Twitter Reactions: Travis Head’s blitzkrieg sets up comprehensive win for Australia in 1st T20I

Travis Head. (Photo Source: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Travis Head’s breathtaking half-century and a disciplined effort from the bowlers helped Australia register a comfortable 28-run win in the first T20I against England at The Rose Bowl in Southampton.

Phil Salt won the toss and opted to field first on a breezy, overcast evening. Head and Matthew Short took the English bowlers to the cleaners with the former being more flamboyant in his approach. 41 runs came off the first four overs as the tourists were going great guns. Things went from bad to worse for the hosts as Sam Curran was introduced in the fifth over and he was taken for 30 runs by Head. The southpaw smashed three fours and as many sixes in the over. He equaled the record for most runs scored in an over for Australia in a T20I.

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Saqib Mahmood dismissed Head off the last ball of the powerplay after the latter had amassed 59 off just 23 balls. Aussie skipper Mitchell Marsh departed cheaply before Josh Inglis came out to join Short. The duo added 29 runs before the opening batter was dismissed for a 26-ball 41. Curran redeemed himself after a horrendous first over as he bagged the wicket of the dangerous Inglis.

Australia lost the plot through the middle overs as England bounced back strongly. To put things into perspective, the first six overs yielded 86 runs for the loss of one wicket for the visitors. However, they were bowled out for 179 in 19.3 overs as Liam Livingstone (3/22) led the fightback through the middle for the Three Lions. Only 24 runs came off the last 4.3 overs of the Aussie innings as England picked up four wickets in that phase.

Australia reign supreme after thwarting Livingstone scare

Chasing a target of 180, England needed Salt and Will Jacks to fire at the top. However, the latter was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood in the second over. The hosts got off to a sedate start in the powerplay before debutant Jordan Cox and Salt started breaking the shackles. However, the two right-handed batters departed in quick succession as England were 46/3 at the end of the powerplay. Another debutant, Jacob Bethell, fell in the eighth over as the home side slumped to 52/4.

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Curran and Livingstone stitched a much-needed 54-run partnership off 31 balls to give England hopes of a victory. However, they fell in consecutive overs as England stared down the barrel. Eventually, the Brits were dismissed for 151 in 19.2 overs as Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Sean Abbott finished with figures of 3/28 in 3.2 overs as he took the final wicket of Mahmood. However, Adam Zampa was the pick of the bowlers, ending with figures of 2/20 in four overs. Meanwhile, Hazlewood also picked up a couple of wickets.

Here’s a look at how ‘X’ users reacted to the riveting affair: