Australia v Scotland: Cricket World Cup – as it happened
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http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2015/mar/14/australia-scotland-cricket-world-cup-live Version 0 of 1. 7.55pm AEST08:55 So a weird old win for Australia - two long delays for rain in a match that only went for 41 overs. We would have been done well before the dinner break if not for that unnecessary first delay. Australia maintained focus though, coming back after the first delay to wrap up Scotland’s innings within four deliveries, then finished off their own innings in the space of 13 balls after the second break. Rolling Scotland for 130 wasn’t exactly unexpected for Australia, then they chased it down in 15.2 overs. A reasonable hit-out for Clarke and Watson, some fearless finishing from Warner and Faulkner, and an excellent bowling day for Mitchell Starc. For Scotland, Davey and Leask were the standouts with the bat in a 10-wicket partnership, while Matt Machan also batted well. Rob Taylor produced an excellent new-ball spell. That’s the tournament wrapped up for Scotland, who produced some good performances against Bangladesh and England with the bat, against New Zealand with the ball, and in both departments in that last-gasp loss to Afghanistan that will remain one of the enduring memories of this Cup. Let’s hope the bigger cricket nations help Scotland build on what they’ve gained from the experience. Australia finish Pool A in second spot, meaning they’ll tangle with Pakistan or Ireland in the quarter-finals pending the game between those two on Sunday. That’s it from the Guardian OBO - this is Geoff Lemon bidding you farewell. Updated at 9.11pm AEST 7.47pm AEST08:47 Australia win by 7 wickets 16th over: Australia 133-3 (Faulkner 16, Warner 21) That’s it, only two balls required from that over. Michael Leask came in to bowl some off-spin. He gives Faulkner two leg byes after drifting down leg, adds a wide to the total next ball, then Faulkner pulls out the slog-sweep for six to seal the deal. 7.44pm AEST08:44 15th over: Australia 124-3 (Faulkner 10, Warner 21) There’s a hint of rain again, Australia desperate to finish this. Faulkner charges Davey and wallops the baseball slog over mid-on for four. And again! Different spot this time, cover boundary, fuller ball but he was on the charge again, made it a real half volley and smacked it over the infield. The keeper comes up to the stumps to keep Faulkner at home. Faulkner smashes square on the off-side and it bounces in front of the man in the deep. Davey gives Davey Warner a wide, then it’s... Six! Warner cuts the required runs to 11, after Davey dishes him up a thigh-high full toss that he can simply lean back on and swing over midwicket. Four! As Davey gets one much fuller, smacked it hard through wide long-on, and somehow Matt Machan decided to slide well before the ball had reached him, so he almost slid past the ball in trying to intercept and in the end missed it utterly. That was comical. After all that, Davey produces a yorker that stops Warner scoring from the last ball. Warner 21 from 6, Faulkner 10 from 4. Slog City. 7.38pm AEST08:38 14th over: Australia 104-3 (Faulkner 1, Warner 11) And finally, finally we will finish the 14th over. It began hours ago, before the rain delay, with Clarke pulling a ball for four, then being caught in the deep from a similar shot. Ian Wardlaw to continue, and Australia want to finish this quickly. Six! A loosener from Wardlaw, full and wide and Warner just drove straight, got under it, lofted it over long-off. Four! Warner on the back foot again and flicking this through wide long-on. Then a massive miscue that lands safely at square leg and gives him a run, while Faulkner flicks one behind square. 7.30pm AEST08:30 On the other station, Dhoni and Raina are about to cap off a masterful chase. No wonder Brendan Taylor wants to go and play elsewhere. 7.28pm AEST08:28 We’re six minutes away from the restart. 7.25pm AEST08:25 It doesn’t get any more direct from the source than this. Pure as Tassie spring water. Cheers around the ground as the covers and the hessian come off!! Weather looks to have cleared #cwc15 7.22pm AEST08:22 Still raining, but we have time up our sleeves and should get back on at some stage. When there’s a sniff, you’ll know about it. As Simon McMahon finds a bright side to look at, “So Scotland facing another heavy defeat and another World Cup whitewash. But I’ve enjoyed watching them, we’ve been competitive at times and, when all’s said and done, at least we’re not England.” 