THE FINAL INSULT
Buttler crashes England’s fastest T20 fifty to seal Aussie summer of humiliation
YOU could probably have written the script in advance. A record-breaking innings from Jos Buttler and an Australia defeat, their sixth out of six on a dismal tour.
Mercifully for them, it is over. But England are now eyeing India — and what a series that could be. The Indians, who warmed up with a win in Ireland, will not be such supine guests.
Just as they did at Trent Bridge last week, Australia invited England to bat on a perfect strip. On that occasion, Eoin Morgan’s team responded with a 50- over world-record 481 for six.
Here, they smashed 221 for five — their highest T20 score against Australia, and their second-highest against anyone. Right now, the sky’s the limit. On a glorious Birmingham night they hit 24 fours — 10 off the hapless Kane Richardson — and 10 sixes.
Australia needed more than 11 an over from the start, and only when Aaron Finch was battering 84 from 41 balls were they on even vaguely competitive terms.
Their first tour since the cheating scandal in Cape Town has been a chastening experience.
‘I knew it was going to be a big job, particularly where we came from in South Africa,’ said new head coach Justin Langer. ‘But it hurts when you get beaten, particularly in England.
‘I’ve got great respect for the way they’re playing. They’ve shown a lot of our young guys what you have to do to be successful at international cricket. I can’t believe I’m even saying that.’
If he made that last remark through gritted teeth, it was understandable. In the space of a fortnight, Langer has lost more matches to England as coach than he did as a player. Jason Roy had got England off to a flyer with three fours in Billy Stanlake’s first over, but he was soon watching in admiration as Buttler set about the bowlers.
This was only the second time he had opened in Twenty20 internationals. Since the first, against Sri Lanka two years ago, brought him an unbeaten 73 from 49 balls, it is a wonder the experiment hasn’t been tried more often.
A straight six off Richardson, who later dropped Roy at long-off and made a first-ball duck, was followed by a ramp and a carve for two fours. England’s 50 was up in 3.5 overs. When Buttler creamed Stanlake over extra cover for an extraordinary six, then flicked him fine for four, he had a half-century from 22 balls — an England T20 record, beating Ravi Bopara’s effort at Hobart four years ago by one.
The only surprise came when he dragged a half-tracker from debutant leg- spinner Mitchell Swepson to deep midwicket. But 61 off 30 balls from Buttler feels like another day at the office. He is in the form of his life.
The tourists were wilting and a crowd of over 24,000 lapped it up. After an unsuccessful appeal for a run-out against Roy, the Hollies Stand — never full of empathy for Australians at the best of times — broke into a chorus of, ‘Same old Aussies, always cheating’. Roy miscued a pull off Stanlake to depart for 44 from 26 balls, and Eoin Morgan — who had promoted himself to No 3 — reverse-paddled Swepson to deep backward square to make it 132 for three. It was only the 12th over.
The next burst came from Alex Hales, who eased Ashton Agar for a straight six and mowed Andrew Tye over long-on. With 42 from 19 balls, he might even have broken Buttler’s record.
Instead, he was caught and bowled for 49 by Marcus Stoinis, who stuck out his right hand and was as surprised as anyone to find the ball had lodged there.
At the other end, Joe Root was doing his best to justify going in ahead of Jonny Bairstow. His 35 off 24 balls looked good on paper, but less convincing in the flesh.
Bairstow launched his first ball, off Stoinis, over long- off for six, then heaved the last ball of the innings over wide long-on.
They are murderous, this England team. And they are without Ben Stokes and Dawid Malan, who was their best batsman during the Twenty20 tri-series in Australia and New Zealand. Malan, whose five T20 innings have yielded four fifties, is said to be unimpressed by his omission.
Australia needed something special, but D’Arcy Short helped Liam Plunkett straight to short fine leg, and Glenn Maxwell played all round a clever slower delivery from Chris Jordan. But the damage, as so often on this tour, was done by England’s spinners. Travis Head bunted Moeen Ali to long-on, before Adil Rashid disposed of Alex Carey and Stoinis in three balls.
At 72 for five, Australia were in danger of annihilation. But Finch was determined to restore some Aussie swagger. He carted six sixes and England breathed again when Jordan judged a catch at long-on to perfection. The wicket meant Rashid finished with figures of three for 27 — world-class in the circumstances. It was the kind of performance this England team are getting used to.