England give old rival Australia an 8-wicket slap at the World Cup

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Jos Buttler was close to his brutal best when England beat old rival Australia by …

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Jos Buttler was close to his brutal best when England beat old rival Australia by eight wickets with 50 balls left over at the Cricket T20 World Cup on Saturday.

Buttler did not smash 71 from 32 balls with five thumping sixes as England’s batsmen quickly finished what its bowlers had started by knocking the Aussies out for 125.

Openers Buttler and Jason Roy put on a fast 66 to start England’s chase. Jonny Bairstow was with Buttler to finish it off, nor did he hang on by launching two sixes in his 16 not out of 11 balls.

England’s bowlers, with Chris Jordan leading 3-17, tore through Australia in the start, with the Australians falling to 21-4 in 6.1 overs. Australia gathered to see their full 20 overs, but only with Mitchell Starc as the last man out of the last ball of the inning.

The result put England at the top of Group 1 and underlined its status as one of the favorites for the title, after losing the final of the last T20 World Cup in 2016 to the Caribbean.

Australia, who contradicted their shockingly recent form by winning their two opening matches, are tied with South Africa in second place in Group 1, but behind the South Africans on the run rate after Saturday’s hammering of England.

The top two from the group reach the semifinals.

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