6.58pm AEST07:58 Given we’re sitting here twiddling our thumbs, allow me to recommend again the Guardian World Cup podcast, which will nicely fill some of that time. The next episode should be out on Monday. 6.34pm AEST07:34 Since I know you’re as interested Mitchell Starc’s tournament strike rate as I am, his four wickets today dropped it to 13.8. That’s second overall in the tournament, after Nawroz Mangal who bowled one over against Australia and had Mitchell Marsh hole out at deep midwicket. Starc also has the best tournament average, with 8.5. And he’s leading the wicket tally with 16, with Scotland’s Josh Davey equal second on 15. 6.26pm AEST07:26 Right, so it’s the dinner break at this game as we wait for the rain to dry and the runs to flow. Amusingly, some people on the internet are now criticising Clarke for having batted himself and Watson rather than Warner and Maxwell to get the match done with. After the Afghanistan game others among us were criticising him for holding himself back behind the hitters. Hard to win... For the record, today’s criticism is dumb because Clarke and Watson are the ones shortest of batting time, while the others are in good touch. It’s also dumb because Australia are going at nearly 7 an over as it is. Blame the umpires a little, and the rain rules a lot. 6.15pm AEST07:15 Thoughts from around the grounds. Biggest weather problem here is wind not rain. Many, many kilted men. Nobody needs this #AUSvSCO #CWC15 Dunno why commentators are complaining. Rainless rain delays are the best innovation in ODIs since run outs off dead balls. #AUSvSCO #CWC15 Ridiculous if Australia finish third due to two rainings-off, ICC must build in backup days. ping @GeoffLemonSport 6.12pm AEST07:12 In the other game, India were 92/4 but Raina is on a six-hitting counter-spree with 29 overs gone. Could be a cracker. 6.08pm AEST07:08 Here’s a dire warming from a sometime Tasmanian. Those in the open air at Bellerive Oval, TAKE COVER! This will hit in about two minutes! #ViewBehindSouthenStand pic.twitter.com/uiPOgJMdo2 6.05pm AEST07:05 Off for rain again This is real rain this time, and the covers are down. That must be partly why Australia were attacking so hard, they really wanting to clean up this total. But again - we spent 45 minutes waiting earlier for nothing more than a touch of drizzle, and if we’d used that time we could have finished the game. It’s not a match yet in terms of overs, so although Australia are only 39 runs short, they can’t win via a Duckworth-Lewis calculation. If the rain stays, Australia finish third behind Sri Lanka. Only a win tonight can give them second place in Pool A. We’re 13.2 overs in to the Australian reply, at 92/3. 6.02pm AEST07:02 WICKET! Clarke 47 (47 balls), c Leask b Wardlaw Two in quick time for Scotland thanks to a screamer from Leask. Wardlaw dropped short, Clarke collared the pull shot, it was four for all money, but Leask running around from midwicket to square leg somehow reeled it in. He’s had a good day - get him on to bowl. 6.01pm AEST07:01 WICKET! Watson 24 (23 balls), c Cross b Davey 13th over: Australia 88-2 (Clarke 43) They trade singles for a while, then Watson slogs four through wide long-on, the classic clearing of the front leg before slapping. Then, last ball of the over, he tries the scoop shot with the fine leg inside the circle. I’ve never seen Watson play that, it doesn’t seem to be his mode, and that’s a ball he could have been playing a regulation shot to. Comes across his stumps and flicks, doesn’t get much of it, and it goes ten metres in the air for the keeper to run around to square leg and take it. That’s Josh Davey’s 15th wicket for the tournament, equal second behind Starc’s 16. Updated at 7.45pm AEST 5.56pm AEST06:56 12th over: Australia 81-1 (Clarke 41, Watson 19) Wardlaw on for Taylor - that’s a dud move, I reckon. Taylor has been all over Clarke, and right in Watson’s head. No such luck with Wardlaw. Watson taps a single with no attempt at overhyped slogging, then Clarke skips out and lofts six beautifully down the ground. One of those effortless lifts over long-on, and it very nearly cleaned up a ground steward who was down there with her back to the ball. I’m not sure if she was flinching away from it or just not paying attention, but it smacked into the LED fence about six inches below her. A single, then a big drive from Watson that gets more air time than distance, and pitches out at wide long-on for two runs. That’s the 50 partnership from 48 balls. 