Key events
1st over: Oman 4-1 (Jatinder 0, Sonavale 4) There some significant swing out there, the pitch has apparently been sweating under covers for a few hours but there’s also movement through the air too. Bartlett has it on a string! He beats Karan Sonavale three times in a row. The batter decides enough is enough, trots out of his crease and spanks through the covers for four.
DROP! A huge knick the next ball, Glenn Maxwell shells it in the slips! Such an easy chance, right in the bread basket – Maxwell cannot believe what he’s just done.
Phew, eventful first over. I’m somewhat regretting wolfing a lunchtime burger that was the size of a hubcap and the ensuing snoozy state it has put me in. Quick game’s a good game lads. Don’t tell the boss will you?
WICKET! Aamir Kaleem b Bartlett 0 (Oman 0-1)
Gone first ball! Bartlett sends down a hooping in-swinger, Kaleem’s feet are rooted in wet concrete, he wafts, misses and his stumps are splattered. The perfect start for the Aussies!
Right here go, Aamir Kaleem and Jatinder Singh are opening up for Oman. Xavier Bartlett with the ball for Australia. Play!
The players emerge for the anthems, the weather is set fair in Pallekele, a couple of days too late for the Aussies.
Oman’s captain Jatinder Singh says he would have chosen to bat first anyway, I always enjoy it when an opposition captain says that as it comes across a bit primary school but to be fair it does look a belter of a wicket and it’s also an unused one.
Australia haven’t won a game chasing in this World Cup. Hey, I’m just the messenger. I stay under glass.
TEAMS:
Oman: Jatinder Singh (capt), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Karan Sonavale, Wasim Ali, Mohammad Nadeem, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Shakeel Ahmed, Shafiq Jan, Jay Odedra
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Matt Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
No Steve Smith again for Australia. At least you can use the air miles one day Smudger…
Australia win the toss and choose to bowl first
Mitch Marsh gets the rub of the coin and opts to bowl first. Australia’s captain has the air of a scorned puppy, he says he understands the frustrations and accusations spilling forth back at home and his side have reflected on how to get better. Marsh says again that the Aussies are “really disappointed” at their showing in this tournament, that today is a World Cup game and a match for Australia. I have a feeling Oman might suffer at the hands of a scorned side today…
Preamble
James Wallace
Hello and welcome to a DEAD RUBBER. Involving Australia? You better believe it.
After being dumped out of the T20 World Cup in the Group stage and facing accusations about how seriously they approached this tournament, Mitch Marsh’s side will not want to add fuel to the fire by losing to Oman in Pallekele today.
The captains are out in the middle and the coin is being tossed, play begins at 1.30pm GMT/12.30am AEDT. Let’s get into it.
