T20 World Cup 2024: England

Scotland openers George Munsey and Michael Jones gave England a fright in their T20 World Cup opener in Barbados on Tuesday before rain spared the defending champions a potentially tough chase.

Scotland, in their first T20 against their border rivals, were bidding to match their shock success when they last met England — a six-run one-day international win in Edinburgh back in 2018.

England, meanwhile, were desperate to improve on a woeful defence of their 50-over global title in India last year, where Jos Buttler’s men lost six of their nine matches.

But after Scotland captain Richie Berrington won the toss on Tuesday, they failed to create one clear and legitimate wicket-taking chance.

Munsey (41 not out off 31 balls) and Jones (45 not out off 30) batted superbly to take Scotland to 90-0 in a rain-interrupted innings of 10 overs at the Kensington Oval.

Because Scotland’s innings suffered a lengthy delay on 51-0 off 6.2 overs, it meant England were left with a revised target of 109 in 10 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

But a fresh downpour led the umpires to abandon the Group B match before England, on a ground where they won the 2010 T20 World Cup final, could begin their reply.

Both England and Scotland received a point each.

“We expected a tough challenge, there are no easy games, but we were confident coming into the game,” said England captain Buttler.

“It’s disappointment for everyone… We scrapped hard and we were confident of chasing that score down.”

Earlier, left-hander Munsey, on 16, top top-edged a hook off Mark Wood high to wicketkeeper Buttler, only to be reprieved by the fast bowler’s no-ball.

“No-ball wickets are always disappointing, but these things happen,” said Buttler, who led England to 2022 T20 World Cup glory in Australia. 

“Hopefully we get a dry day and we can get into the tournament,” he added, with England due back at the Kensington Oval on Saturday to face arch-rivals Australia. 

Berrington, meanwhile, was left with thoughts of what might have been.

“Everyone’s frustrated, but some positives to take at least,” he said, with Scotland next playing fellow non-Test nation Namibia at the ground on Thursday.

“The guys in the middle did a really good job and we can take things from that. We gave ourselves a chance there.”

Chris Jordan was hit for 14 runs in three balls by Jones, who had arrived at the tournament fresh from a stint with English county Durham,

A huge pulled six, that damaged a solar panel on the roof of a stand, was followed by two scorching fours.

When play resumed, revised restrictions limiting bowlers to a maximum of two overs each meant both Wood and fellow quick Jofra Archer had bowled out.

Scotland added a further 39 runs from 22 balls, with Jones and Munsey both smashing leg-spinner Adil Rashid (0-26) for huge sixes. 

Wood topped speeds of 94 mph (151 kph), on his way to 0-11, while Barbados-born Archer, in his first international at his hometown ground, had figures of 0-12 from his two overs.