5.50pm AEST06:50 11th over: Australia 71-1 (Clarke 34, Watson 16) Four! Clarke got that one, short and pulled but very straight, it went through mid-on in the end. Then another four whacked into the ground behind point. Clarke has had patches of rust but is finding a way. As for Watson, he has an uncontroversial supporter. Watto averages 40 & strikes at 90 and some think he shouldn't be in the Aus team! So silly! 5.47pm AEST06:47 10th over: Australia 63-1 (Clarke 26, Watson 16) This is getting really spicy between Watson and Taylor. First Taylor goes wide and Watson smacks the square drive for four. Taylor chirps. Watson says “What did that duck say?” or something similar, from my lip-reading. Taylor draws an inside edge that trickles to the keeper. He’s in Watson’s head here. Watson backs away to leg and tries to smash one, but only to cover. Then he walks outside off stump to whack to the leg side, but gets almost a leading edge along the ground to point. Finally he opens up and hammers a four through mid on, but it was a total slog. Watson thinks he’s won the contest, but Taylor has succeeded in affecting his game that over. The last ball is belted straight to mid-off. 5.41pm AEST06:41 9th over: Australia 55-1 (Clarke 26, Watson 8) Clarke tries to pull, and Davey impinges his ability to do so by hitting him square in the cracker bowl. Clarke has a rueful grin as he does a few squats and tries to breathe away the pain. Davey settles into a length outside off that Clarke plays respectfully for a few balls, then Davey drags the last ball wide and Clarke flays at it but misses. A maiden over. 5.38pm AEST06:38 8th over: Australia 55-1 (Clarke 26, Watson 8) Taylor to continue, the Scots should probably just bowl him out. Watson plays that trademark cut, very close to his body, for a run. Clarke then drives four through mid-on, but it was perilously close to being caught and bowled as Taylor dived across. Mistimed, in the air. Clarke gets a single, then Watson follows his lead and drives in the air as well, this time through mid-off. It was fine of the field and scorched away for four. Plenty of risks so far. 5.34pm AEST06:34 7th over: Australia 45-1 (Clarke 21, Watson 3) Josh Davey to bowl, who batted so well earlier. Watson ticks a single first ball off his legs. Clarke takes a couple of deliveries to do the same, then Watson again. Davey is just off line, too straight so far. Clarke is nearly bowled from the final ball, as he edges it into his back foot after a big attempted drive, which saves it from hitting the stumps. 5.30pm AEST06:30 6th over: Australia 42-1 (Clarke 20, Watson 1) Now we’re going to have Indecisive Watto back. He’ll want a solid not-out score against a side like Scotland, so he’s unlikely to play with the freedom he did at No6 against Sri Lanka. Then he’ll worry about not being aggressive enough and hole out. That’s my tip. No shame in being watchful against Taylor though, he’s bowled excellently so far, and Watson basically has a net in this over, playing forward and defending five balls into the covers before flicking a single off his pads. Good lines from Taylor until the last. Updated at 5.32pm AEST 5.26pm AEST06:26 5th over: Australia 41-1 (Clarke 20, Watson 0) Shane Watson is back at No3, at least for today, as Clarke has decided he needs more time in the middle. Not sure where Warner will come in, if required. Six! Accidental, but six. Clarke tries to pull Wardlaw, goes hard at it, gets a big top edge, and it carries the long leg fieldsman. Four! In control that time, as Clarke gets width and cuts. Easy done. There was also a wide from the over. 5.23pm AEST06:23 4th over: Australia 30-1 (Clarke 10) How’s this for impartiality? A Cricket Australia board member and an Australian selector are talking up the Australian captain. It was a nice shot though, as Clarke drove Taylor through extra cover for four. Clarke’s next was less convincing, close to third slip but he got enough air on it as he edged the slash. Finch smacked four in the air through point, then is dismissed from the same shot next ball. Nine runs and the wicket from the over. Updated at 5.24pm AEST 5.21pm AEST06:21 WICKET! Finch 20 (10 balls), c Coleman b Taylor First one down, but chasing a small target, even Finch’s 20 was something Scotland couldn’t afford. Taylor’s bowled excellently, he gets the width to make Finch drive and the movement to make him strike it in the air, where cover takes a good low catch coming forward. 5.18pm AEST06:18 3rd over: Australia 21-0 (Clarke 5, Finch 16) Wardlaw on the pads, and there’s that punishment, as Finch whips it for four. Then it’s six, as Wardlaw goes short, not very short, only waist high, and Finch leans back to send it over midwicket to beat the rope by a metre. Aw, nearly gone again as Finch clouts Wardlaw through mid-off. Didn’t get it properly, it skewed off the toe of the bat, but it still went quickly, and Machan’s dive couldn’t quite reach as the ball went straight of him. 14 from the over, and Finch’s entire career in microcosm. 5.13pm AEST06:13 2nd over: Australia 7-0 (Clarke 5, Finch 2) Dropped! Oh no. Rob Taylor, the left-armer, sees his first ball to Finch spit across the batsman a little, take the shoulder of the bat and loop toward second slip. It was Mommsen fielding there but he just wasn’t quick enough to get down. He needed to lunge forward, but his hands were fractionally late and couldn’t get to the ball. They take a single from the spill. Finch so often gives up an early chance, then punishes the teams that don’t take it. That was Scotland’s chance for early pressure, though taking Finch early didn’t help Afghanistan. Swing for Taylor as he whips a ball into Clarke’s pad, striking him too high, then jags another away off the seam that beats Clarke comprehensively through to the keeper. A great over, Clarke relieved to just leave the final ball wide of off. 5.10pm AEST06:10 1st over: Australia 6-0 (Clarke 5, Finch 1) Iain Wardlaw starts things off with a bang, a big bouncer at Clarke’s face that the Australian captain fends away very awkwardly for his first run. He was surprised by that. Finch taps a single to mid-on, Clarke pushes to cover for none, then pulls the first boundary of the innings. He didn’t middle that, rather lobbed it over square leg, but there was enough contact and no man out. Clarke has opened the batting 21 times in one-dayers, so this isn’t totally new to him, though it’s not usual. 5.06pm AEST06:06 I’ve been banging on about Michael Clarke not getting enough batting time since he declined to bat against Afghanistan. Well, he’s keen for some time here - he’s opening the batting with Aaron Finch. 5.04pm AEST06:04 The Aussie chase will begin shortly, but there’ll be the scheduled dinner break to come later. Which is again stupid and pointless, since we just had a 45-minute break for rain. Can someone please get the ICC to update these rules that bind the umpires to such idiocy, and encourage them to be more flexible with making sure the game goes on. 5.02pm AEST06:02 Scotland set Australia 131 to win 25.4 overs, Scotland 130-10 (Leask 23 not out, 11 balls) The rain break demolishes Scotland - they were rollicking along before that, with a jolly 35-run partnership from 31 balls, but were then forced off the field for 45 minutes. On return it took just four deliveries and no further runs for Starc to finish off the innings. A silly break, and Scotland will be disappointed there, but more disappointed in their overall performance. 4.57pm AEST05:57 WICKET! Wardlow 0 (2 balls), b Starc It’s all over! Starc lops off the head, a bit of angle in, Wardlaw was backing away for some unknown reason and the ball took his off stump. Four wickets for Starc. 4.55pm AEST05:55 WICKET! Davey 26 (35 balls), b Starc Sense has prevailed. Australia on, Starc on, and it takes him two balls after the rain delay to bowl Davey. Good yorker, some movement but Davey was going down the wrong line, defending middle and it bowled him off stump. 4.52pm AEST05:52 Jim Maxwell is getting all classical on you. To call this rain is an insult to Jupiter pluvius. Get on with it umps Apparently we’re restarting in two minutes. Updated at 4.53pm AEST 4.47pm AEST05:47 Is someone else on the Guardian doing India v Zimbabwe? Maybe I should just cover that in the meantime. Oh yes, Simon Burnton has that match here. Dhawan has just got out, India 21/2 chasing 287. If you want to fill in some time while we wait, of course I’d recommend my baby - our weekly World Cup Podcast. This week included legendary Sri Lankan broadcaster Roshan Abeysinghe talking about man-crushes on Sangakkara; Jonathan Howcroft’s excellent dissection of England’s troubles; and assorted rambling from m’colleague Russell Jackson about Pakistan’s resurgence and other matters. 4.40pm AEST05:40 Fourth umpire Michael Gough still has his umbrella up out in the middle. He must be prone to sunburn #cwc15 #ausvsco Updated at 4.41pm AEST 4.40pm AEST05:40 Weird decision from the umpires means we’re still waiting for the ‘rain’ to stop. Weird decision by Clarke to hold back Starc could well be the reason we’re waiting for the first innings to wrap up. 4.31pm AEST05:31 Here’s the image of Pat Cummins’ stack from a couple of overs ago. He popped straight up again but it could so easily have been awful, landing on the front leg like that. . @GeoffLemonSport hellava way to try a mankad. Would have been out too! Updated at 4.53pm AEST 4.25pm AEST05:25 We're off for rain Inexplicably really, as there’s only a slight bit of misty drizzle, according to those at the ground. But the umpires have ordered them off when the end of the innings might have been two balls away. The groundsmen haven’t even put the full covers down, just the light hessian covering. Frustrating. 4.24pm AEST05:24 25th over: Scotland 130-8 (Davey 26, Leask 23) Davey is looking fairly comfortable against Cummins’ pace now, waiting out four deliveries before using the pace for a single to long leg. Then it’s... Four! Hammered by Leask, the last ball of the over is full, so he backs away and slams it back past Cummins for four runs. This is by far Scotland’s best partnership for the match now, 35 runs passing the second-wicket stand of 28. 4.19pm AEST05:19 24th over: Scotland 125-8 (Davey 25, Leask 19) Faulkner bowling tidily - a wide bouncer, but he nearly has Davey caught at short midwicket popping one up, and he frustrates the batsman’s intent to score. From the last ball, Davey spots the slower ball wide of off, and drives away for three. 4.15pm AEST05:15 23rd over: Scotland 121-8 (Davey 22, Leask 19) Four! Leask gets a short ball and creams it, all along the ground, with a cut shot square. And more of the same, as Cummins sits one up again and this time Leask goes in the air, deliberately, lofting the cover fieldsman on the cut. 12 from the over! Michael Leask, Patrick leaks. Runs, that is, as he pitches up but wide and Leask is on the square drive that isn’t timed perfectly but has enough to bounce away to the rope after going hard into the ground. Two missed pull shots in the voer, but the Scottish No10 has 19 runs from 10 balls. 4.12pm AEST05:12 22nd over: Scotland 109-8 (Davey 22, Leask 7) Starc saves three runs and then donates four more. He sprawls to save Leask’s push to cover from Faulkner, the batsmen are running anyway, he pings at the non-striker’s end and Aaron Finch hasn’t backed up properly so the throw goes to the boundary. Leask profits by five. Davey tries a pull shot, doesn’t get all of it but it’s enough to clear mid-on and net him two runs. 4.08pm AEST05:08 21st over: Scotland 102-8 (Davey 20, Leask 2) We saw Paul Collingwood mid-week counselling these batsmen not to be dismayed by the pace. I’m not sure they’ve been at all scared of it, but they’ve been technically unable to cope with it. The wicket falls from the first ball. Leask gets a run defending the yorker from the second. Davey angles one off his hip for another run. Leask adds another through cover, then Davey takes four! gloriously from the last ball, timing it off his pads through square leg on the flick. He’s played very well so far, and he’s raised the Scottish hundred, which hasn’t exactly looked likely. 4.04pm AEST05:04 WICKET! Taylor 0 (6 balls), c Haddin b Cummins He’s Cummins, they’re goings. Out the door at crazy discount run rates. Taylor is a left-hander, Cummins angles across him with pace, and he can only touch that one faintly on its way through to Haddin. 4.02pm AEST05:02 20th over: Scotland 95-7 (Davey 15, Taylor 0) Everyone gets a go for Australia today, Faulkner on and bowling when maybe Starc should be here to go for the kill. Davey is happy to play for time, for the time being. Why not, he has more than 30 overs up his sleeve. This must be dispiriting. But his spirits are raised from the final ball, after having blocked out the previous five, when he gets a half-volley and drives it through wide mid-off to the boundary. Laaavaley. 4.00pm AEST05:00 19th over: Scotland 91-7 (Davey 11, Taylor 0) Cummins wants more wickets. He bowls mostly full, hoping to rip through the Scot defences, but these two have put up Hadrian’s Wall. Just a leg bye from the over, a maiden. 3.56pm AEST04:56 18th over: Scotland 90-7 (Davey 11, Taylor 0) Scotland have to go now, and Josh Davey knows it. He gratefully accepts Glenn Maxwell’s bowling, spanking him over mid-on for four, then through covers for another boundary. Two more through cover, then a single fine of mid-on. 11 from the over, well over 10 per cent of Scotland’s runs for the day. 3.54pm AEST04:54 17th over: Scotland 79-7 (Davey 0, Taylor 0) What an over. Cummins stacked while trying to bowl the first ball, crashing to the pitch, and bowled a wide in the middle of the over. Around that he took two wickets. Easy done. 3.50pm AEST04:50 WICKET! Cross 9 (19 balls), c Haddin b Cummins And... nigh-er? Shortish, fast, Cross pushes at it like he wanted the ball to go through cover. It was never going to. Cummins has two for the over, Haddin takes the nick. 3.47pm AEST04:47 WICKET! Machan 40 (35 balls), c Faulkner b Cummins The end draw nigh for Scotland, as Machan gets a short ball on his hip, tries to flick it away, but Cummins’ pace sees the mis-hit soar down to deep backward square for a catch. 