At lunchtime on Thursday, England were in need of a significant net run-rate swing across three remaining Group B matches to have any sniff of keeping their T20 World Cup hopes alive.
In the end, they got it in one — and nothing close to a full one at that. Needing a swift victory over Oman, the reigning champions delivered a performance of such hurried ruthlessness that whoever is usually tasked with clipping Sky Sports’ full coverage into a highlights package might easily have taken the night off.
In all, Thursday night’s contest — in name only — lasted just 16.3 of the allocated 40 overs, the minnows bowled out for 47 in the first 13.2 of those and England taking a mere 19 deliveries to chase down the target.
Jos Buttler’s side are not out of the woods and into the Super Eight quite yet. They must still beat Namibia on Saturday and hope Australia turn Scotland over early on Sunday morning, knowing a washout or upset in either game will end their defence.
But the unlikelier side of the equation has been squared already, their NRR this morning swelled from negative 1.8 to just shy of a positive 3.1, crucially a full point more than the Scots’.
“It was job done today,” said Buttler. “We spoke in the lead up to this game that if we get the chance, we have to try and take advantage of the net run-rate, and we managed to do that.”
England’s batters thrived on a loose rein and the simplest of tasks: Phil Salt smashed the first two balls of the chase for six to knock a quarter off the total; Buttler made an unbeaten 24 from his eight deliveries; and Jonny Bairstow finished the job, hitting the only two balls he faced for four.
But with a view to the tastier part of the tournament ahead — assuming no curveballs are delivered over the weekend — it was the performance with the ball from which England will take most heart.
Against Australia, they had been loose, likewise even in the stop-start 10 overs against Scotland, but here, after Jofra Archer struck in his first over, Oman were never allowed into the game.
Archer, Mark Wood and Adil Rashid shared the 10 wickets to fall, the pace pair too quick for a line-up ranked 19th in the world and the leg-spinner at his deceptive best.
Reece Topley also bowled well without reward in replacing Chris Jordan, and his left-arm variety and new-ball skills may be the way to go should England progress.
“I thought the tone was set by the bowlers: take early wickets and restrict them,” Buttler added. “They bowled brilliantly, a good line and length.”
I thought the tone was set by the bowlers: take early wickets and restrict them
England captain Jos Buttler
The destruction ensured there will be no need to fret about the run-rate chicanery Australia’s Josh Hazlewood had trailed ahead of their meeting with Scotland. Now, assuming England beat Namibia first, only an Aussie defeat would be to their detriment and Pat Cummins has since, conveniently, insisted his fellow quick was on the wind-up all along.
“I was speaking to Joshy, who had a bit of a joke about it the other day, and I think it got taken a bit out of context,” Cummins said. “We’ll go there and just try and play Scotland, who have had a really good tournament so far and will be tough.”
Elsewhere, in Group A, Pakistan will hope to still be alive come their final game against Ireland on Sunday, though that would be a dead rubber if surprise package USA were to beat the Irish this evening and join India in the last-eight.
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