Washout 'not disastrous' for World Cup Aussies

2 years ago 88

Melbourne's inclement upwind robbed Australia of a accidental to snag 2 points for triumph and amended its dire nett run-rate successful the T20 World Cup connected Friday night, but cricket fable Mark Taylor says the result is "not disastrous".

About 8.50pm, Australia's lucifer against England astatine the MCG was abandoned without a shot being bowled, with officials deeming the bedewed aboveground unsafe for play.

Australia and England, successful a conflict to beryllium the 2nd squad to beforehand successful radical 1 with the pool-topping New Zealand good positioned, received 1 constituent each.

As Taylor took into relationship Australia's remaining excavation matches, against Ireland astatine the Gabba and Afghanistan astatine Adelaide Oval, the erstwhile Test captain was optimistic of the hosts' rubric defence.

"Obviously getting connected and winning would person been ideal, but the information that we've got Ireland and Afghanistan to spell means that if we play good capable and triumph some of those games and triumph them good capable we whitethorn good inactive spell through," Taylor told Wide World of Sports.

"Obviously it's going to beryllium connected different results ... but carnivore successful caput that England are successful the aforesaid vessel arsenic america and they've got New Zealand and Sri Lanka to go.

"So, from that constituent of presumption it's not disastrous, although, arsenic I said, a triumph would person been a batch better."

Despite pinpointing the clashes with Ireland and Afghanistan arsenic premier opportunities to unafraid steadfast wins, Taylor warned against being complacent.

Ireland sprung a World Cup daze erstwhile it defeated England connected Wednesday night, scraping location against the weapon outfit by 5 runs nether the Duckworth-Lewis method.

"They've got to beryllium a small spot mindful due to the fact that we saw what Ireland tin bash to England," Taylor said.

"So, archetypal and foremost, ore connected winning the game, and if you get an accidental ... to amended your run-rate, spell astir it. But arsenic we saw with England, if you instrumentality 1 of these, situation I accidental it, less-fancied nations — if you instrumentality them lightly you extremity up getting hurt."

Taylor, who was astatine the MCG for his Nine commentary duties, was among those annoyed by the rain.

In fact, the 104-Test icon was besides irked by the officials' handling of the situation.

"I'd person liked to seen them get connected contiguous or, successful a way, telephone it earlier," Taylor said.

"We were sitting determination astatine astir apt 8 o'clock, 4th past eight, erstwhile they had an inspection, and I thought past that they had to either commencement past oregon telephone the crippled off. The transportation oregon the surrounds, which were evidently the concern, weren't going to adust out. It's astir 12 degrees present successful Melbourne astatine nighttime with small wind. It's not going to adust retired immoderate more. So, I deliberation astatine 8 o'clock they could person said, 'All right, it's suitable to play oregon it's not'. So I deliberation they could person been much decisive with that decision.

"And I think, arsenic I've ever thought, peculiarly with these T20 games, you've conscionable got to effort to get them on, get radical retired determination playing. I deliberation erstwhile you commencement it's astonishing however you enactment on.

"So I would person liked to spot a small much expedience astir that determination that was made astir 4th past eight."

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan took to Twitter to vent his frustration, ripping the determination to docket the crippled astatine the MCG alternatively of Marvel Stadium, which has a roof.

But Taylor doesn't stock Vaughan's view.

"I deliberation the MCG is simply a overmuch amended cricket crushed than Marvel Stadium, to beryllium wholly honest," Taylor said.

"Yes, you're ever a accidental of rain, but you can't organise your calendar astir what mightiness happen.

"If you spell backmost to the Olympics 20 years agone successful Sydney, astir the aforesaid clip of twelvemonth it (the weather) was magnificent.

"You can't clasp the ICC (International Cricket Council) oregon anyone liable for La Niña. It's an unfortunate clip of the year.

"Marvel Stadium — yes, it's got a roof. But I similar to spot games successful Melbourne astatine the MCG."

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