Australia sweep Scotland in T20 series as Green shines with bat and ball

Australia made it a clean sweep in Scotland, comfortably winning their third T20 international in Edinburgh before heading south to face England.

The Scots’ total of nine for 149 was never likely to be enough and Cameron Green starred with ball and bat, taking three wickets for 35 and ensuring no slip-ups with a controlled 62 off 39 balls in Australia’s reply. The only real blot for the Aussies was another duck for opener Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Scotland’s men have not beaten Australia since a tour match back in 1882 and they seldom looked like improving on that record in this series. The Aussies gave a debut to Western Australia all-rounder Cooper Connolly here, as he replaced Xavier Bartlett.

Connolly has played just 20 pro games for the Perth Scorchers but was soon into the attack, bowling left arm round, in the fourth over. Brandon McMullen hit Cooper’s fourth ball for six but the 21-year-old bowled tidily and beat the bat more than once without taking a wicket.

Scotland’s best partnership of the series was just 44 and wickets fell steadily from the moment Oli Hairs played on to Aaron Hardie for 12. Free-swinging George Munsey was caught by Travis Head off Cameron Green for a swift 25, off 17, to leave the Scots 2-52 in the final powerplay over.

Green jagged one back through the gate to bowl Scotland’s captain Richie Berrington for eight and Adam Zampa bowled Matthew Cross for seven. The Scots passed 100 in the 13th over and the run rate had nudged past eight an over when Tim David dived forward to expertly pouch Michael Leask for 13 off Sean Abbott.

McMullen, Scotland’s most dangerous batter, reached 50 off 32 deliveries but departed to a wonderful catch from Head for 56. Captain Mitch Marsh then snaffled Jack Jarvis for three off Abbott, Hardie bowled Chris Sole with one that kept low and Fraser-McGurk took another fine catch on the boundary to dismiss Mark Watt for 18.

The visitors got off to the worst possible start to their reply when Fraser-McGurk edged Brad Currie and McMullen took a brilliant diving catch. The opener has managed just 16 runs in his three innings. Head and captain Marsh didn’t find it easy either in overcast conditions, Head caught in the deep by Munsey off Currie for 12.

The Scots battled hard to restrict Australia to 44 in the power play but ultimately they had too few runs to defend. Marsh had hit two monster sixes before he played on to Jack Jarvis for 31, making it 3-79, but a run a ball was never likely to be a problem as the sun made a belated appearance.

Green, who was named man of the match, produced a reverse sweep for six off Watt thrilled the crowd and although David holed out off Sole for 25, Australia reached their target with six wickets and 3.5 overs to spare.

Australia now move on to Southampton on Wednesday for the first of three T20 internationals against England. Matches follow at Cardiff and Manchester on Friday and Sunday.

The sides will then face each other in five one-day internationals, starting at Nottingham on 19 September and finishing in Bristol on 29 September.