Josh Inglis' record-breaking hundred helped Australia wrap up a series victory over Scotland, winning the second T20I by 70 runs at The Grange on Friday.
Inglis struck seven fours and seven sixes in a ruthless batting display, becoming the quickest player in Australian history to reach 100 runs in the 20-over format.
The tourists had earlier got off to a poor start with the bat as Travis Head was bowled out for a duck by Brad Currie (3-37) in the first over.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (16) would follow shortly after, only for Inglis to take control of proceedings as he reached his ton in just 43 balls, putting Australia in a strong position.
He would eventually fall victim to Chris Sole in the 18th over, with Cameron Green (36), Marcus Stoinis (20) and Tim David (17) helping to set Scotland a target of 197.
The hosts then found themselves with a mountain to climb, having seen four wickets fall before the halfway stage of their innings.
Brandon McMullen's knock of 59 offered Scotland a glimpse of a comeback, but the wickets continued to tumble as Stoinis (4-23) ripped through their lower order, sealing the triumph with the wicket of Chris Greaves (6).
Data Debrief: Record breaker Inglis
Inglis was the star of the show for the tourists, recording the quickest ton for Australia in T20Is, from just 43 deliveries.
He also recorded the joint-fastest century by a designated wicketkeeper-batter from a full-time nation, equalling South African Quinton de Kock's 43-ball hundred against West Indies in 2023.
Duckett hails Pope resilience as stand-in skipper hits Sri Lanka ton
Ben Duckett hailed Ollie Pope's resilience after the stand-in England captain shook off his poor form to hit his seventh Test century in the third Test versus Sri Lanka.
Bad light limited play on day one of the final test at The Oval on Friday, but Pope made good on the time allowed to smash 103 runs off as many deliveries.
Standing in to lead the team with Ben Stokes out injured, Pope had failed to make more than 17 runs in any of his first four innings in the series, being limited to single figures on three occasions.
Friday's ton, though, was his third in Tests this year, after knocks of 121 versus West Indies in July and 196 in India in January. Only eight England batters have accomplished that feat, and Pope is the first to do so since Gary Ballance in 2014.
He is also the first batter in history to hit his first seven Test tons against seven different opponents, in Sri Lanka, West Indies, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan.
Duckett, who himself fell short of his fourth red-ball century as he went for 86 runs off 79 balls, was delighted to see Pope quieten the doubters.
"Everyone is so happy for anyone's success in this dressing room, it's an incredible place to be," Duckett told Sky Sports.
"There was a lot of noise around Ollie. There shouldn't be but there has been and I know what it’s like at the top of the order and he's had a far better summer than I have.
"To block that out and score an incredible 100 was so good, you could see that from his emotions. We’re all extremely happy for him.
"People are paid to give their opinion, which is completely fair enough and I saw Pope say that last week.
"To go two games without a big score is not a long time and facing the new ball in England, I know how tricky it can be. For Pope to go out there and express himself at a ground that he loves, it's just credit to him."
Unbeaten on 103, Pope will return to the crease alongside Harry Brook (8) on Saturday, with England 221-3 as they chase a series whitewash.
Pope hits ton as England impress on disrupted day one at The Oval
Stand-in captain Ollie Pope put his recent woes behind him with a magnificent century as England cruised to 221-3 on day one of the third Test versus Sri Lanka at The Oval.
Pope had overseen back-to-back victories at Old Trafford and Lord's in Ben Stokes' absence but had struggled with his own form, failing to score more than 17 runs in any of his four innings in the series to date.
Things turned around for him on Friday, though, as he helped the hosts build a handsome lead with six wickets still in hand ahead of day two.
England were initially frustrated by bad light during the morning session, with a delay of almost three hours ensuing after Ben Duckett helped the hosts to 80-1 following the early loss of Dan Lawrence (5).
Duckett counted nine fours and two sixes among his 86 runs off 79 balls before he scooped Milan Rathnayake's slow delivery into the waiting hands of Dinesh Chandimal.
Joe Root then struggled to match Duckett's pace and he walked for 13 off 48 balls when he sliced Lahiru Kumara's delivery straight to Asitha Fernando in the deep.
However, Pope took the reins from there and put his poor recent form behind him with a speedy ton off 102 balls, with bad light stopping play for the final time immediately after he brought up three figures with a four, much to the frustration of the home fans.
Pope (102 not out) and Harry Brook (8 not out) will resume at the crease on Saturday, as England target a 3-0 series whitewash and a perfect Test summer.
Data Debrief: Pope's redemption
Figures of 6, 6, 17 and 1 through his four innings with the bat had somewhat sullied Pope's experience of captaining England in this series, but the stand-in skipper had a far more positive experience on Friday.
He put recent criticism of his performances to one side with an assured knock, hitting 13 fours and two maximums to ensure England made the most of limited play.
It is his seventh Test century overall, and his third of 2024 after knocks of 121 versus West Indies in July and 196 in India in January. Only eight England batters have accomplished that feat, and Pope is the first to do so since Gary Ballance in 2014.
Graeme West departs Cricket West Indies after 12 years of service
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the departure of Graeme West, who will step down from his role as High Performance Manager on September 30, 2024, after 12 years of distinguished service. West, who joined CWI on June 1, 2012, as the Head Coach of the High Performance Centre at Cave Hill, Barbados, leaves behind a lasting legacy of development and success within West Indies cricket.
During his tenure, West oversaw several critical initiatives aimed at building the future of West Indies cricket. From his time as Head Coach of the West Indies Under-19 Men’s team, where he led them to World Cup glory in 2016, to his leadership in creating the Men’s and Women’s Academy programs at Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua, West has been a key figure in nurturing emerging talent. He also played a pivotal role in launching the 12-month U19 Pathway Programmes, which are vital in the continuous development of the region’s youth players.
CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, expressed his gratitude for West's years of service: “I sincerely thank Graeme for his 12 years of service to West Indies cricket. He has contributed significantly to the development of our High Performance system and has overseen many initiatives that we will continue to grow after he departs. We are grateful for his years of commitment and wish him the best as he turns the page to a new chapter in his career.”
Reflecting on his time with CWI, West spoke about the impact the organization and the region have had on him and his family. “I would like to thank CWI for the opportunities provided to me and my family over the last twelve years. I leave the organization as a more experienced coach, a more rounded leader, and a World Cup winner," he said. "Equally important to me are the relationships I have developed with players, coaches and the staff that have supported me throughout my time at CWI and I am sure will continue to do so in the future. My time spent in the Caribbean will forever hold a special place in my heart. My wife and I have raised our children on the beaches of Barbados and Antigua and we have thoroughly enjoyed and embraced the many cultures and diversity across the region.”
West's 12 years of service saw him based for five years at the High Performance Centre in Barbados and another seven years at CWI’s headquarters in Antigua. Beyond his success with the Under-19 Men’s team, West also served as the Head Coach of the West Indies ‘A’ Team from 2016 to 2018, where he led the team to series victories against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
As High Performance Manager, West has been instrumental in the creation of new pathways for young cricketers, both male and female, laying a foundation for future success in West Indies cricket. His departure marks the end of an era, but his influence will continue to shape the development of talent within the Caribbean for years to come.
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