Runs and wickets for Warwickshire star in Adelaide
England kept alive their hopes in the one-day series against Australia with a 21-run victory in the fourth match at Adelaide.
The success, which was built largely on the back of a fine all-round display from Jonathan Trott, means the tourists now trail 3-1 with a further three matches left to play.
Having won the toss and decided to bat first, Trott's second one-day international century (102) was the mainstay of England's 299-8 - their highest total against Australia on their home soil.
He was provided with able support by Matt Prior (67) who cracked a quickfire half-century at the top of the order with some blistering strokeplay.
England's bowlers then produced a measured display and took wickets at regular intervals to ensure the hosts never genuinely threatened to chase down their victory target, Trott chipping in with two wickets.
In-form Shane Watson looked the only potential danger but, once he had succumbed to Ajmal Shahzad for 64, Australia were unable to get to grips with an ever-increasing run-rate as England completed their first one-day success at the Adelaide Oval since 1983.
The success, which was built largely on the back of a fine all-round display from Jonathan Trott, means the tourists now trail 3-1 with a further three matches left to play.
Having won the toss and decided to bat first, Trott's second one-day international century (102) was the mainstay of England's 299-8 - their highest total against Australia on their home soil.
He was provided with able support by Matt Prior (67) who cracked a quickfire half-century at the top of the order with some blistering strokeplay.
England's bowlers then produced a measured display and took wickets at regular intervals to ensure the hosts never genuinely threatened to chase down their victory target, Trott chipping in with two wickets.
In-form Shane Watson looked the only potential danger but, once he had succumbed to Ajmal Shahzad for 64, Australia were unable to get to grips with an ever-increasing run-rate as England completed their first one-day success at the Adelaide Oval since 1983.
Double-blow
The hosts made a brisk enough start to their innings as Brad Haddin rattled off four early boundaries, but England's new-ball pairing of Chris Tremlett and the returning James Anderson then struck an important double-blow.
Haddin (16) was first to go as he drove a Tremlett slower ball to Strauss at cover and new batsman Shaun Marsh quickly toe-ended a return catch to Anderson as he departed for a single.
Australia's under-fire stand-in skipper Michael Clarke was unable to end his recent run shortage as he was bowled for an unconvincing 15 after playing all around a Paul Collingwood delivery.
Cameron White (44 from 64) and David Hussey (28 from 34) both made solid contributions but were unable to find any fluency or acceleration before providing medium-pacer Trott with two his scalps.
Anderson picked up John Hastings cheaply to claim a second wicket, but England finished rather scruffily as they allowed Steve Smith to post a career best 46 not out.
He shared in an entertaining eighth-wicket stand of 77 with Brett Lee (39 not out) and, while it did not look like changing the result, it gave the home crowd something to cheer late on Australia Day.
Earlier, England lost their skipper, Andrew Strauss, cheaply in the third over of the match as he edged behind to give Lee his only wicket of an expensive spell (1-68).
On the attack
Despite that setback, and his two recent ducks, Prior was quick to go on the offensive with a range of aggressive shots as he formed a profitable alliance with the more circumspect Trott.
The wicketkeeper-batsman brought up a first one-day half-century since May 2009 by smearing Lee over mid-wicket for a huge six.
More than once the duo needed some fortune to avoid a run-out, but they took advantage with their century stand coming off 103 balls.
But Prior's soft dismissal for 67 prompted something of a wobble as Smith (3-33) made rapid inroads with three quick wickets.
After Prior had cut a long-hop straight to Xavier Doherty at backward point, Kevin Pietersen (12) holed out in the deep as he looked to maintain an assertive start, before Ian Bell (duck) edged behind from his second ball.
Trott stood firm, though, and progressed to three figures off 117 balls, but departed almost immediately as he chopped on a Hussey delivery.
The same bowler also accounted for Eoin Morgan (24) as he miscued an attempted reverse sweep into the hands of Lee as England threatened to blow what had appeared a formidable platform.
But Paul Collingwood (27) and Michael Yardy (39 not out) ensured that was not the case with a timely 61-run stand from 41 balls - Collingwood hinting at a return to form as he despatched Lee over the mid-wicket boundary on his way to becoming the first England batsman to reach 5,000 one-day runs.
Hussey (4-21) claimed his wicket and that of Ajmal Shahzad to help keep England under 300, but it proved more than enough to secure a first win of the series for the tourists.
Post a Comment