Australia win after record chase
Australia conjured up their biggest ever successful run chase to beat
England by two wickets in a thrilling sixth one-day international at the
Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
After a Jonathan Trott century helped England post their highest ever
ODI score against Australia of 333-6, the home side batted their way
into contention, needing six to win off the final over with two wickets
in hand. Tailender John Hastings edged a boundary off the second
delivery from youngster Chris Woakes to hand Australia victory with four
balls to spare, the home side making 334-8.
Run chase
It was Australia’s record run chase in an ODI and extended their lead
over the tourists in the seven-match series to 5-1 with one game to
play.
Captain Michael Clarke’s late season return to form continued as he
smashed 82 from 70 balls to lead the unlikely chase, with late support
from David Hussey, who made 38.
The match seemed to be England’s to lose with Australia needing 70
off 48 balls, but the pair took 16 off James Anderson’s eighth over —
the 44th of the innings. They followed it up by notching 14 off
Anderson’s ninth as the England bowler went on to finish with a
disastrous 91 runs from his 10 overs.
Shane Watson, with 51 off 34 balls, got the home side off to a flying
start in reply to what had the look of a match-winning total by England,
before falling to the spin of Michael Yardy.
Number four
Mitchell Johnson was promoted to number four and made 57 before being
stumped from the bowling of Kevin Pietersen, while the recalled Callum
Ferguson was run out for 46.
An Australian win seemed unlikely after Trott’s second century of the
series helped England post what was also their highest ODI score in
Australia.
Trott continued his superb series by making 137, taking his haul for
the series to 361 runs at 72.20, the English number three the leading
scorer for either side despite his team’s indifferent form.
Before falling to the second-last ball of the innings Trott was
offered good support by captain Andrew Strauss, who made 63 from just 69
balls, and Ian Bell, with 45 from 32 deliveries.
Reprieve
Trott, was earlier given out lbw on 82 to Shaun Tait but handed a
reprieve after a review of the decision, reached triple figures for the
fourth time in ODIs from exactly 100 balls, having hit seven boundaries.
In an outstanding game for the England man he took a brilliant catch
to remove Brad Haddin (20), and bowled during the Australian innings.
AFP
SCORECARD ENGLAND
A. Strauss Hussey b Smith 63 M. Prior b Johnson 18 J. Trott c and b Tait 137 K. Pietersen c Smith b Lee 29 I. Bell c Clarke b Tait 45 E. Morgan c Tait b Watson 21 P. Collingwood not out 07 C. Woakes not out 00 Extras (b1, lb4, w6, nb2) 13 Total (for six wickets, 50 overs) 333 Fall of wickets: 1-41 (Prior), 2-121 (Strauss), 3-189 (Pietersen), 4-293
(Bell), 5-319 (Morgan), 6-330 (Trott). Bowling: Lee 9-1-66-1 (1w), Tait 10-0-59-2 (1nb, 1w), Johnson 6-0-43-1
(1nb, 2w),
Hastings 7-0-48-0 (2w), Hussey 4-0-25-0, Smith 7-0-40-1,
Clarke 1-0-7-0, Watson 6-0-40-1.
Australia
S. Watson c Strauss b Yardy 51 B. Haddin c Trott b Anderson 20 C. Ferguson run out 46 M. Johnson st Prior b Pietersen 57 M. Clarke run out 82 C. White c Morgan b Finn 20 D. Hussey c Prior b Finn 38 S. Smith run out 00 J. Hastings not out 07 B. Lee not out 02 Extras (w11) 11 Total (for eight wickets,49.2 overs) 334 Fall of wickets: 1-71 (Haddin), 2-87 (Watson), 3-166 (Ferguson), 4-194
(Johnson),
5-224 (White), 6-314 (Hussey), 7-317 (Smith), 8-327 (Clarke). Bowling: Woakes 9.2-0-73-0 (7w), Anderson 10-0-91-1 (1w), Finn 10-0-51-2
(2w),
Yardy 10-0-47-1, Pietersen 6-0-43-1 (1w), Trott 4-0-29-0. |