Zampa rejects idea Australia do not value T20s — and more

T20 World Cup, Group B, Pallekele

Oman 104 (16.2 overs): Wasim 32 (33); Zampa 4-21

Australia 108-1 (9.4 overs): Marsh 64 (33)

Australia won by nine wickets

Scorecard. Tables

Spinner Adam Zampa rejected the narrative Australia do not value T20 cricket as highly as other formats after his side departed the World Cup by thrashing Oman for a consolation nine-wicket win.

Mitchell Marsh's side were already out of the tournament after defeats by Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe but lifted themselves to dismiss Oman for 104 before racing to their target in just 9.4 overs.

Since their exit was confirmed on Tuesday, it has been suggested Australia do not value the shortest format as highly as Test or 50-over cricket.

"It is totally false," said Zampa, a white-ball specialist who has never played a Test.

"The time the coaches and staff put into our T20 cricket is probably as much as Test cricket, potentially even more time because T20 cricket and one-day cricket, everyone is a lot tighter in the world. The work is definitely there."

Australia's poor World Cup follows their 4-1 victory over England in the Ashes. They have not lost an Ashes series since 2015. They have won six 50-over World Cups but only one of the 10 men's T20 World Cups.

They lost bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to injury before this tournament while left-armer Mitchell Starc has also retired from T20s, but their thinking often appeared muddled throughout the group stage here.

"The Australian public struggle with the fact they don't get to see much white-ball cricket played," said 33-year-old Zampa.

"We play three to six games in the summer and do a lot of our work away from Australian time.

"They don't get to see the way we play and prepare for these World Cups.

"It is disappointing it has ended like this but the work and time is as much as the other formats."

How Australia thrashed Oman

Zampa said he was "feeling pretty hollow" after the win over Oman.

He took four wickets but said it was the "worst-feeling four-for I have ever got".

Seamer Xavier Bartlett bowled Aamir Kaleem with the first ball of the match and the seamer barely celebrated - a clear sign of Australia's disappointment at their early exit.

Though the flat atmosphere continued, Australia were clinical. Wasim Ali's 32 was the highest score for Oman, who depart the tournament with four defeats from four.

Captain Marsh, seemingly keen to hit through any frustrations at his side's run, then crashed seven fours and four sixes, including two huge hits over the leg side, to wrap up victory in quick time.

Only 12 runs were needed when left-arm spinner Shakeel Ahmed dismissed Travis Head for 32. Marsh finished unbeaten on 64 from 33.

Australia's victory concludes the group stage of the World Cup - this was one of few mismatches between the lower and higher-ranked sides.

The Super 8s begin on Saturday with a meeting between New Zealand and Pakistan in Colombo. England play co-hosts Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Sunday.

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NEED TO KNOW

• NBA commissioner Adam Silver is reportedly implementing tweaks to league rules about tanking
• The Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were fined last week after they chose to rest star players
• With a talented incoming draft class, more franchises are losing so that they can better their odds for a top pick

The NBA is aiming to combat the increasing practice of teams tanking to get top draft picks.

League Commissioner Adam Silver met with 30 general managers on Thursday, Feb. 19, to discuss the irksome trend — which has drawn the ire of fans and critics alike — and will implement changes next season, sources told ESPN.

Among the ideas discussed to tweak the current system, first-round draft picks would be protected for top-four or top-14-plus selections, lottery odds would freeze at the trade deadline or a later date and teams would no longer be able to pick in the top four in consecutive years. 

The “inside basketball” moves come in the wake of the NBA fining the Utah Jazz and the Indiana Pacers for “conduct detrimental to the league” after both teams recently removed star players from their lineups, according to the league.

Meanwhile, more teams are implementing the practice so that they can land a top draft pick because this year’s class is one of the most talented in recent memory, according to The Athletic.

In his annual league address during All-Star Weekend, Silver addressed the “conundrum.”

“The fundamental theory behind the draft is to help your worst-performing teams restock and be able to compete,” Silver said, according to The Athletic. “The issue is, if teams are manipulating their performance in order to get higher draft picks, even in a lottery, then the question becomes … are they really the worst performing teams?

He added, “My sense is talking to GMs and coaches around the league that there’s probably even more parity reflected in our records. And that goes to the incentive issue. … It’s a bit of a conundrum.”

With the NBA at an inflection point, one outspoken former owner said the issue shouldn’t be top of mind.

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"The nba should worry more about fan experience than tanking,” former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wrote on X earlier this week. “It should worry more about pricing fans out of games than tanking. 

He added, “You know who cares the least about tanking , a parent who cant afford to bring their 3 kids to a game and buy their kids a jersey of their fave player. Tanking isn’t the issue.  Affordability and quality of game presentation are.”

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Australia depart the T20 World Cup with a thumping, nine-wicket consolation victory over Oman in Pallekele.