single.
14.4
1
Chris Sole to Aaron Hardie, Fullish delivery, aimed at the pads, Aaron Hardie knocks it down to long on and opens his account with a single.
14.3
0
Chris Sole to Aaron Hardie, Pace on and on a length, outside off, Aaron Hardie goes for the drive away from his body and gets beaten on the outside edge.
Aaron Hardie is the new man in.
14.2
W
Chris Sole to Tim David, OUT! TAKEN! Finally, something to cheer for the Scottish crowd who were kept quiet for quite a while. Off-pace delivery from Sole, on a nagging length, on off. Tim David sets himself up for the pull but gets deceived by the slowness of the delivery. Skies it high in the air towards deep square leg where Jack Jarvis settles under it by running a bit to his left and takes the catch.