Another England World Cup campaign on the ropes after T20 humbling by Australia

There was a time, not that long ago, when ‘here we go again’ was a good feeling for England’s white-ball team. Not anymore.

Just one week into their Caribbean Twenty20 World Cup defence and already it feels like the India meltdown of last year all over again. A timid defeat to Australia by 36 runs at the Kensington Oval made it no wins from two games and England one humbling by an associate away from not making the Super Eights, which has to be a P45 scenario for some. Head coach Matthew Mott now has to do something that was beyond him in India, prevent a death spiral.

They have two Group B games left against Oman and Namibia in Antigua next week to revive a flagging campaign. If Scotland beat Oman in Barbados on Sunday they will be on five points and England will need to win their final two games, pray Australia beat the Scots and hope to sneak through on run rate. Whacking the minnows still might not be enough and with Scotland vs Australia the final group game, there is one possible unpalatable scenario unfolding – Australia and Scotland could conspire to knock England out on run rate.

Limp England were outplayed by Australia who exploited the short boundary and crosswind far better when batting, and were cannier defending it with the ball. England became the first team to concede 200 at the tournament and ran out of puff as the asking run rate climbed against a well-drilled Australia team that just knows how to turn it on at World Cups.

Australia hit 13 sixes, England managed only eight. A decent opening stand between Phil Salt and Jos Buttler of 72 kept hopes alive at first, and Moeen Ali briefly played some eye-catching strokes, but the innings withered as Australia, having learnt from watching England, bowled the pace that suited conditions. Jonny Bairstow was woefully out of touch and there is a ruthless call to be made there.

Once again at a World Cup England’s decision-making was iffy. All week this dry, cracked square has suited pace-off bowlers like Reece Topley but England picked Mark Wood, who does not really have a slower ball, and his first over went for 22, although he did drag it back.

England inexplicably bowled part-time off-spinner Will Jacks in the second over, thinking an off-spinner to two left-handed openers would work. Jacks, who has barely bowled recently, was nervous. He was too full or floaty and went for three sixes. The Australians had the seized initiative and never let it go. Buttler said it was a “gut feel” decision based on Moeen bowling a good first over.

Australia’s whirlwind powerplay of 74 for two was a ruthless filleting of opponents low on confidence. It forced a shocked Buttler to run from behind the stumps to the other end several times to give his bowler a gee-up, which slowed England’s over rate and for which they were penalised by only having four fielders outside the ring in the final over. It summed up the sloppiness.

“We were outplayed,” admitted Buttler. “They deserved the win and we have one or two things to tidy up. They played with intent at the start and put us under pressure.”

England’s outfielding was laboured, two catches were missed – one which Bairstow was too slow to reach – and Chris Jordan even dropped one. Adil Rashid was livid when Bairstow and Jofra Archer watched a ball run through between them for four.

Archer was excellent with the ball and should have bowled the early overs from the danger end. His 28 from four overs kept batsmen honest and England in it. Jordan was costly, too inconsistent, although redeemed himself with a decent last over that cost seven and included his 100th international T20 wicket, but Australia were at least 30 over par.

Travis Head was outstanding, picking out the short boundary and using the crosswind before he was bowled by an Archer slower ball for 34 off 18. Warner (39 from 16) had one last hurrah against England.

Marcus Stoinis and Tim David both hit one-handed sixes, the former using the wind, the latter just his immense power, but runs were harder to come by once England clocked the pace to bowl.

There was a bit of niggle when Matthew Wade pulled away late from an Rashid delivery and thought dead ball had been called, only for the umpire to say play on. He spent plenty of time gesticulating at the officials, complaining about Buttler behind the stumps.

Australia resisted the funky options and opened with the pace and experience of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. England had a decent powerplay, 54-0, and were still in it. Salt belted Starc for the biggest six of the innings, making the short boundary irrelevant, and England kept the run rate at a manageable level given the depth of hitting in their line-up.

Australia held back their leggie, Adam Zampa, until after the powerplay and his spell was crucial, removing both openers. First ball he bowled Salt with a quick leg-break that skidded on. Buttler drove the first ball of Zampa’s second over for a flat six, but reverse-swept the next delivery to backward point and was given a send off by Wade.

