Australia have regained the Blind Cricket Ashes after moving into an uncatchable lead in the 2024 series. It’s the second time the Aussies have claimed the trophy in the five Ashes series so far. Here’s how the series has gone to date.
Match 1 from Tamborine Mountain Sports Centre
One day International Sunday 17th November
England got off to a good start reducing the hosts to 37 for 2 in the seventh over when Mo Khatri had number 3, Arron Lyall, hit wicket after David Howells had run out Matt Cameron. Australia then took control with a brilliant partnership of 215 between opener Steffan Nero and Stephen Palmer. The partnership ended when Nathan Jameson caught Steffan for 126 to give Mo a second wicket. As the innings drew to a close Moshfique Ahmed picked up a wicket, bowled, and Luke Sugg got a run out as Australia posted a good score of 337 for 5 with Stephen finishing on 130 not out. Mo Khatri had 2 for 75 from his eight overs, only he and skipper Ed Hossell bowled a full eight – the pick of the other bowlers was perhaps Andy Powers who conceded just 21 runs from his 4 overs.
England started with a century partnership between the experienced pair of Matt Dean and Luke Sugg; ended when Luke was bowled by Oscar Stubbs for 43 at the start of the nineteenth over. At that point England were behind the required run rate and looking for runs – perhaps contributing to Sam Hoskins run out after scoring 12 from 13 balls. Shortly afterwards Ed Hossell was trapped LBW by Arron Lyall with the score on 154 in the 24th over. Chasing runs the visitors lost regular wickets with Matt Page watching partners dismissed as Matt Dean fell run out for 62 on 175, Mark Turnham was bowled by Ned Brewer Maiga with 199 on the board, and Rory Hossell was stumped by Steffan, to give Lincoln Muddle a first wicket, at 224 for 6, A solid partnership of 68 ended the innings with Matt Page finishing on 75 from 49, run out from the last ball of the game, and Mo Khatri 28 from 26.
Australia win by 45 runs and take the lead in the series.
One Day Match 2 and 3 plus Fifth T20 International
All abandoned due to rain
First T20 from Neptune Homes Oval Broadbeach CC
Australia won the toss and asked England to bat first. With Matt Dean not playing England opened with Nathan Jameson and Andy Powers. Andy started brightly but was one of three wickets to fall as England reached 79 for 3 at the drinks break. That was perhaps the high point of the innings for England with Matt Page and Luke Sugg together; their partnership of 36 was the highest in the innings and Matt’s the top score of 33. Australia bowled superbly and restricted England to 144 for 9 – the pick of the bowlers Lincoln Muddle took 3 for 29.
Steffan Nero and Bradley Brider put on 125 for the first wicket before Steffan was caught by Nathan off Ed Hossell’s bowling in the sixteenth over. Nathan caught Bradley two balls later off Moshfique Ahmed’s bowling and Aaron Lyall was run out in the same over, with just four more runs scored. Stephen Palmer and Ned Brewer Maiga saw the hosts home with no more stress and seven balls to spare.
Second T20 from Neptune Homes Oval Broadbeach CC
In a must win game for England, Australia’s skipper Matt McCarthy led the way as England again batted first; he bowled both Nathan Jameson and Sam Hoskin in his second over, while also being involved in the run out of Andy Powers to have the visitors reeling on 20 for 3 inside three overs. Captain Ed Hossell and Matt Page put on 83 in eight overs before Ed was run out for 42. Mark Turnham was then dismissed quickly caught and bowled from Stephen Palmer, before David Howells joined Matt Page. This pair kept scoring at a good rate in a 79 run partnership until Matt was run out for 70 off the last ball of the innings, leaving David on 39.
Steffan Nero dominated in the Australian reply – he batted through the whole innings and ended with 135 not out as with an over to spare the home side reached the 199 needed; in doing so winning the Ashes with two games to spare, as a little rain arrived at the ground. The partnerships in the reply were 109 with Bradley Brider, 10 with Arron Lyall, 27 with Stephen Palmer, and 53 with Matthew Cameron. The England bowlers all had a pretty similar economy – the wicket takers were Justin and Moshfique.
Third T20 from Neptune Homes Oval Broadbeach CC
With the result of the series settled Australia gave an opportunity to players who had not had a game in the earlier matches; with Steve Obied stepping in behind the stumps in place of Steffan Nero, Reuben Fairbank and Michael Berg also getting an opportunity. Australia won another toss and asked England to bat; the hosts getting a strong start and reducing England to 37 for 3. That brought together Matt Page and skipper Ed Hossell half way through the seventh over; they put on 47 before a super throw from Matt Cameron saw Ed run out. Australia then controlled the run rate despite great running from England to allow Mark Turnham to score at better than a run a ball from his innings before he too was run out. David Howells and Justin Hollingsworth both struggled to score and after confusion about a run out with two balls left it was left to Mo Khatri to score 4 and take a leg bye off the final ball to drag the score just over 150. With Matt Page getting 50 not out – his third 50 of the tour England posted 153 for 7.
Ned Brewer Maiga and Oscar Stubbs were those chosen to open and put on 64 between them; before Mark Turnham came on to bowl. His over was the visitors high point as Ned was out hit wicket and veteran Michael Zannis caught by David Howells to leave Australia 71 for 2. Stephen Palmer then took control of the game scoring 57 from just 31 deliveries with four boundaries and leaving Oscar on 49 not out as the total was chased down inside 17 overs.
Fourth T20 from Neptune Homes Oval Broadbeach CC
There was an England cap presented to Mo Ghalib by Metro team mate Matt Dean before this game. Once more Matt McCarthy got Australia off to a good start with two wickets in two balls at the end of his first over as Ed Hossell and Mark Turnham departed with just 9 scored from two overs. Matt Page came in at four to join Matt Dean and their solid 127 run partnership lasted until the fifteenth over when Matt P was run out by Steffan Nero. When Steffan ran out Andy Powers on the final ball of the 20 Matt Dean had 90 of the 170 runs scored.
This looked a total that could be chased, especially with Steffan back at the top of the order and indeed it was. Australia were in cruise mode with 137 scored nearing the end of the thirteenth over. Mo Ghalib stepped up in the field to run out Steffan for 65 and then just three balls later the other opener Matt Cameron was caught by David Howells off his captain’s bowling to lift English spirits. however by the time the next wicket fell as the experienced Michael Zannis was caught by Matt Dean to give Ed a second wicket the game was done. Chris Gould scored the final two needed off his first ball as Australia completed a clean sweep in the series with 14 balls to spare.