Carlton Mid Tri-series, Australia Date: 23/01/2015
Game 4
Australia Vs England at Bellerive Oval, Hobart
It is not often in one day cricket that you come across
a match where you cannot tell one innings from the other. So similar was the
progress made by both England and Australia at Hobart today that the match was
decided by a passage of 9 overs where one team decidedly lost the momentum.
Score at the
end of over
|
England
|
Australia
|
Runs scored
in overs
|
England
|
Australia
|
|
5
|
34 for 0
|
39 for 0
|
1 to 5
|
34 for 0
|
39 for 0
|
|
10
|
69 for 0
|
67 for 0
|
6 to 10
|
35 for 0
|
28 for 0
|
|
15
|
98 for 0
|
90 for 1
|
11 to 15
|
29 for 0
|
23 for 1
|
|
20
|
119 for 1
|
120 for 3
|
16 to 20
|
21 for 1
|
30 for 2
|
|
25
|
150 for 2
|
149 for 3
|
21 to 25
|
31 for 1
|
29 for 0
|
|
30
|
175 for 2
|
171 for 4
|
26 to 30
|
25 for 0
|
22 for 1
|
|
35
|
205 for 2
|
201 for 4
|
31 to 35
|
30 for 0
|
30 for 0
|
|
40
|
244 for 2
|
230 for 5
|
36 to 40
|
39 for 0
|
29 for 1
|
|
45
|
276 for 5
|
272 for 5
|
41 to 45
|
32 for 3
|
42 for 0
|
|
50
|
303 for 8
|
304 for 7*
|
46 to 50
|
27 for 3
|
32 for 2*
|
Statistics
Source: ESPNCricinfo.com
England had placed themselves in a dominant position
and could have shut Australia out of the game. At 244 for 2 after 40 overs, a
score close to 330 was there for the taking. Ian Bell was in sublime form and
had reached 134 off 119 balls. England lost the plot from here though and the
disciplined Australian attack kept them to just 59 runs off the last 10 overs.
England lost 6 wickets in the process and ended up with a sub-par 303.
Australia won the toss and their debutante captain
Steven Smith chose to bowl hoping the moisture in the surface would assist his
new ball bowlers. Ian Bell and Moeen Ali, though, started briskly. Ian Bell was
flashy in the beginning but soon settled in a smooth rhythm. The pair added 113
for the opening wicket rendering Smith’s reading of the pitch incorrect. James
Taylor, who replaced Ali, did not last long and fell for 5. Bell and Joe Root then added
121 runs off 19 overs for the third wicket. Sandhu broke the stand in the 42nd
over removing Bell and took out Eoin Morgan in the same over to put brakes to
England’s scoring. England could not regain momentum and over the next 8
overs managed only 49 runs losing 4 more wickets.
Australia’s new opening pair of Finch and Shaun Marsh added
76 in just 70 balls before Finch fell to a horrendous slog sweep to Moeen Ali.
Marsh, on his comeback, was motoring along nicely towards a big score when he
cut uppishly and was caught at point by Bell off Finn for 45. Cameron White’s 4 year
wait ended in disaster when he could not do anything but offer his front pad
to a spearing yorker from Finn and was adjudged LBW. He lasted only 2
deliveries. Steven Smith took charge from here and added 69, 55 & 81 with
Maxwell, Faulkner & Haddin respectively to take his team to victory. He remained unbeaten on 102.
Australia went into this game with three changes.
David Warner, Shane Watson and captain, George Bailey were missing and were
replaced by Shaun Marsh, Moises Henriques & Cameron White. England went
with the same side that beat India 3 days ago.
It was a day of records for both the centurions of the
match. Steven Smith, leading Australia for the first time in ODIs, became the
first batsman to score centuries in his first innings as captain in both tests
and one-dayers. Ian Bell, on route to his 141, became the leading run-scorer
for England in one day internationals. He now sits at 5136 runs from 153 games
having overtaken former captain Paul Collingwood’s tally of 5092. Curiously,
the leading run scorer for England is placed a distant 65th in the
pecking order of the 50-overs run plunderers.
Australia
have marched into the final of this tri-series. Their defeat of England gives
another opportunity to India to qualify for the final. However, they will have
to show significant improvement in all aspects of the game if they truly want
to see themselves at Perth on Feb 1st. The next game of the Carlton
Mid Tri-Series will be played between India and Australia on Jan 26th
at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
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