England Coach Mott Confident Defending Champions Would Have Prevailed in Damp Conditions
In their first-ever T20I meeting, Scotland seized the initiative between rain breaks to set the defending champions England a DLS-adjusted target of 109 from 10 overs. However, a further downpour after Scotland’s innings of 90/0 brought the match to an early conclusion, with both teams earning a point in Group B.
Winning the toss, Scotland captain Berrington’s decision to bat first on the uncertain Kensington Oval pitch paid off, as openers Michael Jones and George Munsey put on 51 runs in 6.2 overs before a prolonged weather interruption. The match was subsequently reduced to 10 overs per side, and the pair added 39 more from their remaining 22 deliveries.
“I think we certainly gave ourselves a chance there,” Berrington said, hinting at the prospect of an upset. “It would have been interesting to see how the weather would have affected the pitch because it did look a little bit of uneven bounce, as we expected during the day. I think if we bowled and fielded well, we certainly had an opportunity there.”
England’s limited-overs coach Matthew Mott shared Berrington’s disappointment at the inability to complete the match. However, Mott was confident that his side would have had the edge if play had resumed, citing their power-hitting lineup and the advantage of bowling with a wet ball on a surface favoring extra bounce.
“I think we had all the advantage in that,” Mott explained. “I think it was going to be a wet ball, 10 wickets in hand, only 10 overs. I think if we got back out there, I thought it would have been tough on Scotland given the start that they had.”
While praising Scotland’s approach, Mott acknowledged that England’s fielding was a bit sloppy, with a handful of errors and a missed opportunity to dismiss Munsey early on. However, he remained optimistic about his team’s chances in their upcoming match against Australia, another repeat of a classic World Cup final.
“We’re looking to do that, definitely,” Mott said, when asked if England would aim for a statement performance against their Ashes rivals. “I think we showed that. I think, you know, Mark Wood steaming in their first over, I think it’s exciting. Him and Jofra together is something that we’ve not been able to have for a while.”
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