At the 10-over mark England were 93-2 and still fighting. Moeen hit three big sixes and Bairstow swung for all his might. It was ugly hacking, like watching a Sunday golfer cut up a championship course. His seven off 13 did not cost England the match but it sucked all momentum from the chase.

Zampa bowled 10 overs at the 50-over World Cup against England without conceding a boundary and was just as effective again, his two for 28 off four overs completing a job well done for Australia and putting Buttler back under the cosh.

How much trouble are England in?

By Will Macpherson

After a rain-affected draw while in a difficult position against Scotland and losing heavily to Australia, champions England find themselves in a precarious position. They are fourth in Group B, with a poor net run-rate (minus 1.8) and are battling to make it to the Super Eight stage.

Can England still qualify for the Super Eights?

The short answer is yes, but there is no room for error, and no room for poor weather. They fly to Antigua on Sunday and face Oman on Thursday, then Namibia two days later. They must win both, and win well, to improve their net run-rate above Scotland’s. Any points dropped just about confirms their elimination.

Can anyone else make their life easier?

Oman’s game against Scotland in Barbados on Sunday has just taken on greater importance for England. An Oman victory would put England bottom of the group, but possibly make their path to the Super Eights easier due to Scotland’s dropped points. Having beaten Namibia, though, Scotland are a team in form.

The fly in the ointment

The last game of the group is Australia vs Scotland. They are arguably England’s two greatest rivals across all sports and could be presented with an unusual opportunity that they would surely relish: conspiring to knock England out.

If all three teams win all their games until that point, Australia would already be through with six points. England and Scotland would both have five. So a Scotland win would send Scotland and Australia through, but even a Scotland defeat of limited margin could be enough to send England home on net run-rate. Watch this space.

The best news for England would be that they win their remaining games, then hope Australia thrash Scotland. It is not often England pray for an Australia win...

England vs Australia: As it happened

10:03 PM BST

England in a tricky spot

Well, that was pretty bleak for England, wasn’t it? No margin for error now, and no scope for rain either. Tricky spot.

09:51 PM BST

Jos Buttler’s reaction

09:49 PM BST

What England’s defeat means

Look, it’s complicated. It’s always complicated where net run-rate is concerned. But in order to qualify for the Super 8s, England need to beat Namibia and Oman as heavily as possible and hope that Scotland either lose to Oman or are hammered by Australia in their final game.

One concern for England is that Scotland play last, so they will know exactly what they need to do to get through and eliminate England. So will their opponents, Australia, who could theoretically oversee England’s trip to the departure lounge.

The other concern for England is a washout (or a defeat, obviously) against Namibia and Oman. I still think England will qualify, and then the slate is wiped clean, but it’s getting a bit hairy.

09:44 PM BST

The state of play in Group B

• Australia 4pts (NRR 1.88)

• Scotland 3 (0.74)

• Namibia 2 (-0.31)

• England 1 (-1.80)

• Oman 0 (-0.98)

09:38 PM BST

Australia win by 36 runs

OVER 20: ENG 165/6 (Brook 20 Jordan 1) Harry Brook hits a couple of fours in Stoinis’s final over, which may prove useful down the line. But it’s  been a sobering day for England, who will be scrutinising net run-rate for the next week after an ultimately emphatic defeat in Barbados. They lost it with the ball and particularly in the Powerplay, when David Warner and Travis Head ran riot. They added 70 in five overs and Australia retained their grip on the game throughout.

09:33 PM BST

OVER 19: ENG 152/6 (Brook 10 Jordan 0)

For the record, England need 50 from 6 balls.

09:32 PM BST

Wicket!

Livingstone c Starc b Cummins 15 The ball after Zampa almost takes a stunning catch to dismiss Brook, Starc takes a simple one at long-off to get rid of Livingstone. England have been hammered. FOW: 152/6

09:28 PM BST

OVER 18: ENG 148/5 (Brook 8 Livingstone 13)

Livingstone hits Zampa over long on for a big six, a defiant blow in the face of almost certain defeat. As Will and Scyld have said, every run England score is important given the sudden importance of net run-rate.

Zampa, a strong contender for player of the match, finishes with 4-0-28-2.

