NatWest Series 2010: Australia beat England in 4th ODI, England Lead 5-Match Series 3-1
Australia saved their blushes by winning the 4th ODI against England after losing the first 3 in the 5-match series. Aussies won the match by 78 runs, and it was in the end a comprehensive win for the 4 time world champions.
England captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and chose to bowl first on an Oval Pitch that is known to offer swing and seam to the new ball. Australia, though, began brightly, as the man in form Shane Watson was at it again, but there was not the same carefree stroke-play on display as the ball was seaming around. Both openers, Watson and Paine, decided to wait for the bad deliveries and not to go for broke.
Watson was still the more aggressive of the two; the pair put on 33 for the first wicket in 9 overs, which reflected that conditions did not allow free flowing strokes. Paine was the first one to go; he was caught by Morgan on the bowling of Tim Bresnan. Paine scored just 8 runs from 22 balls with one four.
Next man in, Ricky Ponting, was under some serious pressure as he had not been able to put up a decent score in the last 3 matches, and since the team had already lost the series under him, he was under the microscope for more than one reason. But the Punter did not disappoint, as he started in his typical style, flicking the ball off his pads and feeling his way into the innings. He put on 40 runs alongside Watson before the opener was sent back after scoring 41 runs from 54 balls, with 5 fours and one six. He was caught by Morgan off the bowling of Swann as he went for a big shot.
Then came the T20 captain for Australia, Michael Clarke. Ponting and his deputy decided to step it up, scoring at almost a run a ball. The 2 stylish right-handers put the English bowling to sword. Ponting was in his element, cutting and pulling almost at will, and his famous cover drives were almost back. Clarke at the other end also continued his good form.
Both put on 156 for the 3rd wicket in a mammoth stand, which was broken when Ponting was caught by Strauss on 92 falling 8 short of a century. He smashed 10 boundaries in his innings, and was caught on the bowling of Anderson.
The big hitting Cameron White was in next, but he could not use the long handle in a situation that probably was set up just for him. He was dismissed for just 17 from 16 balls with just one four. He was caught by Anderson on the boundary off the bowling of Stuart Broad.
Mr. Cricket, Michael Hussey, then walked out, but sadly was run out while going for a suicidal 2nd after just scoring 1 run. While all this was going on, Clarke at the other end continued to pile on the runs; in the end it was unfortunate for Clarke that Smith hogged the strike and he could not get to his hundred, remaining unbeaten at 99 from 106 balls (with 7 fours). Steven Smith smashed 18 from just 8 balls with 4 fours, as Australia ended their innings at a good score of 290 for the loss of 5 wickets.
Considering today’s cricket, it certainly was not a mammoth total, but a challenging one for sure.
England looked to be nervous as they were on the verge of creating history by inflicting a whitewash on Australia, but this was still just the 4th match. And probably there was some complacency as well. The flamboyant wicketkeeper batsman Craig Kieswetter was cleaned up by Harris after scoring just 12 from 23 balls. Kevin Pietersen, who has not been at his best in the series, continued to disappoint, trapped lbw by Harris for just 8 runs.
The pattern continued for England, as wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals, without any significant partnerships to talk about.
Morgan and Yardy at one point did look like they were putting on a partnership of sorts, but as soon as Morgan was dismissed for 57 (1 four and 3 sixes), caught behind off the bowling of Harris for his 3rd wicket, the match was all but over for England.
Ryan Harris finished with a 5 wicket haul, knocking over England for just 212 runs and handing Australia a 78 run win, and the relief of not having to worry about the dreaded whitewash. Ryan Harris was named man of the match for his 5 wickets.
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