It’s England v Australia, and while eight limited-overs encounters may not be able to match the intensity of an Ashes series, there should be plenty of high-class cricket on display over the next three weeks nonetheless. It all starts on Wednesday at Southampton’s Rose Bowl, which hosts the first of three T20 matches before the two rivals meet in five ODIs.
England v Australia: Red Hot Openers
Australia broke the world record for the highest powerplay total in a T20 international as they flogged Scotland’s bowlers to all parts last week – but the tourists still have a decision to make at the top of the order. Opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was twice dismissed for a duck in the three-match series against the Scots, and despite dominating each match, the Aussies registered first-wicket stands of zero, 11 and two.
Continuing with Fraser-McGurk could be a risky strategy against a more potent England bowling attack and it may mean the hosts are able to make early in-roads with the ball. England’s squad lacks a little experience but their openers Phil Salt and Will Jacks are two of their more established players and the pair could ensure their side post a higher opening stand than the Aussies.
England v Australia: Salt to Pepper Rose Bowl Boundary
A calf injury to England skipper Jos Buttler means Phil Salt will take over the captaincy and behind the stumps for this week’s T20 series. Salt has steadily established himself at the top of England’s order in white-ball cricket and he arrives in Southampton fresh from a decent campaign as Manchester Originals skipper in the Hundred.
The 28-year-old scored back-to-back T20 centuries against the West Indies at the end of last year and he may have fond memories of the Rose Bowl, having bludgeoned a 58-ball hundred for the England Lions against Ireland there in 2020.
Alongside Buttler, Salt got England off to a blistering start when they last played Australia at the T20 World Cup in June, hitting 37 from 23 balls, and he could dish out the most punishment to the Australian attack on Wednesday.
England v Australia: Inglis can shine bright
Most of Australia’s batters seized the opportunity of time in the middle against Scotland last week, not least wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis. The Leeds-born 29-year-old smashed Australia’s fastest T20 century in the second match of the series in Edinburgh, reaching his ton from only 43 balls.
That was Inglis’s second hundred in international cricket, following a sensational 50-ball 110 against India last November, and he could show why he is now Australia’s first-choice wicketkeeper in white-ball cricket on a true Rose Bowl surface.
England v Australia First T20 Tips
England to have higher opening partnership @ 1.80 with kwiff
Phil Salt top England runscorer @ 3.35 with kwiff
Josh Inglis top Australia runscorer @ 4.50 with kwiff
By Alex Jack
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