England lost this match in the first six overs, when they made some questionable choices with the ball. But Adam Zampa has turned the screw quite brilliantly, and ensured there was no way back.

09:24 PM BST

OVER 17: ENG 136/5 (Brook 6 Livingstone 3)

The last four was in the ninth over, which shows how well Australia have asphyxiated England. Another boundaryless over from Hazlewood completes a terrific spell of 4-0-28-1. England need a miracle.

England must not go down swinging. They have to bat through the overs and care for their run rate. Australia were effectively knocked out of the last T20 World Cup, at home, by throwing their wickets away when being trounced by New Zealand.

09:20 PM BST

OVER 16: ENG 130/5 (Brook 2 Livingstone 1)

Suddenly, England are staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat here; the sort that could have net run-rate ramifications later in the tournament. The Scotland rain-out was a lost opportunity or a relief, depending on how you look at the world. But they won’t be able to afford any more games lost to rain after this, and will need to thrash Namibia and Oman.

09:17 PM BST

Wicket!

Ali c Warner b Cummins 25 And it’s goodnight from England. Moeen Ali slices a full, wide delivery from Cummins to deep point, where David Warner takes a beautifully judged catch. Moeen played pretty well to make 25 from 15 balls, but England are surely done now. FOW: 128/5

09:13 PM BST

OVER 15: ENG 126/4 (Ali 24 Brook 1)

Excellent stuff for Hazlewood, into the pitch with pace off, and he concedes only two from the over. Australia have learned the lessons of England’s bowling performance.

A really scratchy innings from Jonny Bairstow. He probably needs a good T20 World Cup to guarantee his place in the Test side; that is not the ideal start.

09:09 PM BST

Wicket!

Bairstow c Maxwell b Hazlewood 7 Bairstow’s scruffy 13-ball innings ends when he drags a slower ball to Maxwell at deep midwicket. Clever bowling from Josh Hazlewood, the first delivery of a new spell, and Maxwell turns to blow a kiss at some England fans who were giving him grief. FOW: 124/4

09:07 PM BST

OVER 14: ENG 124/3 (Bairstow 7 Ali 23)

England needed a big over and Moeen has delivered it by hitting Maxwell for three sixes. All were lofted elegantly to the short leg-side boundary, of course they were, and a couple of singles made it 20 from the over.

09:04 PM BST

OVER 13: ENG 104/3 (Bairstow 6 Ali 4)

Zampa returns to squeeze England within an inch of their life. It’s another outstanding over, just three from it, and two of those came from a bottom-edged hack by Bairstow. England have scored 11 runs from the last three overs. 

09:01 PM BST

OVER 12: ENG 101/3 (Bairstow 4 Ali 3)

This is slipping away from England. The occasional offspinner Glenn Maxwell concedes just two runs from a superb first over, which means England need 101 from 48 balls, 12 of which will be bowled by Adam Zampa. Godspeed.

08:58 PM BST

Starc evokes the other Lord’s controversy

Sensational catch from Starc. Lots of talk this week about the Lord’s Test last summer, relating to the Bairstow incident. But you could see there how much the Starc’s non-catch of Ben Duckett in that same game has shaped his technique now. He was so careful not to let the ball touch the ground at all, and he did it brilliantly.

08:57 PM BST

OVER 11: ENG 99/3 (Bairstow 3 Ali 2)

Moeen Ali, England’s only left-hander, has been promoted up the order with the short boundary in mind.

08:56 PM BST

Wicket!

Jacks c Starc b Stoinis 10 Stoinis feels perfectly suited to this pitch: wicket-to-wicket medium pace, nothing too full. I was thinking more about economy, but now he has taken a key wicket! Jacks pummelled a slower ball towards long off, where Starc ran in and dived forward to take a brilliant two-handed catch just above the ground. The end of a bad day for Will Jacks. FOW: 96/3

08:48 PM BST

OVER 10: ENG 93/2 (Jacks 9 Bairstow 1)

Zampa almost gets a third when Bairstow spoons his first ball, the last before the drinks break, just over cover. England need 109 from 60 balls, just as they did against Scotland.

Buttler had clearly chosen Zampa as the bowler he wanted to take down, but he’s fallen trying to play a reverse sweep that just wasn’t working.

08:47 PM BST

Wicket!

