North Sound (Antigua and Barbuda) (AFP) – England set Namibia a target of 127 in a rain-marred must-win T20 World Cup game for the reigning champions in Antigua on Saturday.
A match already reduced to 11 overs per side following a three-hour delay to the scheduled start, was cut to 10 overs per team when a fresh downpour halted play with England 82-3 off eight overs.
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England then smashed 40 runs off the last two overs, with Harry Brook 47 not out and Liam Livingstone on 13 after hitting a pair of sixes off the first two of the mere four balls he faced from Ruben Trumpelmann (2-31).
Already-eliminated Namibia’s target was adjusted to 127 under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method for rain-interrupted matches.
England collapsed to 13-2 after being sent into bat by Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus.
But a stand of 56 in five overs between the Yorkshire duo of Jonny Bairstow (31) and Brook revived England’s innings and they completed their 10 overs on 122-5.
Anything other than a victory against Namibia will see England knocked out, with Scotland joining already-qualified Australia in the second-round Super Eights before the two countries meet later Saturday in St Lucia.
Trumpelmann bowled England captain Jos Buttler, one of the world’s best white-ball batsman, for a four-ball duck as he nipped one back sharply off the pitch.
The experienced David Wiese then produced a magnificent slower ball to have Phil Salt, England’s other opener, caught behind.
But Bairstow and Brook then turned the tide, with teenage paceman Jack Brassell’s two wicketless overs costing 32 runs.
© 2024 AFP
