Records tumble as Head blasts Aussies past Scots | cricket.com.au

Travis Head blazed the equal fastest T20 international half-century by an Australian man and Mitch Marsh slammed a 30-run over as the tourists issued a telling statement in the first match of their UK tour.

Sean Abbott (3-39), Xavier Bartlett and Adam Zampa (two wickets apiece) ensured there was no repeat of the tense World Cup encounter three months ago, stymieing Scotland’s fast start after being asked to bat first by Mitch Marsh in the three-match series opener.

Head (80 off 25) and skipper Marsh (39 off 12) wasted little time putting a sizeable dent in Scotland’s modest 9-154, slamming the highest Powerplay score (113) ever in a men’s T20 international.

Jake Fraser-McGurk’s highly-anticipated debut as David Warner’s successor never got out of first gear as he was out for a duck third ball, but that was the only joy for the hosts as Head and Marsh hit their attack to all corners of The Grange.

The Aussie skipper gave medium-pacer Jack Jarvis a brutal introduction in his first outing against a full-member nation, cracking his first two balls of the match out of the petite suburban ground before finishing with 4, 6, 4, 4 to take 30 from the penultimate Powerplay over.

Head followed suit with five fours and a six in the next over, taking Australia’s total to 1-113 after the first six overs to cruise past the previous best Powerplay score set by South Africa against the West Indies in 2023 (102).

The left-hander took just 17 balls to reach his half-ton, equalling Marcus Stoinis’ mark as the quickest for Australia in the format.

Both Marsh and Head fell to Mark Watt in the first over the field went back with Scotland captain Richie Berrington perhaps now ruing the decision to hold his prized left-arm spinner back until after the fielding restrictions eased.

Watt – whose pre-match remarks of wanting “blood” didn’t go unnoticed by the visiting side – sent down two overs for 13, which left him with an economy rate six runs per over better than his next best teammate, while Jarvis’ 10 deliveries in the match cost him a hefty 45.

Recalled wicketkeeper Josh Inglis (27no off 13) and Stoinis (8 off 5) ensured Australia completed a seven-wicket drubbing prior to the halfway point of the innings, making it the team’s highest run-rate for an innings (16.13) in the T20 format, and the third largest victory by balls remaining in the chase (62).

“I read it in the car on the way in,” Head said of Watt’s comments on the Cricket Scotland website prior to the series.

“Obviously they are keen as (for the contest) and so are we, we want to start on the right foot.

“We’ve got a couple of young guys in our team, a bit of a fresher group off the back of the World Cup and I think everyone is keen to make a stance in international cricket.”

Riley Meredith endured a tough start to his first match for Australia in more than three years as George Munsey (28) took the long handle to his second over with two sixes and a four, but the Tasmanian bounced back with the wicket of Watt in his fourth to finish with 1-34.

Abbott was also expensive at first, conceding 12 from his opening over before finishing with a match-high three wickets in a strong showing after being overlooked for the T20 World Cup squad in June.

But it was again a typical Zampa (2-33) performance that turned the tide, combining with Xavier Bartlett (2-23 off four) who continues to take to international cricket like a duck to water.

The pair, along with allrounders Cameron Green (1-12 off two) and Stoinis (0-10 off two), help pull Scotland’s run-rate back from just shy of 10 in the Powerplay to 7.70 at the end of their 20 overs as Berrington (23) and Matthew Cross (27) failed to kick on from promising starts.

“We’re disappointed with how things ended up today, but it’s a great experience especially for the younger guys who’ve come in,” said Berrington.

“We’ve got to learn from every experience, keep our belief and come back strong for the next one.”

The result gives Australia a 1-0 lead in the first ever bilateral men’s series between the two sides heading into the second T20 at the same venue on Friday (11pm AEST).

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Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (England games only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Riley Meredith (Scotland games only), Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

September 4: Australia won by seven wickets

September 6: Second T20 v Scotland, The Grange, Edinburgh, 11pm AEST

September 7: Third T20 v Scotland, The Grange, Edinburgh, 11pm AEST

September 11: First T20 v England, Rose Bowl, Southampton, 3.30am Sept 12 AEST

September 13: Second T20 v England, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, 3.30am Sept 14 AEST

September 15: Third T20 v England, Old Trafford Manchester, 11.30pm AEST

Australia ODI squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

September 19: First ODI v England, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 10pm AEST

September 21: Second ODI v England, Headingley, Leeds, 10pm AEST

September 24: Third ODI v England, Riverside, Chester-le-Street, 10pm AEST

September 27: Fourth ODI v England, Lord’s, London, 10pm AEST

September 29: Fifth ODI v England, County Ground, Bristol, 8pm AEST