Buttler c Cummins b Zampa 42 Adam Zampa has done it again! The ball after driving beautifully over long off for six, Buttler reverse swept straight to Cummins at backward point. That feels like the decisive moment of England’s runchase. FOW: 92/2

08:44 PM BST

OVER 9: ENG 83/1 (Buttler 34 Jacks 7)

Will Jacks gets his first boundary, standing tall to slap Cummins past extra cover for four. It was almost a chance for Head, diving low to his right, but he couldn’t get a hand on it.

A canny over from Cummins, seven from it. England are still in the game but the Australian squeeze has started.

08:39 PM BST

OVER 8: ENG 76/1 (Buttler 33 Jacks 2)

A quite outstanding start from Zampa: three runs, one wicket. England can’t win this game unless they find a way to take him down.

08:36 PM BST

Wicket!

Salt b Zampa 37 Bowled him first ball! Zampa starts with a typical wicket-to-wicket delivery that skids on to beat Salt and just trim the bails. That’s a big wicket. FOW: 73/1

08:34 PM BST

OVER 7: ENG 73/0 (Salt 37 Buttler 31)

Mitchell Starc’s third over is ransacked for 19. It started when Salt slashed to third man, where Head took the catch while touching the boundary sponge. That’s six, just like in the 2019 World Cup final when Trent Boult caught Ben Stokes. Head lost his bearings and probably should have taken the catch.

Buttler lifted a slower ball over the short boundary, the latest one-handed six of the day, then smeared a low full toss whence it came for four.

Now it’s time for a key man to enter the game: Adam Zampa.

08:28 PM BST

OVER 6: ENG 54/0 (Salt 29 Buttler 21)

Mitch Marsh gambles by giving the last over of the Powerplay to Marcus Stoinis. Buttler chips him over extra cover for four, but that’s the only boundary from a really good over.

Ignore the good-looking scoreline, England are struggling here.

08:24 PM BST

OVER 5: ENG 48/0 (Salt 26 Buttler 16)

Pat Cummins starts excellently, conceding four from his first four balls, but then a wide attempted yorker is steered for four by Salt. As Eoin Morgan says on commentary, the margin for error these days is frighteningly low.

It’s still a good over for Australia: eight from it, and that’s in the Powerplay with the short boundary to the leg side.

08:19 PM BST

OVER 4: ENG 40/0 (Salt 20 Buttler 16)

Salt cuts Hazlewood for two boundaries in three balls. England would like a few more at this stage but they’re going okay, and Salt is off another flyer. He has 20 from 12 balls, Buttler 16 from 12.

08:15 PM BST

OVER 3: ENG 31/0 (Salt 12 Buttler 16)

A tasty inswinger from Starc is flipped for a huge, 106-metre six by Salt. It was the short boundary but that would have cleared any boundary on earth.

Starc is trying to hide the ball outside off stump, challenging England to hit to the long side. But when he bowls an off-side wide, he overcompensates and is launched for a one-bounce four by Buttler. This is a decent start for England.

08:09 PM BST

OVER 2: ENG 18/0 (Salt 6 Buttler 11)

Buttler is beaten by a grubber from Josh Hazlewood, so he charges the next ball and slams it to the point boundary to get off the mark. He gets four more later in the over, dragging a slower ball past midwicket, another shot played from outside his crease. England need 184 from 18 overs.

08:04 PM BST

OVER 1: ENG 6/0 (Salt 5 Buttler 0)

Oof. Starc’s first ball is an inswinging yorker that Salt jabs between his legs for four. It’s the start of a dangerous over from Starc, in which both batsmen are beaten outside off stump.

The highlight of the over is the commentator Matthew Hayden getting in a tangle while trying to say “six sixes in the first six”, and inadvertently mentioning a popular procreational activity.

07:58 PM BST

Here come the players

The Powerplay is crucial if England are to have a realistic chance of chasing this down. Mitchell Starc will open the bowling to his IPL team-mate Phil Salt.

07:49 PM BST

A catalogue of errors

It is difficult to identify what England did well in the field against Australia, from selecting Mark Wood ahead of Reece Topley who can bowl cutters into the pitch, from choosing to bowl first on a wearing pitch, from giving Will Jacks the second over in the Powerplay, and from their undistinguished fielding to the appearance of a lack of decisive communication. Here is hoping they kick off their target of 202.

