Hitman Jos does it again
JOS BUTTLER hammered Australia again as England won their T20 clash at Edgbaston last night.
In-form Buttler was promoted to opener and smashed 61 off just 30 balls as England piled up 221-5, their second highest T20 score.
His knock included five sixes and six fours as he carried on where he left off in last week’s fifth ODI, when his 110 secured a 5-0 whitewash over the Aussies.
Buttler’s heroics were too much for the tourists, who were bowled out for 193 with two balls of their 20 overs left, England winning by 28 runs.
Captain Aaron Finch was the only batsman who really got going for the Aussies.
He smacked 84 off 41 balls before he became one of Adil Rashid’s three victims.
He tried one big hit too many and was superbly caught just inside the boundary by Chris Jordan. But the scoreboard pressure told and they lost wickets steadily, with legspinner Rashid (3-27) and Liam Plunkett turning the screw.
Ashton Agar chipped in with 29 before he was bowled by Jordan to leave the Aussies seven down, and with him went their last hope.
England’s explosive batting lineup had earlier clicked again as Alex Hales hit 49 off 24 balls and Jason Roy 44 off 26.
Even Joe Root, whose place in the side has been questioned, hit 35 off 24 balls.
Jonny Bairstow came in at No. 6 and faced only eight balls, hitting two of them for six in his unbeaten 14. Eoin Morgan was the only batsman to fail, lasting just eight balls before surrendering his wicket with a reverse sweep straight to deep backward square.
Other than that it was an England run-fest as they reached 50 in 3.5 overs and 100 in 9.1 overs.
The Aussie bowling was torn apart, with Kane Richardson going for 59 off his fours over. His day didn’t get any better when he was out for a first-ball duck.
But England fell just short of the 230 they hit batting second against South Africa two years ago. 8