England seek to lord it over Australia in final ODI
As England and Australia head to Lord’s for the final ODI of the current series, both teams will be looking to gain one last valuable victory over the old enemy ahead of the 2010/11 Ashes.
While the home side wrapped up the five-match series after winning the first three matches, Australia hit back in the fourth to salvage some pride and perhaps gain some momentum against an England side that is proving increasingly difficult for the Aussies to defeat these days.
Indeed, England will head Down Under in November as the current owners of the Ashes urn, the World Twenty20 champions (having beaten Australia in the final), and the winners of this ODI series.
It’s a trifecta that makes winning this match all the more important for Ricky Ponting’s men, who after a fairly ordinary start to the series turned things around and romped to a 78-run victory at The Oval - admittedly in a dead rubber match.
Still, the signs are positive for the Aussies, who finally delivered with both bat (92 from Ponting and an unbeaten 99 from Michael Clarke leading the way) and ball, with Ryan Harris’ five-wicket haul making sure England didn’t even come close to reaching the 290-run total posted by the visitors.
The series whitewash was averted, but Australia will want to ensure that whatever bragging rights Andrew Strauss and company have when the Ashes begin at the end of the year, winning their most recent encounter won’t be one of them.
Australia headed to England with an emerging bowling attack, and perhaps in light of that fact, teething problems were going to be inevitable. A foot injury to spinner Nathan Hauritz two games into the series, however, has produced one major positive for Ponting’s side, and that’s the addition of the lightning fast Shaun Tait to the ODI squad for the first time since 2007.
Sure, the 27-year-old can only be bowled in short spells, but he’s added that extra bit of firepower to the pace of Harris and Doug Bollinger. Young leg-spinner Steven Smith, who took 2-59 at The Oval, now also gets a chance to prove himself in the 50-over format, after he was used as Australia’s slow bowler of choice in the World Twenty20.
It’s an attack that lacks the solidity, perhaps, of the England bowling line-up but one which has now proved that – provided Australia’s batsmen give them a total to defend – they can be just as damaging on their day.
For England, wicketkeeper-batsman Craig Kieswetter will surely be looking to unleash in the opening slot after beginning the series with a score of 38, but following that up with innings of eight, a duck and 12. And after failing to turn three starts into innings of any great significance, Kevin Pietersen is another who will be looking to lift here and help his side take victory in a match that would seal a 4-1 series victory for the home side.
It would be a win that would ensure all bragging rights rested with England ahead of the Ashes, but a rejuvenated Australia should prove a tough opposition.
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