07:48 PM BST

OVER 20: AUS 201/7 (Wade 17 Starc 0)

Wade scampers a single off the last ball, although the third umpire had to check for a possible run-out. It’s a good last over for England, eight from it, but they are still playing catch up after Australia’s savage start to the innings. They scored 70 from the first over five overs and eventually posted the first 200+ score of the tournament.

England need 202 to win. A short boundary is in their favour; a sluggish pitch is not.

07:45 PM BST

Australia race past 200

The first 200 score of the tournament. Rob Key predicted it would be a “slugfest” but it’s been fun for the bowlers so far. Time for England to prove Key right.

07:45 PM BST

Wicket!

Cummins run out 0 Two wickets in two balls. Wade, the non-striker, tries to steal a bye to the keeper Buttler, who lobs down the pitch for Jordan to do the necessary. FOW: 200/7

07:43 PM BST

Wicket!

Stoinis c Brook b Jordan 30 England are behind the over-rate, which means they can only have four men outside the circle for Jordan’s final over. Stoinis hits a boundary down the ground but holes out trying for another. That’s Jordan’s 100th T20 international wicket; there are two balls remaining. FOW: 200/5

07:38 PM BST

OVER 19: AUS 193/5 (Stoinis 25 Wade 15)

Wade tries to whip Archer to leg and edges to third man for four. Those two had a cracking duel during the Oval Test of 2019, when Wade made a fine century.

It’s another accomplished over from Archer, full of variation. Stoinis clunks just short of mid-off, where Brook does well to stop the ball sneaking past him. Wade tries to reverse hoick the last ball, falls over and is given out caught behind. He reviews successfully, with replays showing the ball hit his arm.

Archer finishes a good spell with figures of 4-0-28-1.

07:33 PM BST

OVER 18: AUS 185/5 (Stoinis 24 Wade 9)

Wade hits Rashid for four, then defends the next delivery. He’d started to back away and thought it would be a dead ball; the umpire disagreed and a few forthright words were exchanged.

Stoinis reverse sweeps the last ball of Rashid’s spell for four. He finishes with bruising figures of 4-0-41-1, and he’s not impressed that Bairstow and Archer allowed that shot to go between them to the boundary. England have had a very bad day in the field.

Very helpful dot for England, that! Matthew Wade is furious with Nitin Menon but he umpire is bang on. He played the ball, doesn’t matter that the music is playing.

07:28 PM BST

OVER 17: AUS 173/5 (Stoinis 17 Wade 4)

Matthew Wade’s first ball is a wide; his first legitimate delivery is pulled for four. Jordan’s last two overs have cost 33.

07:26 PM BST

Wicket!

David c Livingstone b Jordan 11 David changes Australia’s modus operandi by lashing Jordan’s first ball over extra cover for six, an extraordinary one-handed shot. He smears the next ball back at Jordan, who shells a sharp return chance. Breaking news: Chris Jordan has dropped a catch.

It matters not. David falls later in the over, slashing Jordan straight to Livingstone on the cover boundary. That’s an important wicket for England. FOW: 168/5 

07:21 PM BST

OVER 16: AUS 160/4 (Stoinis 16 David 8)

For the second over in a row, Stoinis hits the last ball for six. This time it was off Livingstone, beasted straight down the ground. Until then Livingstone had done well single to concede only a single off each of the first five deliveries. Until then.

England are in all sorts here.

07:19 PM BST

OVER 15: AUS 149/4 (Stoinis 8 David 2)

England greet Tim David with a slip and a leg slip, a very unusual field in the 15th over of a T20 match. He takes a single and then Stoinis helps a loose delivery over short fine leg for six. Stoinis played the shot one-handed but it easily cleared the short boundary.

07:15 PM BST

Wicket!

Maxwell c Salt b Rashid 28 Never mind Marcus Stoinis, Adil Rashid has taken the even bigger wicket of Glenn Maxwell. He hoicked a legbreak straight to deep midwicket, where Phil Salt took a comfortable catch. FOW: 141/4

07:13 PM BST

OVER 14: AUS 140/3 (Maxwell 28 Stoinis 1)

That wicket might be a mixed blessing for England, because Australia have some beastly death hitters in their side. Two of them, Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, are out in the middle.

