Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa bowled Australia to a fine victory at Old Trafford despite a memorable maiden century from Sam Billings
50th over: England 276-9 (Billings ct Warner b Marsh 118) Mitchell Marsh completes a fine victory for Australia, who were in trouble at 123 for five but dominated the game thereafter. The margin of victory would have much more emphatic but for a memorable maiden century from Sam Billings, who was caught for a brilliant 118 off the final ball of the match. