The Fort Worth Press - 'Hurt' for holders Australia but England make winning World Cup start

USD -
AED 3.673042
AFN 70.72223
ALL 92.599072
AMD 387.699673
ANG 1.801525
AOA 872.636041
ARS 928.11083
AUD 1.527417
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.70397
BAM 1.800788
BBD 2.018268
BDT 117.449912
BGN 1.80187
BHD 0.376768
BIF 2879.714202
BMD 1
BND 1.343271
BOB 6.90741
BRL 5.656104
BSD 0.999558
BTN 83.686837
BWP 13.544122
BYN 3.271304
BYR 19600
BZD 2.014861
CAD 1.38295
CDF 2865.000362
CHF 0.883665
CLF 0.034333
CLP 947.340396
CNY 7.250404
CNH 7.263175
COP 4033.18
CRC 528.506187
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 101.519127
CZK 23.341604
DJF 177.997938
DKK 6.87404
DOP 59.166912
DZD 134.339091
EGP 48.263969
ERN 15
ETB 57.788837
EUR 0.91975
FJD 2.25895
FKP 0.77056
GBP 0.777122
GEL 2.703861
GGP 0.77056
GHS 15.492335
GIP 0.77056
GMD 67.75039
GNF 8614.466706
GTQ 7.746628
GYD 209.091411
HKD 7.80675
HNL 24.748637
HRK 6.90795
HTG 131.942398
HUF 360.23504
IDR 16304.15
ILS 3.65883
IMP 0.77056
INR 83.74465
IQD 1309.516136
IRR 42105.000352
ISK 138.060386
JEP 0.77056
JMD 156.351282
JOD 0.708704
JPY 153.74504
KES 129.940385
KGS 84.040604
KHR 4100.066293
KMF 454.225039
KPW 900.00035
KRW 1384.870383
KWD 0.30585
KYD 0.833019
KZT 473.514111
LAK 22170.249988
LBP 89514.93946
LKR 302.886607
LRD 195.317104
LSL 18.248239
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.830215
MAD 9.845499
MDL 17.743198
MGA 4549.388627
MKD 56.737719
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3450.000346
MOP 8.037659
MRU 39.593768
MUR 46.820378
MVR 15.350378
MWK 1733.297731
MXN 18.459204
MYR 4.657504
MZN 63.899991
NAD 18.248239
NGN 1596.000344
NIO 36.79287
NOK 10.981935
NPR 133.898976
NZD 1.69837
OMR 0.384843
PAB 0.999558
PEN 3.757182
PGK 3.921442
PHP 58.501038
PKR 278.208419
PLN 3.936692
PYG 7569.423984
QAR 3.645997
RON 4.579204
RSD 107.790402
RUB 85.972867
RWF 1314.3599
SAR 3.751623
SBD 8.475946
SCR 13.614743
SDG 586.000339
SEK 10.814304
SGD 1.342604
SHP 0.77056
SLE 22.847303
SLL 20969.503664
SOS 571.228639
SRD 29.001038
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.746374
SYP 2512.53037
SZL 18.245433
THB 35.903649
TJS 10.595829
TMT 3.55
TND 3.101045
TOP 2.385104
TRY 32.942604
TTD 6.785139
TWD 32.813038
TZS 2698.880377
UAH 41.03869
UGX 3728.086329
UYU 40.24306
UZS 12629.252797
VEF 3622552.534434
VES 36.560866
VND 25315
VUV 118.722038
WST 2.803608
XAF 603.967479
XAG 0.035806
XAU 0.000419
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.753904
XOF 603.967479
XPF 109.810782
YER 250.350363
ZAR 18.273104
ZMK 9001.203587
ZMW 26.114098
ZWL 321.999592
  • RBGPF