Stoinis has struggled against Adil Rashid in the past, so it’s no surprise England are bringing him on now.

07:11 PM BST

Wicket!

Marsh st Buttler b Livingstone 35 Liam Livingstone makes an important breakthrough in his first over. Marsh swiped across the line, overbalanced and was stumped at the second attempt by Jos Buttler. It was a really nice delivery from Livingstone which beat Marsh in the flight. He goes for 35 from 25 balls. FOW: 139/3

07:06 PM BST

England exposed in the field

Jonny Bairstow’s acceleration from standing start for that chance off Maxwell was about as slow as the doorless Mini Moke Telegraph Sport has been driving around this week. England really are a very average fielding side.

07:06 PM BST

OVER 13: AUS 136/2 (Marsh 33 Maxwell 26)

England have been given a warning for not starting the next over within 60 seconds. You get two warnings before five-run penalties are introduced.

Maxwell fetches Jordan towards cow corner, a shot played from miles outside off stump, with the ball dropping tantalisingly in front of the stretching Bairstow. I suspect Bairstow would have taken that catch before his injury.

For some reason Australia didn’t run. Maybe it’s because Maxwell wanted to slash the next ball over third man for six, which is exactly what he did. After a slightly harsh wide call, Maxwell smacks four more. This is a welcome return to something resembling form for Maxwell, who is such a key player in this Australian side.

A really bad over for England, 18 from it, concludes with another wide and a thumping cut for four by Marsh. They’re being taken to the cleaners here.

06:59 PM BST

OVER 12: AUS 118/2 (Marsh 29 Maxwell 15)

A slower ball from Wood - still 84mph - is clattered to wide long on for four by Maxwell. Wood responds well, finishing the over with three dot balls. Seven from it.

England are still under pressure but they have fought back pretty well, conceding 48 from the last seven overs.

06:54 PM BST

South Africa survive huge scare to beat Netherlands

That was a truly sensational knock from David Miller to save South Africa against the Dutch. South Africa get home by four wickets, but it was a proper scare...

06:53 PM BST

OVER 11: AUS 111/2 (Marsh 26 Maxwell 11)

Archer starts his over with three slower balls, none of which go to the boundary - but then the surprise quicker ball is mishit for six by Marsh.

Nine from an otherwise excellent over by Archer, whose figures are terrific in the circumstances: 3-0-21-1.

06:51 PM BST

Drinks

The short boundary under the Greenidge & Haynes stand is less than 60 metres (our source can’t remember whether it is 53 or 58) which combined with the strong breeze has put the solar panels on the roof in danger. England look flustered and Buttler called the players together in the drinks break for a huddle.

06:46 PM BST

OVER 10: AUS 102/2 (Marsh 18 Maxwell 10)

Chris Jordan comes into the attack. A single brings up the Australia hundred from just 9.3 overs; England have restored some order but that Powerplay has left them with loads of work to do.

A good start from Jordan: just five singles from the over.

06:42 PM BST

OVER 9: AUS 97/2 (Marsh 15 Maxwell 8)

Maxwell slog-sweeps Rashid to cow corner for a one-bounce four. Marsh plays a couple of false strokes but then heaves a long hop onto the roof. That’s the eighth six of the innings, already.

By the way England were right not to review that LBW appeal against Marsh; there was an inside-edge.

06:35 PM BST

OVER 8: AUS 85/2 (Marsh 8 Maxwell 3)

England’s main selection decision was whether to pick Reece Topley or Mark Wood. I wonder whether Tom Hartley might have been an even better bet on this pitch.

Wood’s first over went for 22. The second costs just three, an admirable comeback, and ends with a big shout for LBW against Marsh. Wood is keen to review but Buttler decides against it.

06:34 PM BST

OVER 7: AUS 82/2 (Marsh 6 Maxwell 2)

Adil Rashid comes into the attack. There are two right-handers now, so the short legside boundary is in play from this end. The captain Mitch Marsh sweeps firmly for four, and four singles makes it a decent over for Australia. It feels like they are well ahead of the game, though it’s hard to be sure given the short boundary.

