6th ODI: Top order anchors England to commanding position
Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott shared an unbeaten 70-run stand which put England in a commanding position against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in the sixth One-day International match of the seven-match series being played at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The visitors have moved to 112 for 1 from 21 overs, a position from where they can muster a massive total. The pair has set a solid foundation for the middle-order batsmen to build on.
Strauss, the England captain, won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first on run-scoring strip. The opening pair took the attack to the opposition and added 41 runs in seven overs.
Matt Prior looked good and positive at the start, smashing two crisp boundaries in an 18-run innings before getting out to Mitchell Johnson. Meanwhile, the visiting captain continued his strong form and hammered the Australian bowling attack to all parts
of the ground. The left-handed batsman has so far piled up 60 runs from just 66 balls, despatching six deliveries to the fence.
Trott joined his skipper in the eighth over. He has been in impressive form throughout this tour. He started his innings rather sedately, playing watchfully and scoring his runs in ones and twos. Nevertheless, he has racked up 28 runs off 38 balls without
hitting a boundary.
The Australian bowlers were a bit off-colour, conceding runs at almost six an over. The fast bowling duo of Brett lee and Shaun Tait went for plenty in their first spell and could not pick up a wicket.
However, Mitchell Johnson was the pick of the seam bowlers as he provided the Kangaroos with their first breakthrough of the morning. He was the only bowler who moved the ball off the pitch, and was constantly bringing the ball back into the right-hander.
His persistent bowling gained him the only wicket that has fallen so far.
Johnson brought about the downfall of Matt Prior with a beautiful in-dipper. The ball was pitched up on middle-stump and moved into the right-hander. He was enticed into a false drive, but the ball took an inside edge and went onto rattle his stumps.
Australian bowlers will have to alter their line and length in order to pick up some more wickets and try to bring themselves back into the game.
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