Australia vs England, 1st T20: England set world record by winning eighth consecutive T20I
England secured their eighth Twenty20 international win in a row, setting a world record in the shortest format of the game. England won in nail-biting fashion, with just one wicket in hand and just one ball remaining in the innings.
The final run from 21-year-old Chris Woakes to seal the victory for England brought their supporters to their feet at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Australia managed to put up a respectable score of 157/4. This was largely thanks to Shane Watson, who scored 59 runs off 31 balls (including six boundaries and three sixes). Watson’s
fellow opener David Warner made 20 runs off 28 balls, while David Hussey made 28 off 27.
Michael Yardy took two wickets for England. The other two were taken by Woakes and Tim Bresnan.
When it was England’s turn to bat, Australia had a chance to take a wicket on the very first ball of the innings, but Steve O’Keefe dropped the catch that could have dismissed Ian Bell off a delivery by Shaun Tait. Bell got off
lucky again later when Warner dropped a catch, again off Tait. The England opener went on to score 27 runs off 17 balls, including four boundaries and a six. The other opener, Steven Davies, was not so lucky, dismissed by Brett Lee on just his second ball
for a mere four runs. Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood put up 25 and 16 runs respectively. Eoin Morgan posted a spectacular 43 off 33 balls, and England seemed to be coasting towards an easy victory. However, when Morgan was unexpectedly caught by Hussey
off Watson, things started to go all wrong for England. Yardy and Bresnan went soon after - both falling victim to Watson - and by the end of the 18th over, England needed 15 runs off 12 balls with only two wickets in hand.
Woakes held his nerves, even when Graeme Swann was bowled by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 at the start of the final over (having made just six runs off five balls) and England still needed four more runs to win with only one wickets in hand. He was
able to secure victory for England, hitting an unbeaten 19 off 23 balls.
Watson was the only Australian bowler who had presented any real danger for the England batting line-up. He took four wickets, giving away only 15 runs and making England hot under their collars. He will be bitterly disappointed
that his formidable bowling performance, along with his beautiful batting display earlier, could not save the game for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lee-c72382, Hussey, O’Keefe and Mitchell Johnson took one wicket each.
Australia are still reeling from a humiliating Ashes defeat earlier this month. T20 captain Cameron White is under a lot of pressure to salvage some national pride by at least winning the T20 series against the visiting England
team. The next Twenty20 match of the series will be held on January 14 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Tags: