Australia's David Warner, right, hits as England's captain Jos Buttler watches on during the T20 World Cup 2024 group B cricket match between Australia and England at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Photo: RANDY BROOKS
David Warner and Travis Head led Australia to a comfortable 36-run victory over England in a clash of champions at the Twenty20 World Cup in Barbados.
Australia were the first side to reach the 200 mark in this tournament, smashing their way to a total of 201-7 at Bridgetown's Kensington Oval to leave defending champions England facing a daunting run chase.
Warner blasted 39 from 16 balls, including four sixes and two fours, and Head contributed 34 off 18 as Australia advanced to 74-2 at the end of the powerplay.
Moeen Ali bowled Warner to make the breakthrough at 70-1 after five overs and Jofra Archer dismissed Head, also bowled, as England fought back with two quick wickets.
England reached 54-0 in the powerplay and Moeen hit three sixes in the 14th over. He departed in the 16th for 25 from 15 balls, however, after lofting a catch to Warner on the boundary to leave England in serious trouble on 128-5.
Captain Jos Buttler had earlier hit a top-scoring 42 from 28 balls but England finished well short on 165-6.
Australia, the ODI World Cup and world test champions, are second in Group B after two games with England fourth.
Proteas pip the Netherlands
Earlier, South Africa survived an early scare before David Miller guided them to a nervy four-wicket victory over the Netherlands in the Twenty20 World Cup in Long Island, New York.
South Africa's David Miller (L) celebrates his fifty. Photo: photosport
Miller hit an unbeaten 59 off 51 balls as South Africa scored 106 for six in 18.5 overs in reply to the Dutch total of 103 for nine.
It was second successive win for South Africa in Group D and a first defeat for the Dutch after they beat Nepal in Dallas.
The Dutch, put into bat, were immediate pressure from tall opener Marco Jansen and had only scored 35-4 after 10 overs.
They pushed up the run rate towards the end of their innings when Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek shared a 54-run partnership for the seventh wicket before South African-born Engelbrecht fell for 40 in the last over.
Newcomer Ottneil Baartman took three wickets in the last over to finish with figures of 4-11 and Jansen and Anrich Nortje claimed two wickets each.
The Netherlands took a wicket with the first ball of South Africa's innings as hesitant calling led to a mix-up and Quinton de Kock was run out without facing a ball.
That precipitated a sudden panic as Reeza Hendricks was bowled and captain Aiden Markram caught down the leg side as South Africa slumped to 3-3.
Heinrich Klaasen's dismissal in the fifth over had South Africa teetering at 12-4 before Stubbs and Miller set about the modest target with a 65-run partnership.
When Stubbs fell in the 17th over, however, 27 runs were still required for victory but Miller took his side over the line.
South Africa play Bangladesh on Monday and the Dutch face Bangladesh on Thursday.
- Reuters