3.42pm AEST04:42 16th over: Scotland 78-5 (Machan 40, Cross 9) Can Machan find a willing ally in Cross? The keeper gets an identical ball to the one that dismissed Berrington, except he plays it properly, waiting for it to arrive before smacking the drive through cover for four. He plays a couple more good shots too, the cover drive again and the square cut, but hits them to the field. Maxwell is really slowing these balls up, making Cross wait. That’s the drinks break. 3.40pm AEST04:40 15th over: Scotland 74-5 (Machan 40, Cross 5) Matt Machan is playing a blinder in the circumstances, trying to compensate for his teammates’ failings. Johnson bangs a couple more in short, but Machan slams the pull shot through square for four, then slices behind point and just beats the third man fielder for four more. He finishes the over with two runs clipped off his pads, and has 40 from 32 balls. 3.36pm AEST04:36 14th over: Scotland 64-5 (Machan 30, Cross 5) Three singles worked to leg from Maxwell’s over, as he provides a welcome respite from fast fast fast bowling. Around the grounds, Zimbabwe have been bowled out for 287 against India, following another century that will make them miss Brendan Taylor all the more. 3.34pm AEST04:34 13th over: Scotland 61-5 (Machan 28, Cross 4) Cross slashes Johnson away behind point for four, really went after that. Johnson goes after him with the bouncer and Cross is nowhere, mid-air, spasming, trying to duck even as he leapt away from it in a frenzied tangle. The next three balls are played and missed in succession. Rattled. 3.30pm AEST04:30 12th over: Scotland 57-5 (Machan 28, Cross 0) Clarke made the right call bowling first, he could wrap this game up in 40 or 50 overs and dodge any chance of rain interference. The Scottish wicketkeeper is already at the crease. His team’s only runs from the over come from three wides down the leg side, then two runs driven by Machan to cover from the final ball. Ian Swan writes, “As the Australian born child of Scottish immigrants, today’s game has everything, except of course any chance of Scotland winning. The ICC should consider amending the match conditions to give the Associates a chance against the Test playing nations. The Associate teams should have the full 50 overs, regardless of wickets lost - thirty if needs be.” On days like today that seems the right initiative. Perhaps not infinite wickets, but maybe each Scottish batsmen should have to be dismissed twice? They could learn from their first dismissal and then play on a few overs. Berrington, Coleman and MacLeod would be desperate for a second chance. Updated at 3.34pm AEST 3.25pm AEST04:25 WICKET! Berrington 1 (6 balls), c Warner b Maxwell You. Are. Kidding me. Glenn Maxwell comes on, his first ball is a full floater outside off, asking for the full treatment, and Berrington in thirsty gratitude drags it in the air to cover. Trash begetting trash. Someone get a broom. 3.24pm AEST04:24 11th over: Scotland 51-4 (Machan 26, Berrington 1) Out goes Freddie, in comes Richie. Johnson pins him with shorter stuff, then snorts a bouncer into his gloves in front of the face. Berrington gets a run he didn’t mean to score, it was actually off the handle as he yanked his bottom hand away to preserve his fingers. That run and a wide to start the over have been the only runs from Johnson. 3.20pm AEST04:20 WICKET! Coleman 0 (7 balls), c Clarke b Johnson A weird shot from Coleman, he’d played Johnson’s first over well but this time tried to push off the back foot at a ball that was too short for it. Almost an attempted drive to a ball reaching him at waist height. Never a chance, the angle took it to his outside edge and Clarke wrapped it up with a dive at second slip. 3.18pm AEST04:18 10th over: Scotland 49-3 (Machan 26, Coleman 0) Watson is comfortably pulled for two runs by Machan. He’s getting a bit of curl into the left-hander when he goes full, but Machan takes the gamble and hits a lofted drive over mid-on. He doesn’t catch it cleanly but it has good enough contact to amble to the rope. Three dots wrap up the over. Here’s