    58.8600

    58.86

    +100%

  • SCS

    0.2000

    14.03

    +1.43%

  • RELX

    0.5400

    46.54

    +1.16%

  • BCC

    5.7500

    141.04

    +4.08%

  • CMSC

    0.1050

    24.19

    +0.43%

  • RIO

    0.7300

    65.06

    +1.12%

  • NGG

    0.9700

    63.62

    +1.52%

  • JRI

    -0.1300

    12.41

    -1.05%

  • GSK

    0.7900

    39.86

    +1.98%

  • BTI

    0.4300

    35.16

    +1.22%

  • AZN

    -0.3900

    78.13

    -0.5%

  • VOD

    0.2000

    9.47

    +2.11%

  • RYCEF

    0.1100

    5.68

    +1.94%

  • BCE

    0.1900

    33.36

    +0.57%

  • CMSD

    0.1550

    24.405

    +0.64%

  • BP

    0.0700

    35.25

    +0.2%

'Hurt' for holders Australia but England make winning World Cup start
'Hurt' for holders Australia but England make winning World Cup start / Photo: © AFP

'Hurt' for holders Australia but England make winning World Cup start

Holders Australia suffered a thumping by New Zealand in their Twenty20 World Cup opener but England launched their title charge with a win over Afghanistan on Saturday.

Text size:

After a week of first-round matches in Australia, the World Cup hit high gear with the Super 12 stage and two of the title favourites in action for the first time.

But Australia and England were to have very different fortunes.

The hosts were on the wrong end of an 89-run thrashing in front of a sell-out Sydney crowd as New Zealand emphatically avenged defeat in the final of last year's World Cup.

Devon Conway carried his bat with a majestic unbeaten 92 to help New Zealand blast 200-3, before Australia were skittled for 111 in reply.

Conway's knock came from just 58 balls with seven fours and two sixes, joining a select group to make 90 or more at a World Cup. Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee then both took three wickets each.

It was New Zealand's first win against Australia in Australia in any format since 2011.

Aaron Finch's men now have their work cut out to emerge from a tough Group 1 with Afghanistan, England and qualifiers Ireland and Sri Lanka awaiting them. Only the top two make the semi-finals.

"That's a big loss in the context of the tournament," said Finch.

"We were just totally outplayed in all three facets. New Zealand came at us hard with the bat and their bowling was so disciplined.

"It hurts. It hurts our net run rate, but we're still going to be positive.

"I think we still back ourselves that we can win four (matches), and you need a little bit of luck along the way."

Australia next play Asian champions Sri Lanka on Tuesday. New Zealand face Afghanistan a day after.

"I think for us it's close to a perfect game as a collective unit," said man-of-the-match Conway.

- Curran bags five for England -

In contrast to Australia's dismal start, England were pretty much always in control against Afghanistan in Perth in a five-wicket win.

Sterner tests await in what is the tougher of the two Super 12 groups.

Sam Curran did the bulk of the damage as he returned remarkable figures of 5-10 -- the first England bowler to take five wickets in T20Is -- and help bundle the Afghans out for a below-par 112 in 19.4 overs.

England were especially impressive in the field with a number of stunning catches, including by Adil Rashid running backwards to complete an excellent take at deep mid-on to send back Najibullah Zadran.

Jos Buttler's strongly fancied side didn't sparkle in reply but they got the job done with 11 balls remaining and next play Ireland on Wednesday.

Liam Livingstone was the pick of the England batsmen with an unbeaten 29 off 21 balls to guide them home.

"Coming into the tournament there were a few nerves. To get out there and get a win was fantastic," said Buttler, who is leading England for the first time at a global tournament and also joined in the catching heroics.

"We were challenged and felt like we had to pay respects to the bowlers. Could have been more fluent, but full credit to Afghanistan," he added.

Mohammad Nabi, the Afghanistan skipper, called England "the best T20 team in the world".

"Boys played really well," he said, adding: "We'll learn and we hope we improve in the next game."

On Sunday arch-rivals India and Pakistan clash in a Group 2 blockbuster and Sri Lanka play Ireland.

J.Barnes--TFWP