England demolished Oman to regain the impetus in the quest to qualify out of their T20 World Cup group.
On a fast, bouncy surface in Antigua and Barbuda on Thursday, the defending champions were under pressure against the minnows having seen Scotland take a commanding lead in the race for Group B second place behind Australia.
Net-run-rate has been the talk of the town in recent days, and will continue to be so until this weekend’s climax, with England entering the day off the Scots’ pace.
However, that all changed with a superb eight-wicket victory secured in just 3.1 overs after Oman were bowled out for 47.
The victory swung the pendulum towards England, who now boast a +3.081 net-run-rate compared to Scotland’s +2.164. Should they build that lead with an expected comfortable win over Namibia in their final group game, it would take a mammoth Scotland upset over Australia - or a frankly embarrassing fix - to send Jos Buttler’s side home.
What a performance from England 🤩
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 13, 2024
They defeat Oman by eight wickets and in just 3.1 overs 😱 pic.twitter.com/TKSCFliFe0
The English attack proved too hot for an Oman side rarely exposed to the elite level, with leg-spinner Adil Rashid toying with his prey as he claimed four for 11 and pace pair Mark Wood and Jofra Archer returning matching figures of three for 12. The innings lasted only 13.2 overs - a marathon compared to what came next.
With the race on to chase the runs in 5.2 overs and move ahead of Scotland's rate of 2.164 in the process, Phil Salt set the tone by launching the first two balls of the reply hard over long-on for six.
He was cleaned up swinging at the third and Will Jacks followed but Buttler lashed 24 not out off just eight balls and Jonny Bairstow crunched both deliveries he faced for four to win it with 101 balls unused. No batting side has ever finished a game quicker at this level.
The mission in front of England was clear from the off, with maximum points needed in each of their last two games and healthy margins a necessity. Buttler won the toss and handed responsibility to his bowlers, trusting them to impose themselves rather than asking his batting line-up to aim for the stands.
It was a call he would not regret. Reece Topley, recalled for Chris Jordan in the only change to the XI, set the tone with a solid three over spell as Archer kicked off the procession of wickets at the Sir Andy Roberts End.
Pratik Athavale and captain Aqib Ilyas were both unsettled by his length and lift, trying to get on top of the bounce but only succeeding in feeding low catches that were snapped up by Salt and Jacks. Archer should have had a third when Moeen Ali grassed an ankle-high chance at slip, but the missed chance barely registered as Oman failed to get to grips with task at hand.
Wood was handed the final over of the powerplay and was too hot to handle. He had Zeeshan Maqsood caught and bowled off his first delivery and quickly added Kashyap Prajapati, flapping to mid-wicket after being hustled for pace.
At 25 for four, much of the damage had been done, but England did not rest. In fact, the arrival of Rashid's well-honed leg-breaks and googlies merely accelerated Oman's decline. He ripped his opening ball past Khalid Kail's sweep, who was stumped by a scrambling Buttler as he crept out of his crease, then watched as Mehran Khan offered Moeen the the easiest possible catching practice at slip.
In between Ayaan Khan dragged Wood into his stumps, another victim of the Durham player's speed through the air. Rashid bagged two more as he toyed with the tail, producing a pair of wrong 'uns that turned between bat and pad and sent the bails flying.
Oman snuck past the tournament's lowest ever score of 39 - made by Uganda earlier this month - but the end was close. Shoaib was last man out, top-edging Archer into Buttler's gloves to leave a regulation chase.
Salt sauntered out in fifth gear, drilling Bilal Khan for two straight sixes before losing his stumps. Jacks chipped Kaleemullah to point soon after but there was no drama to be had, Buttler laying into Bilal's second over at a cost of 22, leaving Bairstow to apply the finishing touch.
Having averted calamity, England can now begin to make plans for a longer stay in the Caribbean providing no shocks against Namibia.
