Two top dogs Australia and England start three matches T20 series at Ageas Bowl Southampton tomorrow. The other two matches would be played on the same venue on 6th and 9th September 2020.
These two teams would also play 3 ODI matches at Old Trafford Manchester 11th, 13th and 16th September.
England is the only team playing 6 tests, 3 ODIs and 3 T20 matches during this COVID 19 pandemic. They won the test series against West Indies 2-1 and against Pakistan 1-0. They also won ODI series against Ireland 2-1 and drew T20 series against Pakistan 1-1.
Australia the top ranked T20 team however has not played in any match during the pandemic. But well primed for the scheduled ICC T20 championship Australia possesses two batsmen Aaron Flinch (3rd) and Glen Maxwell (5th) and two bowlers Adam Zampa (3rd) and Aston Agar (4th) in ICC T20 players ranking.
Australia climbed to the top of the ranking having won four last T20 series and nine of the past ten completed T20 international matches. The series starting tomorrow promises producing mouth watering contest. Australia’s x-factor David Warner scored 415 runs in nine matches at a phenomenal average of 138.33.
England looked a little bit inconsistent against Ireland in ODI series and against Pakistan in T20 series Australia will be better and more experienced than Ireland and Pakistan. But England nevertheless is the only team playing over the last two months. They have power packed batting unit and horses for the courses in every department of the game. England will be without their X-factor Ben Stokes still worried about his father’s ailment. But Australia will have Flinch, Warner and Maxwell.
SQUADS
Australia: Touring Squad
Aaron Finch (captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
England
T20: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
ODI: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
England obviously would miss Jason Roy (injured) and Ben Stokes (family reason). Tom Banton is in peak form, but Bairstow is in a bit of bother. Flinch may use Adam Zampa at the start viewing his uneasiness against left arm spin early on. David Malan would bat at three and Eoin Morgan at four. The success of England producing competitive score or chasing a big target would largely depend on how Morgan, Buttler and Moeen Ali combat with highly skilled Australian attack. Cummins, Starc, Hazzlewood, Zampa, Aga /Lyon would not provide too many free bees.
Australia has much more settled unit. Warner and Flinch are two of the most devastating opening batsman in world cricket now. It is now a toss of the coin among Labuchang, MarcusStonis and Andrew Tye whom to bat at three. Smith Obviously would bat at four followed by Maxwell, Carey and the rest. England has good enough bowling JofraArcher, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid. England has to match Australia in fielding. They have not fielded well in the recent past. Buttler kept wicket pretty poorly and fielders dropped few catches. Australian batsmen if let playing on second and third lives will take hell out of them.
We hope weather will hold and the two series would appear as blessing for the cricket starved millions across the world.
BDST: 1327 HRS, SEP 03, 2020
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