Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa were unstoppable as they roared like a kangaroo to give Australia a winning start to the campaign. Both Ellis and Zampa were on fire and the Ireland players just could not play them at all today. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first and posted 182/6 on the back of an all-round batting display led by Marcus Stoinis’ 45 off 29 balls and others around and before him playing useful hands to post that score on a used surface.
In reply, Paul Stirling got injured and then it was one way traffic to say the least. Nathan Ellis stole the show with his 4-wicket haul and so did Adam Zampa as they skittled Ireland out for 115 with George Dockrell making a defiant 41 runs. But it was nowhere enough as Australia got over the line so easily. Australia means business and the message is sent loud and clear as well.
All-Round batting display led by Marcus Stoinis powered Australia to 182/6
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, captain Travis Head came out to open with keeper batter Josh Inglis for Australia while Matthew Humphreys had ball in hand for Ireland. Head hit a boundary and did not last long as the opening partnership was worth 7 runs when Head was run out for 6 off 7 balls with one four to his name. Cameron Green came out to bat next. Inglis and Green started to counter-attack for Australia as the aim was to get quickly off the blocks.
The duo put on 49 runs with both going after the bowling. Green and Inglis complimented each other really well. The score reached 56 as Green fell for 21 off 11 balls with one four and two sixes to his name to Mark Adair. Matt Renshaw came out to bat next. The powerplay score for Australia was 64/2 in 6 overs as Australia had a base to go big. Inglis and Renshaw put on 13 runs for the 3rd wicket before Inglis fell for a quickfire 37 off 17 balls with 6 fours and one six to his name. Glenn Maxwell came out to bat next. Maxwell hit a boundary as Renshaw was going well.
The duo could add another 19 runs for the 4th wicket before Maxwell fell for 9 off 9 balls to Harry Tector. Marcus Stoinis came out to bat next to join Renshaw in the middle as the Aussies were in need of a partnership. Australia were 90/4 in 10 overs. Australia were in need of a partnership and they got that through Stoinis and Renshaw. They did not go hell for leather.
They aced the middle stage and scored at a fair clip running the ones and twos and also playing the big shots when needed. The duo of Renshaw and Stoinis put on 61 runs off 44 balls for the 5th wicket before Renshaw fell for a good looking 37 off 33 balls with 2 fours to his name to Matthew Humphreys. Cooper Connolly came out to bat next. Just 10 runs were added to the score before Stoinis fell for 45 off 29 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name as a good solid innings came to an end. Xavier Bartlett came out to bat next. There were 13 balls left in the innings. ‘
Connolly and Bartlett got an unbeaten stand of 23 off 13 balls to add valuable runs to the score as Australia got past 180 on a used track. Cooper Connolly was unbeaten on 11 off 8 balls with one six to his name while Xavier Bartlett was unbeaten on 11 off 6 balls with 2 fours to his name. Australia ended with a more than competitive 182/6 in 20 overs. 5 extras given by the fielding side.
Ireland had a mixed day with the ball and in the field. Mark Adair finished with 2/44 in 4 overs. George Dockrell finished with 1/31 in 4 overs. Matthew Humphreys finished with 1/33 in 4 overs. Harry Tector finished with 1/24 in 3 overs. Barry McCarthy finished with 0/37 in 3 overs. Gareth Delany finished with 0/12 in 2 overs. So, this meant Ireland needed an imposing 183 runs to get the win in 20 overs. Paul Stirling the captain pulled off a screamer and then left the field and was off for quite a while.
Nathan Ellis & Adam Zampa’s 4-wicket hauls skittles Ireland out for 115
Chasing 183 for an improbable win, Paul Stirling the captain came out to bat alongside Ross Adair for Ireland while Xavier Bartlett had ball in hand for Australia. Stirling played the first ball and took off for a run and was hobbling in pain and walked off the field after scoring one run. Harry Tector came out to bat next. Adair was quickly off the blocks as he went after the bowling for a while. The duo added 12 runs to the score before Tector fell for a bronze duck to Matthew Kuhnemann.
Keeper batter Lorcan Tucker came out to bat next. Ireland lost another as Ross Adair was cleaned up with a slower ball from Nathan Ellis. Curtis Campher came out to bat next. Ireland innings was in a freefall as after 4 more runs were added to the tally before Campher fell as well for 4 off 2 balls with one boundary to his name to Ellis. Benjamin Calitz came out to bat next.
The duo of Tucker and Calitz added 10 more to the tally before Calitz fell for 2 off 4 balls to Ellis. Gareth Delany came out to bat next. Tucker and Delany tried to forge some sort of partnership. Ireland were 40/4 in 6 overs of powerplay. The duo added 16 runs to the tally before Delany fell for 11 off 12 balls with one four and one six to his name. George Dockrell came out to bat out there.
Dockrell was the only batter to show some positive intent and make Australia think about the bowling. He batted really well amidst the ruins at the other end. Tucker hung in there but went at less than run a ball. The duo were already fighting a losing battle but tried to add some respectability. Tucker and Dockrell added 46 runs for the 7th wicket before Tucker the keeper batter fell for 24 off 27 balls with one four and one six to his name to Adam Zampa.
Mark Adair came to the middle with Ireland trying to defend their Net Run Rate. Adair came and played his shots. But it was to no avail. The duo of Dockrell and Adair put on 21 runs before Dockrell fell for an excellent 41 off 29 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to his name to Zampa. Barry McCarthy came out to bat next. Just one run was added to the tally before Mark Adair fell to Adam Zampa for 12 off 6 balls with 2 fours to his name. Matthew Humphreys came out to bat next.
Just 4 more runs were added to the score before McCarthy fell for 2 off 4 balls to Nathan Ellis. With Paul Stirling unable to resume batting and not available due to injury, the innings ended here. Ireland were done and dusted with 115 in 16.5 overs with Humphreys unbeaten on 3 off 4 balls. 3 extras given by the fielding side.
Australia had a great day in the office in Colombo with ball in hand. Nathan Ellis was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/12 in 3.5 overs. Adam Zampa supported him well for his 4/23 in 4 overs. Matthew Kuhnemann finished with 1/29 in 4 overs. Xavier Bartlett finished with 0/22 in 2 overs. Cooper Connolly finished with 0/26 in 3 overs. So, Australia thrashed Ireland by 67 runs to start their campaign with a win. Nathan Ellis was awarded the Player of the Match Award.
What Lies Ahead
So, Australia starts off emphatically with a 67-run win and they go top of Group B. Australia will next face Zimbabwe on Friday morning at 11 am in Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium while Ireland has a game against Oman and Zimbabwe to come as they have lost both their games so far. More action to come in the World Cup 2026 as our feature match will get underway soon in Mumbai where England are facing West Indies in a Group C clash.
So, loads of action still to come in World Cup 2026.
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