Australia thrash Scotland in last group game
Australia raced to a seven-wicket win and condemned Scotland to a
sixth straight defeat in the final World Cup Pool A game. Mitchell Starc
took 4-13 and Pat Cummins 3-42 to bowl Scotland out for 130 in 25.4
overs in Hobart.
|
Mitchell Starc took 4-13 |
Michael Clarke, promoted up the order, hit 47 as Australia won with
34.4 overs to spare after a 90-minute rain delay.
They face a quarter-final against Pakistan or Ireland, who meet on
Sunday, in Adelaide on 20 March. Australia captain Clarke said: "We had
one little hiccup against New Zealand, but now it's the knockout stages.
"We need to play at our best and I think if we do, we can win."
Scotland finished bottom of the group, having extended their unwanted
record of World Cup games without a win to 14 since their debut in 1999.
But captain Preston Mommsen said: "We take a huge amount of positives
from the past six games, and we leave the World Cup a better team."
The batting problems which have undermined this campaign - Scotland
have been bowled out in all but one game - were evident again as five
players made ducks.
Matt Machan's 40 off 35 balls was the height of Scottish resistance
as Australia, the pre-tournament favourites, exploited helpful
seam-bowling conditions after Clarke won the toss at the Bellerive Oval.
The brilliant Starc bookended a miserable Scotland innings, removing
openers Kyle Coetzer and Calum MacLeod in his first four overs and
cleaning up Josh Davey and Iain Wardlaw in three balls with the sort of
yorkers which are becoming his trademark.
In between, Cummins accounted for Machan, Matthew Cross and Rob
Taylor, and Scotland were grateful for a ninth-wicket stand of 35
between Josh Davey and Michael Leask.
Australia's rapid pursuit was initiated by Aaron Finch, who hit 20
off 10 balls, while Clarke weighed in with seven fours and two sixes he
sought time at the crease before the knockout stages.
(BBC)
|