some inside info on Machan’s past. Matt Machan prepped to face this Aus attack by taking on my vicious (read: floaty, non-turning) offies in U14s. Proud to have played my part 3.14pm AEST04:14 9th over: Scotland 43-3 (Machan 20, Coleman 0) Mitchell Johnson comes on to bowl second change - an unusual experience for him. Freddie Coleman played well against Sri Lanka last outing, made a good 70 in an impossible run chase. Johnson bowls exclusively back of a length to Coleman, good lines, and Coleman stays behind the ball to block out a maiden. Probably what Scotland need right now. 3.11pm AEST04:11 8th over: Scotland 43-3 (Machan 20, Coleman 0) Machan shows how to play the hook, getting on top of Watson’s short ball and keeping it down, then slaps four over cover. He’s a very good player, Machan, and has under-performed a bit in this tournament. Today would be a huge day for him to deliver. Just on those tournament strike rates, the top few bowlers on the list have all bowled only a handful of overs, they’re the anomalies. Starc in fifth is now the top frontliner, currently striking at 15.6, with C. Anderson at 16.4. Oh, and guess who’s right behind them? AB de Villiers. Show off. 3.06pm AEST04:06 WICKET! Mommsen, c Starc b Watson Two in two balls for Australia, as Watson gets his first and the Scottish captain gets a first-baller. A short ball, too brisk for Mommsen’s pull shot and there’s a thick top edge. You can’t keep Starc out of the game as he circles at backward square and completes the catch. 3.04pm AEST04:04 WICKET! MacLeod 22 (19 balls), c Warner b Starc 7th over: Scotland 36-2 (MacLeod 22, Machan 13) Fierce yorker from Starc but that’s beautifully played! It was screaming in at leg stump but MacLeod has timed his flick off the pads perfectly and the ball has run away behind square for four. He follows up with another bottom-hand jab to third man for one. Machan gets him back on strike with a single, but the last ball of the over is rank, short, wide, there for the whacking, and MacLeod jumps up a little as he slaps it in the air and straight to cover. Terrible shot really, he just got too excited - one of the benefits of good bowling is that your bad balls can bring wickets as a change-up. 2.57pm AEST03:57 6th over: Scotland 30-1 (MacLeod 17, Machan 12) Shane Watson is on very early in proceedings, Clarke looking to use the early cloudy conditions for some swing with the new ball, and to take a bit of pace off, since MacLeod has been relishing Cummins’ velocity. Watson’s bowling short though, and when he moves his length up MacLeod hits it hard to third man for a single. Not much elegance in these MacLeod strokes, he really whacks at the ball with a lot of bottom hand, like an enthused park opener. More elegance from Machan, as Watson goes full and Machan has the stride in, delivering a perfect straight drive back past the bowler for four. Updated at 3.04pm AEST 2.53pm AEST03:53 5th over: Scotland 25-1 (MacLeod 16, Machan 8) Results are in, Machan is the Scottish Bevan, as he taps two runs off his pads from Starc and goes to 4 runs from 3 balls. Flying. Then he becomes the Scottish Langer as he hits a barely-there cover drive that screams away for four with pure timing. Machan is a left-hander, by the by, so Starc didn’t have any angle and gave him width. And he’s rattled Starc! Now a leg-side wide as Starc tries to correct. Starc, mind you, currently has what’s effectively the best bowling average in the tournament. 9.46 at the time of writing. (Jeevan Mendis is slightly higher, but he’s only bowled five overs.) Starc very nearly improves that average as he delivers a nasty short ball at Machan’s grille, then rips a full ball in to Machan which swings in massively and clobbers the pad. The Australians go up but don’t review. Might have been the faintest nick on that - if not it was cleaning up leg stump. 2.49pm AEST03:49 4th over: Scotland 18-1 (MacLeod 16, Machan 2) A gentle single from Machan to maintain his 100 strike rate, then it’s MacLeod trying to keep up the pressure on the bowlers at the other end, as he goes down on one knee to slam the square drive from a wide Cummins ball for four. Then slap! He goes again, this time just a stand-and-deliver square whack that sends the ball in the air over point. MacLeod counter-punching. Good early contest. Updated at 2.53pm AEST 2.45pm AEST03:45 3rd over: Scotland 9-1 (MacLeod 8, Machan 1) Starc has looked dangerous from ball one, an effortless approach to the crease and plenty of pace, keeping them jumping with judicious use of the bouncer and the