06:29 PM BST

Archer summoned too late

Doesn’t your best bowler have to bowl from the more difficult end in the Powerplay in T20? Jofra Archer in other words. In this Powerplay the first two overs from the media end, by Will Jacks and Mark Wood, have gone for 22 and 22, before Archer was summoned.

06:29 PM BST

OVER 6: AUS 74/2 (Marsh 0 Maxwell 0)

Glenn Maxwell is in dreadful form, though he’s never anything less than extremely dangerous.

Archer greets him with a sharp bumper that flies through to Buttler. A terrific over from Jofra, with a boundary from Head the only scoring shot. But what a Powerplay for Australia.

06:27 PM BST

Wicket!

Head b Archer 34 Jofra Archer strikes! He worked the pitch out quickly, switching to cutters and slower balls, and now he has dismissed the ultra-dangerous Travis Head. I’m pretty sure it was a slower ball. Head missed, Archer hit. FOW: 74/2

06:25 PM BST

Warner targets vulnerable England

If that is Davey Warner’s last innings against England then it was one of his best of recent times. Aussies have ruthlessly targeted an England side they know are under pressure and will go into their shells quickly. Warner hit some big blows, exploiting iffy bowling to make the most of the cross wind and picking out the shorter boundary.

06:24 PM BST

OVER 5: AUS 70/1 (Head 30 Marsh 0)

That was the last ball of the over. Australia have scored 67 from the last four overs.

06:23 PM BST

Wicket!

Warner b Ali 39 England needed that like you wouldn’t believe, but the manner of the wicket is a bit ominous. Warner backed away to cut a ball that kept low, sneaked under the bat and hit middle stump. Warner goes for a pulsating 39 from 16 balls. FOW: 70/1

06:21 PM BST

Australia not missing Fraser-McGurk

Many thought Australia should have backed the coming man, Jake Fraser-McGurk, at the top of the order in this tournament. But they stuck with Warner and Head and on this evidence were absolutely right to. What a start this is for them.

06:20 PM BST

OVER 4: AUS 55/0 (Head 19 Warner 35)

Mark Wood replaces Will Jacks, and then apes him by being walloped for 22. Australia’s left-handers are exploiting the short legside boundary quite spectacularly. Wood’s first two balls were hit for six by Warner, a majestic pick-up and a short-arm jab. After a dot ball - a magical, glorious dot ball - a low full toss was launched over midwicket for six more. Finally Warner slugged a pull for four to move to 35 from 13 balls.

England are in trouble here - especially as a defeat would bring net run-rate into the picture, and theirs isn’t pretty.

06:14 PM BST

Watch: Australia hit Jacks for 22 in an over

06:13 PM BST

OVER 3: AUS 33/0 (Head 19 Warner 13)

Jofra Archer’s first ball is spooned not far wide of mid-on by Warner, who slashes just over cover later in the over. Eight from the over, all in ones and twos, but it was a pretty good one from Archer. The last delivery was a slower ball that kicked to hit Warner on the glove.

06:11 PM BST

Just put Archer on

England overthinking it again and blindly following the match-up doctrine. Opening with Moeen is fine, but chucking the ball to part-timer Jacks to utilise off spin bowling with a new ball against left-handers backfires. Just put Archer on and keep it simple.

06:10 PM BST

Australia off to a flyer

To me, it feels like greedy captaincy from Buttler to bowl Jacks there. Presumably it’s a match up to the two left handers, but the short boundary exposed an inexperienced bowler, and Australia are officially off to a flyer.

06:08 PM BST

OVER 2: AUS 25/0 (Head 18 Warner 7)

England were a bit too funky for their own good: Will Jacks’ first - and surely last - over has been pummelled for 22. Head slog-swept the first two balls to the short boundary for six, then slashed an edge for three. Warner lap-swept his first ball of the innings for six as well.

We should have no weather issues. It has actually been dry in Barbados since the washout against Scotland. Stinking hot and humid today though. The cross wind is blowing very strongly and using that to your advantage could be game defining.

06:03 PM BST

OVER 1: AUS 3/0 (Head 3 Warner 0)

A terrific start from Moeen, who concedes only three runs from his first over. His fourth ball turned and bounced to beat a slightly startled Travis Head, who faced all six balls but didn’t play any really big shots.

