Australia opener Travis Head, on Wednesday, emulated his Sunrisers Hyderabad show from IPL 2024, to help Australia chase down the target of 155 runs in just 58 balls in the opening T20I match against Scotland at the Grange Cricket Club, in Edinburgh. En route to the seven-wicket win, that saw Australia take a 1-0 lead in the contest, the visitors shattered a T20I world record.
Jake Fraser-McGurk, rewarded for his stunning show in Big Bash League and the IPL earlier this year, failed to impress on his debut as he was dismissed for a three-ball duck. However, fellow opener Head combined with captain Mitchell Marsh to stitch a 113-run stand inside the powerplay to lay the perfect foundation for the chase, before Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis combined to close out the game in just 9.4 overs.
En route to the chase, Australia recorded the highest-ever powerplay score in T20I history, smashing 113 runs, which comprised 14 consecutive boundaries.
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Australia 113/1 vs Scotland, 2024
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South Africa 102/0 vs West Indies, 2023
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West Indies 98/4 vs Sri Lanka, 2021
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West Indies 93/0 vs Ireland, 2020
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West Indies 92/1 vs Afghanistan, 2024
Head, adjudged as the Player of the Match, played the central role in the record and in the chase for Australia, hit an unbelievable 25-ball 80, laced with 12 boundaries and five sixes, at a strike rate of 320. 73 of those runs came in the first six overs of the match, which is the highest score by a batter inside the powerplay in T20I cricket, surpassing the previous record of a 25-ball 67 from Ireland's Paul Stirling in 2020.
"Nice way to get underway, we loved our time here so far. I was a bit nervous, but nice to get some runs with the captain today. It has been a nice period for the last couple of years, really enjoying the environment and a few of us that have been around for a while and also loving the atmosphere with quite a few youngsters coming in," he said in the post-match presentation.
The second T20I of the series will take place on September 6 at the same venue.
Australia’s Powerplay Dominance
Champion batter Travis Head and Australian captain Mitch Marsh have monstered Scotland to set a new world mark for a powerplay en route to a dominant T20 success at The Grange in Edinburgh.
Head, who made a blistering 80 runs of 25 balls when equalling the fastest half-century an Australian has scored in a T20 match, and first-drop Marsh steered Australia to a record 1-113 off six overs after Jake Fraser-McGurk made a duck on debut when opening.
After Scotland set a target of 9-154 when batting first, Head and Marsh launched a staggering assault on the hapless Scottish bowling attack in a 113-run partnership that ended when Marsh, who made 39 runs from 12 balls which included five fours and three sixes, holed out to Michael Leask off the bowling of Mark Watt in the seventh over.
Head continued to batter the Scottish attack and was on track to break Aaron Finch’s Australian record of a 47-ball century in T20s when he fell to the Leask-Watt combination for 80 from 25 balls, with his innings featuring 12 fours and five sixes.
Josh Inglis, who was unbeaten on 27 from 13 balls, and Marcus Stoinis, who was not out on eight from five balls, steered Australia to a seven-wicket victory with 62 balls remaining in the innings.
“(It was a) nice way to get underway. We’ve loved our time here so far and I was a bit nervous coming in,” Head said.
“(It was) nice to get some runs with the captain today. I’ve been enjoying the environment under this coaching staff, loving the atmosphere with the youngsters coming in.
“After losing Jake, (I was) not sure what the wicket was going to do, but (it was) nice to get into my groove quickly. Once I get away, I guess that’s my role, maximising the powerplay.”
Scotland's Frustrating Experience
Earlier Sean Abbott was the pick of the Australian bowlers when taking 3-39 from his four overs, but Xavier Bartlett (2-23 from four overs), Adam Zampa (2-33 from four overs) were also effective.
Prior to the first game in a three match series against Scotland, which precedes a brief tour of England, Marsh said it was more than likely all 14 players in the squad would play in one of the three games.
“I don’t think it’s a reset,” Marsh said of the changing faces in the squad.
“I think there’s certainly opportunity for guys to come in and get their opportunity, but I wouldn’t say it’s a reset.
“We’ve got a bit of experience that are missing out on this tour, but all these guys have certainly earned their spot. They all bring different skill sets and the thing we spoke about is just coming together as a unit.”
Scotland came close to shocking the Aussies in the T20 World Cup in June, but struggled to build on a positive start with the bat. George Munsey top scored for the hosts with 28.
“That’s what you expect against one of the best sides in the world,” said Scotland captain Richie Berrington.
“We started pretty well with the bat, but unfortunately a few of us got in and didn’t kick on. Credit to the Australian bowlers, they made it hard to get away and capitalise on that good start.”
A Record-Breaking Performance
Fastest fifty for Australia in men’s T20Is
17 balls - Marcus Stoinis vs SL in Perth, 2022
17 balls - Travis Head vs SCO in Edinburgh, 2024
18 balls - David Warner vs WI in Sydney, 2010
18 balls - Glenn Maxwell vs PAK in Mirpur, 2014
18 balls - Glenn Maxwell vs SL in Colombo, 2016
“That’s one of the great challenges of international cricket is feeling comfortable at that level and that’s our job as leaders, to make the guys feel really comfortable.
“They’ll be challenged, they’ll be under pressure, but looking after each other, having fun and enjoying playing international cricket is really important for us.”
It’s the first time Australia has played Scotland in a multi-game bilateral series, having last toured there for one-off ODIs in 2009 and 2013.
“We’re disappointed with how things ended up today, but it’s a great experience especially for the younger guys who’ve come in,” Scotland captain Richie Berrington said.
“We’ve got to learn from every experience, keep our belief and come back strong for the next one.”
Australia's T20 Tour of Scotland
All times AEST
September 4 – First T20, Edinburgh, 11pm
September 6 – Second T20, Edinburgh, 11pm
September 7 – Third T20, Edinburgh, 11pm
Squads
Australia’s T20 Squad
Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Riley Meredith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
Scotland’s T20 squad
Richie Berrington (c), Charlie Cassell, Matthew Cross, Bradley Currie, Jasper Davidson, Chris Greaves, Oli Hairs, Jack Jarvis, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole, Charlie Tear, Mark Watt, Bradley Wheal
