England beat Namibia in rain-reduced 10-over-a-side game to stay in T20 World Cup; Jos Buttler's side progress to Super 8s after Australia defeat Scotland in St Lucia; Harry Brook and Jonny Bairstow fire with bat for England in Antigua as reigning champions pile on 122-5
Sunday 16 June 2024 07:49, UK
England beat the weather and Namibia at the T20 World Cup and went on to qualify for the Super 8s following Australia's win over Scotland.
Defending champions England rose to second in Group B, ahead of Scotland on net run-rate, after a comfortable 41-run triumph on DLS in Antigua in a game reduced to 10-overs a side by rain, one in which Harry Brook (47no off 20 balls) top-scored.
Jos Buttler's side then needed Australia to defeat Scotland in St Lucia hours later and that duly happened, with the 2021 winners overhauling Scotland's 180-5 with two balls to spare in a competitive contest.
England have fought back excellently at the T20 World Cup since an opening rain-off against Scotland in Barbados was followed by a 36-run loss to Australia at the same venue four days later.
They rolled Oman for 47 in Antigua before sprinting to victory in 19 balls to take their net-run rate above Scotland's and were ruthless against Namibia at North Sound once the wet weather that delayed the game by three hours and threatened an abandonment - a result that would have eliminated England - cleared.
Buttler (0) and Phil Salt (11) fell early as England slipped to 13-2 but Brook and Jonny Bairstow (31 off 18) clubbed 56 from 30 balls in partnership before Moeen Ali (16 off six) and Liam Livingstone (13no off four) chipped in with enterprising cameos.
Livingstone nailed his first two deliveries for six in Ruben Trumpelmann's final over, including a one-handed effort over deep backward square.
Namibia, whose target was adjusted to 126 with the match originally 11-overs-a-side before a second short rain delay trimmed an over off, could make only 84-3 in reply, although David Wiese (27 off 12) had fun, cracking Adil Rashid (0-29) for back-to-back sixes, in what is set to be his final appearance for his country.
Wiese had earlier impressed with the ball, recording figures of 1-6 from two overs at the start of England's knock and having Salt caught behind off a knuckleball, while Trumpelmann (2-31) bowled Buttler with a vicious in-swinger.
England's middle order fired, though, and their bowlers then proved tough to get away, save for Rashid's over Wiese tonked for 20, with Jofra Archer taking 1-15, Chris Jordan 1-19, Reece Topley 0-6 and Sam Curran 0-13.
England join co-hosts West Indies and USA plus South Africa in Group 2 of the Super 8s, with Australia to compete in Group 1 alongside India, Afghanistan and one of Bangladesh or Netherlands.
Speaking after his side's win and before Australia beat Scotland, England skipper Buttler said: "It's a big relief, a stressful day, but we put in a good performance. We've done all we can do."
Team-mate Bairstow said: "There was a lot of chat about the net run-rate but we've overcome that and the other challenges put in front of us. As a group, we've stuck together really tightly.
"That Australia game was a tough game and they outplayed us in that, fair play to them. But we have responded."
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