England thrash Australia

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP):

Jos Buttler was near his brutal best as England thrashed old rivals Australia by eight wickets with 50 balls to spare at the cricket T20 World Cup today.

Buttler smashed 71 not out from 32 balls with five thumping sixes, as England's batters quickly finished off what their bowlers had started by knocking the Aussies over for 125.

Openers Buttler and Jason Roy put on a rapid 66 to start England's chase. Jonny Bairstow was with Buttler to finish it off and also did not hang around by launching two sixes in his 16 not out from 11 balls.

England's bowlers, with Chris Jordan leading with 3-17, tore through Australia at the start, with the Australians slumping to 21-4 in 6.1 overs. Australia rallied to see out their full 20 overs, but only just with Mitchell Starc the last man out off the final ball of the innings.

The result puts England top of Group One outright and underlined their status as one of the favourites for the title, having lost the final of the last T20 World Cups in 2016 to West Indies.

Australia, which belied their shaky recent form by winning their opening two games, are tied with South Africa for second place in Group One, but behind the South Africans on run rate after yesterday's hammering by England.

The top two from the group will reach the semi-finals.

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