Old Foes England And Australia Clash

England and Australia kick off the three T20I series tomorrow ( Friday 4th of September at The Rose Bowl Cricket Ground). The game will begin at 6PM UK time. This is the first of three T20 Internationals that will be played in the series.

Both sides have very strong T20 squads and will be hoping to put one over each other. This old rivalry shows little signs of diminishing. As a result, it should make for an exciting series.

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Australia were well beaten on their last tour to England in 2018 in both the ODI’s and the T20I’s. England won all six games that were played on the tour and scored 221-5 against Australia in the only T20I in the T20I series that was played.

Last year’s 2019 Cricket World Cup was a tie between the two teams. Australia defeated England at Lords in the group stages but England managed to cruise home in the crucial semi-final at Edgbaston.

England & Australia T20I Series Squads

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 14: Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali of England bump fists during the Second T20 International match between England and South Africa at Kingsmead Stadium on February 14, 2020 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

England’s Twenty20 Squad – Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Joe Denly, Tom Banton, Moeen Ali. Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Sam Billings. Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood.

Also, Read – Picking England’s Greatest ODI XI Of All-Time

Australia’s Twenty20 Squad – Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Daniel Sams, Glenn Maxwell. Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Philippe, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa. Andrew Tye, Ashton Agar, Kane Richardson, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon. Pat Cummins, Riley Meredith, Sean Abbott.

What The Captains Said

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 03: Eoin Morgan of England(L) takes a catch during fielding practice as Sam Curran(C) and Mark Wood of England(R) look on during an England Nets Session at The Ageas Bowl on September 03, 2020 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Eoin Morgan stated that Jos Buttler will open the batting for England instead of Tom Banton. He said that he would prefer Jos Buttler and Jason Roy as England’s openers for the 2021 World T20 and play Jonny Bairstow at three.

The reason for this is that England can go really hard up top. It would just require one of the three to have a good game to give England a rapid start to their innings. With three such good batsmen, this means that most games England will probably be quick off the blocks.

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He also named Australia as favourites for the T20I series because they have their full squad available and England are missing players.

Australia’s Aaron Finch stated that Marnus Labuschagne will probably have to wait for his turn in the T20 outfit, despite scoring a century in the warm-up game, along with Alex Carey.

Australia won their last T20I series against South Africa in March and hence Aaron Finch feels that they are a settled line-up and tinkering is perhaps not required.

Also, Read – Picking Australia’s Best ODI XI Of All-Time

Likely Starting XI’s

Steve Smith is likely to bat at number three in the T20I series — SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 03: Steve Smith of Australia plays a shot during batting practice during a Australia Nets Session at The Ageas Bowl on September 03, 2020 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

England – Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Tom Curran/ Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan, Mark Wood.

Australia – David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey, Marcus Stoinis/ Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson/ Riley Meredith.

Weather Forecast

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 03: The England side hold a huddle prior to the start of the warm up during an England Nets Session at The Ageas Bowl on September 03, 2020 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

It is forecast to be a clear on Friday the 4th of September at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. There are very little, if any, chances of rain.

Predictions

Can Moeen Ali continue his form in the T20I series? — MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 01: Moeen Ali of England hits a six watched on by Sarfaraz Ahmed of Pakistan during the 3rd Vitality International Twenty20 match between England and Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford on September 01, 2020 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB)

Despite Australia being stronger according to Eoin Morgan, it is perhaps England who have a better chance of winning. England have been playing international cricket since July the 8th. Meanwhile, Australia have only played intra-squad games and could be slightly rusty. It should be a cracking game, with England marginally ahead.

Back England to triumph over Australia in the first T20I of the three match T20I series.

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