yorker, then angling balls across that draw the false strokes and delivered the wicket. Bad early signs for the Scots, they need to just see him off. The cherub-cheeked Matt Machan comes to the crease and taps a yorker away for Starc to concede his first run of the day. Updated at 2.46pm AEST 2.42pm AEST03:42 WICKET! Coetzer 0, c Smith b Starc It was only a matter of time - Coetzer had just edged one along the ground to third slip, then a couple of balls later he goes hard at a drive, the ball is too fast and has too much bounce, and it takes the angled edge through to the same catcher in the air. 2.40pm AEST03:40 2nd over: Scotland 8-0 (Coetzer 0, MacLeod 8) MacLeod should have got away - got a wide ball from Cummins and he lathered the cut, but straight to Smith behind point. Cummins trying the yorker, kept out. Then a bottom edge through to Haddin on the bounce as he tried cutting. MacLeod looking uncomfortable, but... Four! As Cummins gives him width, MacLeod smashes the cut and this time beats Smith. Four more! Two in a row, this one short and wide as well, and it’s cut away again. Scotland are off and running. On the other channel, Zimbabwe’s Brendan Taylor has just played an outrageous ramp shot for six from Mohammed Shami to bring up a century from 99 balls. 2.35pm AEST03:35 1st over: Scotland 0-0 (Coetzer 0, MacLeod 0) Starc opening the bowling, Coetzer and Macleod opening the batting, Mark Waugh opening the commentary. Just how does a national selector get to provide TV commentary as well? One of the most glaring possible conflicts of interest. Starc starts with a bouncer, then a wide ball drawing a whoosh from Coetzer, then a ball on line that’s defended off the back foot. First bat-on-ball contact f the morning will be reassuring. Fourth ball is a fizzing yorker - it’s left arm over the wicket to a right-handed batsman. Would have just missed leg stump, but Coetzer was able to leap in the air and get bat to it, directing it to square leg. He plays and misses at the next ball as it goes across him, then defends the last from back of a length. Starc has been irrepressible this series: an average of 10 is by far the best of the regular bowlers, and a strike rate of 16 is fractionally behind only Corey Anderson. 2.29pm AEST03:29 The Scottish opening pair come to the crease accompanied over the PA by A Thousand Miles. I’d have thought the last thing they’d want to do against Australia is walk. 2.22pm AEST03:22 As ever, this over-by-over will be far less fun for me without your involvement. Please send in your thoughts, your commentary, your predictions and hindight genius, your fragile hopes and savage fears throughout the day. Twitter @GeoffLemonSport, or email geoff.lemon@theguardian.com. Updated at 2.27pm AEST 2.19pm AEST03:19 Australia win the toss and will bowl The prospect of rain means that Michael Clarke wants the confidence of knowing what his team will chase. Minimal changes to take into account: Australia’s lefty spinner Doherty makes way for paceman Cummins, while Scotland go seamer-for-seamer with Wardlaw coming in for Evans. Australia FinchWarnerSmithClarke*MaxwellWatsonHaddin†FaulknerJohnsonStarcCummins ScotlandMacLeodCoetzerMachanMommsen*ColemanBerringtonCross†DaveyTaylorLeaskWardlaw 2.15pm AEST03:15 Hello, fellow cricketation enthusiasts, Geoff Lemon joining you, and let’s get ready for one of the oldest rivalries in sport.* Australia take on Scotland in a contest that could still shape the outcome of Pool A at the World Cup. But how! you ask, aghast. Surely the doughty but undermanned Scots will ultimately be no match for the blinding gold firepower of the Down Undies? Well, there’s an 80 per cent chance of rain in Hobart today, and if this match is rained out, Australia and Sri Lanka will be level on points. This will not, as is commonly believed, see Australia finish second on net run rate. It will see Sri Lanka finish second based on a greater number of wins in the pool stage. Controversy. Outrage. Mobs with torches. There is also the slight but still existent prospect of a Scottish upset, which would also leave the Australians third in the group. Either way would set up a likely quarter-final with South Africa. Should things go the way they’re expected to, then it will be the Sri Lankans taking on the South Africans instead. Let’s do it. * Comment may be unsubstantiated. 1.45pm AEST02:45 Geoff will be with us shortly but before he gets here, why not have a listen to this week’s Guardian Cricket World Cup podcast: Related: Cricket World Cup podcast: joyless England's farce of a tournament |