Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis, who claimed four wickets, were the stars as Australia beat Scotland by 70 runs in the second T20 in Edinburgh on Friday.
Inglis used his feet superbly and scored runs all around the ground as he hit 103 off 49 balls as Australia reached 196-4 off 20 overs. Australia lead the series 2-0 with one match to play.
Inglis was born in Leeds and in foggy conditions which delayed the start by 30 minutes, he seemed to be playing a different game to most other batters.
When he hoisted Brad Currie for successive sixes to reach his second ODI century, he had done it off 43 balls, with seven sixes in all.
Six Australian bowlers took at least one wicket as the Scots subsided to 126 all out despite a blistering start when George Munsey struck 17 off Xavier Bartlett’s first over.
Scotland were rarely in touch and any chance of any unlikely victory went when Brandon McMullen was out to a fine running catch by Tim David, off Sean Abbott, for 59 off 42 balls. It left the Scots languishing at 106-5.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh lost the toss and Richie Berrington inserted the tourists.
Any prospect of Travis Head repeating his pyrotechnics from Wednesday, however, were ended when the recalled Brad Currie got one to nip back and clip the top of middle stump.
Currie was Scotland’s star man and he induced a false shot from Jake Fraser-McGurk (16) to claim the second wicket when Chris Sole clung on at the second attempt. Fraser-McGurk had just narrowly survived a false shot off Brandon McMullen which fell safe.
At the end of the powerplay Australia were 5-25, a restrained approach after smashing 113 on Wednesday.
Cameron Green proceeded at a run a ball to 19 before he thumped Chris Greaves over long on and Australia reached 100 at halfway.
An audacious ramp shot for six off Brad Wheal moved Inglis to 39 from 15 balls – and he wasn’t finished there.
Green (36 off 29) was the third wicket to fall when Currie held on to a steepling catch off his own bowling.
With Stoinis (20 not out) misfiring at a run a ball and Inglis not able to get on strike enough, it looked as if Australia would struggle to get near 200.
But Inglis put his foot down before holing out to Berrington for 103. Tim David contributed 17 runs in a seven-ball cameo.
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When Scotland replied, wristy left-hander Munsey sent Bartlett’s second delivery into crowd. The ball had to be replaced. He repeated the trick two balls later on his way to 17 off the first over.
But the salvo was shortlived. Aaron Hardie, in for Riley Meredith, had opener Michael Jones out for one, when Inglis took a diving catch running towards midwicket.
Bartlett dug in the first ball of the third over and found the toe of Munsey’s bat. He skied to Marsh and Scotland wickets then fell at regular intervals.
Bartlett, Hardie, Abbott and Adam Zampa took one apiece and Green claimed two in two balls as the Scotland innings fell apart.
The wily Stoinis took 4-23 in 3.4 overs, including the final wicket when Greaves was caught by Hardie for six.
Marsh said: “A really good game of cricket – the way Inglis and Green got us out of trouble was excellent. Josh was just unbelievable in another all-round performance from us.
“We have a young group of guys getting opportunities with flexibility in the tour. There might be a couple of changes tomorrow, will have to ask the coach. We have a chance to win 3-0 and tomorrow is another opportunity.”
The final match of the three-match series is in Edinburgh on Saturday.