England are getting funky: Will Jacks is going to share the new ball.

05:59 PM BST

Time for business

David Warner and Travis Head, Australia’s shy, retiring openers, dance out to the middle. With two left-handers at the crease, Moeen Ali will open the bowling for England.

One way or another, this won’t be a quiet start.

05:58 PM BST

Not many England fans in Barbados

Should be a sell-out crowd today and much more local than England-West Indies Test matches at the Kensington Oval which these days are now a package holiday trip for British tourists and have lost all their atmosphere. There was an assumption - which I always thought was misplaced - that England fans would flock to the Caribbean for this World Cup. It is very quiet in Barbados, with few making the trip. Why leave the UK or Europe in June especially when there is a white-ball series here in November that offers escape from the winter?

05:45 PM BST

No room for Topley in England XI

The next hour or so might require a split screen. South Africa are 12 for four chasing 104 against their bogey team, the Dutch. Heinrich Klaasen, arguably the best white-ball batsman in the world right now, is gone too. Trouble.

Anyway, over in Barbados, England’s attack confuses me a bit. Reece Topley is a tall, awkward left-armer who would surely be useful for exploiting some of the ropey pitches we’ve seen so far? Chris Jordan is a death specialist, six hitter, and gun fielder (and England don’t have many of them), but I’d be looking for my very best set of bowlers. Pretty sure Topley is among that number.

05:40 PM BST

The pitch

It’s not a belter, and the pundits reckon 150 would be a pretty competitive score. There is a very short boundary on one side, though, and the wind is blowing in that direction.

05:36 PM BST

The teams

England are unchanged. Australia, as expected, bring in Pat Cummins for Nathan Ellis.

Australia Warner, Head, Marsh (c), Maxwell, Stoinis, David, Wade (wk), Cummins, Starc, Zampa, Hazlewood.

England Salt, Buttler (c/wk), Jacks, Bairstow, Brook, Ali, Livingstone, Jordan, Archer, Rashid, Wood.

05:34 PM BST

England win the toss and bowl

Jos Buttler says England are a bit unsure how the wicket will play, so it makes sense to let Australia’s batsmen have first use. A very relaxed Mitch Marsh says Australia would also have bowled.

05:32 PM BST

Netherlands v South Africa latest

In other news, South Africa have slipped to 3/3, chasing 104 to beat their World Cup nemesis, the Netherlands. Three for three!

05:29 PM BST

Harry Brook chats to Sky Sports

05:28 PM BST

Bairstow: My stumping was trigger for Ashes fightback

Jonny Bairstow says the stumping incident at Lord’s inspired England’s Ashes comeback as the incident continues to cast a shadow over matches between the two sides.

‌The recent release of Amazon Prime’s behind the scenes documentary with the Australians, The Test, revealed that it was actually the idea of captain Pat Cummins to stump Bairstow.

Read more...

05:13 PM BST

Betting on the cricket?

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05:11 PM BST

Good evening

Hello and welcome to live, over-by-over coverage of Australia v England at the T20 World Cup in Barbados. This game was supposed to be unimportant – both teams were going to qualify for the Super 8s, and it didn’t matter in which order they did so. But England’s washout against Scotland, and the prospect of more matches being rain-affected, has changed the mood. This isn’t a must-win game for England, but defeat would leave them vulnerable, and require them to start looking at the thing no potential winner wants to consider so early in the tournament: net run-rate.

It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks for England, whose World Cup defence has been more stop than start. They were a bit sloppy in the field against Scotland, and their six-addicted batsmen will have to adjust to some sluggish pitches. But there’s nothing like a win over Australia to make you feel like all is right with the world.

“It is obviously a huge game with what is coming up,” said Mark Wood. “If we don’t [win], that makes everything crucial and you have to win by margins again with weather around. The Australia game becomes huge for us. It is a game you never normally need to get up for because they are your rivals and all of that stuff but it is now a game that takes even more importance because of the points.

“It puts a different spin if we win that game compared to losing [that] has a different look and feel. Lose and I’m sure there will be questions asked like the last World Cup in India, so it’ll be an important game for us and one we’ll be desperately trying to win.”

The match starts at 6pm BST, 1pm in Barbados.