A pleasant end to a pleasant series
Scotland v Australia, T20, 7The Grange, Edinburgh, 7 September 2024
For a few overs at the start of the second innings Scotland had hope.
Chasing 149, Australia were 2/19 after four. The ball was moving; Marsh and Green were groping uncertainly.
It did not last. A few bad balls were muscled over the rope and Australia were on their way to a comfortable 3-0 series win.
Scotland’s innings had been similar to the first two matches - some impressively crisp boundaries, but wickets had fallen too regularly. Australia’s bowling (which, for the whole series, was without the rested Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood) looked pretty good, especially Hardie and Green. It’s hard to reach too much into that though.
For Scotland, Brandon McMullen again looked a class above, with 56 from 39. McMullen later took a superb diving catch and he bowls some medium pace: he would not be out of place in the IPL. Naturally, he was born in Durban.
Green finished with 62 not out from 39 to complete a fine series. Cooper Connolly did not get a bat on debut but did bowl some handy left arm orthodox - doubtless making Ashton Agar nervous. Sadly, Jake Fraser McGurk got another duck.
Once again, it was a glorious occasion. The stands were full, the atmosphere pleasant and noisy, and towards the end the sun even came out. It has been a charming, happy few days for cricket.
Three quick random points to finish:
No technology: It was interesting watching men’s international cricket without DRS for the first time in ages. It struck me how instantly (and understandably) the umpires returned to the habits of the bad old days: if in any doubt whatsoever, give it not out.
Now this might seem a strange thing to say: isn’t that what umpires are meant to do? But here’s the thing: in the DRS era they can’t.
If you give too many not outs, you will quickly be exposed by the technology. It is one thing to shake your head because it might be going down leg, as Dickie Bird used to do, and for the commentators to say ‘Ooh that was close’. It is quite another to do so, only for Hawkeye to remorselessly show the ball crunching into leg and for the commentators - who just seconds before were themselves unsure - to criticise you for a mistake.
DRS forces umpires to be aggressive - and the game is better for it. No doubt we are still in a transition phase; eventually all decisions will be made by technology. This alarms some - they deplore the loss of the ‘human element’ . . . just as they initially did in the 1990s when the third umpire was brought in for run outs and stumpings. Seems they no longer have those particular concerns though.
The Magnificent Seven: There were seven Western Australians in the Australian side. This famously (well, it’s probably famous in Perth) also occurred for the WACA Test of 1981/82, versus Pakistan. I learnt they were called the ‘Magnificent Seven’ - when I read Rodney Marsh’s autobiography in the late 80s. I had never heard of the film - I just thought it was some name they chose. Can you name the seven players? (The answer is at the bottom*).
When Scotland beat Australia: The commentators mentioned that Scotland have in fact once beaten Australia, in the 19th century. I decided to find the game - turns out it took place one month before the famous Test match of 1882, (the Test that spawned the Ashes).
And while Scotland undoubtedly did win, some context is needed. The match only took place to fill in a spare day due to the Australians having belted Scotland in the main match in just two days. And, if you read the article from the Times, you will see Australia didn’t take the match overly seriously. But given it was 132 years ago I won’t labour the point!
*The Magnificent Seven: Bruce Laird, Graeme Wood, Kim Hughes, Rod Marsh, Bruce Yardley, Dennis Lillee and Terry Alderman.
Scotland v Australia Third T20I
Scotland 9/149 (20)
Brandon McMullen 56 (39)
Cameron Green 3/35 (4)
Australia 4/153 (16.1)
Cameron Green 62* (39)
Mitchell Marsh 31 (23)
Australia won by 6 wickets with 23 balls to spare
Australia won the 3-match series 3-0