Bopara stars as England ease past Australia
Ravi Bopara starred with both bat and ball as England coasted to a
six-wicket win over Australia with 26 balls to spare in the second
one-day international (ODI) at The Oval here on Sunday. England saw
all-rounder Bopara top-score with 82 in a total of 252 for four after
taking one for 16 with five overs of his medium-pace as Australia were
restricted to 251 for seven.
Man-of-the-match Bopara, run out by Brett Lee with England just two
runs shy of victory, faced 85 balls with eight fours.
England's eighth successive ODI win gave them a 2-0 lead in this
five-match series after Friday's 15-run victory at Lord's.
It also kept them on course for a 5-0 whitewash that would see them
replace arch-rivals Australia at the top of the 50-over world rankings.
But victory was far from certain when, two balls after Australia
captain Michael Clarke bowled Ian Bell for 75, the left-arm spinner
appealed for lbw against Eoin Morgan, still then on nought.
Umpire Richard Illingworth raised his finger but former Ireland
international Morgan immediately called for a review.
Eventually, after several minutes' study, third umpire Aleem Dar, one
of world cricket's most respected officials, told Illingworth to reverse
his decision on the basis of a 'Hotspot' replay that indicated a faint
edge.
England were still 171 for three and not 171 for four and left-hander
Morgan, man-of-the-match at Lord's with an unbeaten 89, pressed on to 43
not out, having helped Bopara add 79 at better than a run-a-ball for the
fourth wicket.
Opener Bell made Australia pay Sunday for dropping him on 38 and 70
with a typically stylish 113-ball innings featuring one six and six
fours. Australia left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson, replacing Pat Cummins
after the teenage paceman was ruled out of the rest of the series with a
side injury, helped England with a couple of early no-balls that led to
free hit fours.
The seamer's first two overs cost an expensive 20 runs and left-arm
spinner Xavier Doherty then saw his opening delivery eased through the
covers by England captain Alastair Cook.
AFP
Australia
S. Watson c Finn b Swann 66
D. Warner c Bell b Finn 10
P. Forrest c Kieswetter b Broad 12
M. Clarke c Kieswetter b Bopara 10
G. Bailey b Bresnan 65
D. Hussey run out (Finn) 29
M. Wade c Broad b Bresnan 6
B. Lee not out 20
M. Johnson not out 8
Extras (lb15, w8, nb2) 25
Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 251
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Warner), 2-66 (Forrest), 3-101 (Clarke) 4-128 (Watson), 5-206 (Hussey), 6-222 (Bailey), 7-223 (Wade)
Did not bat: C McKay, X Doherty
Bowling: Finn 9-0-36-1 (2w); Dernbach 10-1-59-0 (1w); Bresnan 8-0-50-2 (1w);
Broad 10-0-48-1 (1nb, 4w); Bopara 5-0-16-1 (1nb); Swann 8-0-27-1
England
A. Cook lbw b McKay 18
Bell b Clarke 75
J. Trott b Watson 17
R. Bopara run out (Lee) 82
E. Morgan not out 43
C. Kieswetter not out 0
Extras (lb4, w9, nb4) 17
Total (4 wkts, 45.4 overs) 252
Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Cook), 2-81 (Trott), 3-171 (Bell), 4-250 (Bopara)
Did not bat: T Bresnan, S Broad, G Swann, S Finn, J Dernbach
Bowling: Lee 10-0-58-0 (5w); Johnson 7-0-43-0 (4nb, 2w); McKay 10-1-42-1; Doherty 7.4-0-41-0 (1w);
Watson 6-0-34-1 (1w); Hussey 3-0-17-0; Clarke 2-0-13-1 |
