England’s bowlers ran through Oman with ease, knocking their unfancied opponents over for just 47 to kickstart their push for a place in the next stage of the T20 World Cup.
Seeking a heavy win to bolster their net run-rate and help them overtake Scotland in the race for the Super 8s, the defending champions made light work of the Arab nation.
They took all 10 wickets in a hasty 13.2 overs, with leg-spinner Adil Rashid claiming four for 11, while pace pair Mark Wood and Jofra Archer each took three for 12. Shoaib Khan was Oman’s top-scorer with 11 and the only batter to reach double figures.
The mission in front of England was clear from the off, with maximum victory needed in each of their last two games and healthy margins a necessity.
Jos Buttler won the toss and handed responsibility to his bowlers, trusting them to impose themselves rather than asking his batting lineup to aim for the stands.
It was a call he would not regret. Reece Topley, recalled for Chris Jordan in the only change to the XI, set the tone with a solid three over spell as Archer kicked off the procession of wickets at the Sir Andy Roberts End.
Pratik Athavale and captain Aqib Ilyas were both unsettled by his length and lift, trying to get on top of the bounce but only succeeding in feeding low catches that were snapped up by Phil Salt and Will Jacks.
Archer should have had a third when Moeen Ali grassed an ankle-high chance at slip, but the missed chance barely registered as Oman failed to get to grips with task at hand.
Wood was handed the final over of the powerplay and was too hot to handle. He had Zeeshan Maqsood caught and bowled off his first delivery and quickly added Kashyap Prajapati, flapping to mid-wicket after being hustled for pace.
At 25 for four, much of the damage had been done, but England did not rest. In fact, the arrival of Rashid’s well-honed leg-breaks and googlies merely accelerated Oman’s decline.
He ripped his opening ball past Khalid Kail’s sweep, who was stumped by a scrambling Buttler as he crept out of his crease, then watched as Mehran Khan offered Moeen the the easiest possible catching practice at slip.
In between Ayaan Khan dragged Wood into his stumps, another victim of the Durham player’s speed through the air. Rashid bagged two more as he toyed with the tail, producing a pair of wrong ‘uns that turned between bat and pad and sent the bails flying.
Oman snuck past the tournament’s lowest ever score of 39 – made by Uganda earlier this month – but the end was close. Shoaib was last man out, top-edging Archer into Buttler’s gloves to leave a regulation chase.
