This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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It’s been quite a while since Cook has shown some fluency and it didn’t happen in this innings either. He really needs a break and he took one on 22 when he was caught by the bowler, Glen Maxwell. England’s opening partnership of Bell and Cook put on 57; the number of runs Joe Root and Gary Ballance thought were more than enough as they fell cheaply.
Eoin Morgan had his wits about him when he came into bat. On the third ball of his innings, he charged down the track to Clarke and slogged one to deep mid-wicket. As he was caught, he was quick to point out that he played the shot only because Michael Clarke had 5 men outside the 30 yard circle.
Ian Bell in the meanwhile, was quietly inching towards a 100. In the words of ‘the Zohan’, his innings was ‘silky smooth’. Bell and Morgan put on a 69 run partnership. Unfortunately when on 68, Bell was run-out by some brilliance from Captain Clarke.
Morgan was joined by Ravi Bopara who was batting with the freedom of not having lost 5-0. He hit 2 fours and a six in his 19 ball 24 before chipping one straight to mid-wicket. It was the result of a bad shot combined with the supernatural jinxing powers of Twitter.
After losing Bopara in the 38th over, Eoin Morgan took it upon himself to lead the charge. He was on 43 off 64 with 1 four and 1 six when Bopara was dismissed. He ended up on 106 off 99 with 4 fours and 6 sixes. He hit 3 consecutive sixes, one off Faulkner and two off Coulter-Nile. He was partnered well by Jos Buttler.
Jos Buttler was dropped on 28 by Coulter-Nile off his own bowling. He ended up with 45 off 36 allowing for the usage of ‘the Buttler did…enough of it.’
England lost 3 wickets in the last two overs and finished up 300/8.
Australia got off to a shaky start. They lost Aaron Finch in the second over to a catch that showed what Gary Ballance thought about fielding; as easy as pie. Standing at mid-off, he stuck his right hand out to intercept the ball before it got past him. Chris Jordan then repeated the same off his own bowling. David Warner smashed one straight back hoping for a boundary. Instead, the ball got stuck in Jordan’s outstretched bucket of a hand.
Michael Clarke came in, played a few glorious shots and was dismissed by Joe Root. Yes, Joe Root. George Bailey kept Shaun Marsh company as Marsh made his way to a 50. It seemed Marsh didn’t like George’s company and was bowled by Joe Root. Yes, Joe Root again.
George Bailey’s penchant to go on and on and on, got him in trouble. Once again he tried to hit one to the on side, missed it and Boyd Rankin had his first wicket for the match. But in the company of Brad Haddin, Glenn Maxwell went about bettering his credentials as an ODI cricketer. He made 50 off 37 balls which was filled with reverse sweeps and outrageous shots.
However, in the space of 4 balls Australia lost both Haddin and Maxwell, both dismissed by Tim Bresnan.
Coulter-Nile hung about with James Faulkner for a while but then came the magic. At 244/9 with still 57 runs to get, James Faulkner pulled a rabbit out of his bat. In a match winning partnership of 57, James Faulkner scored 56 off 24 balls. Clint Mckay ensured he didn’t lose his wicket with a calm 2 off 9 balls.
Tim Bresnan bowled the final over of the game. 12 required off 6 balls, Faulkner finished it with 3 boundaries off the first 3 deliveries.
For his 69 off 47 balls, James Faulkner was adjudged the Man of the Match.
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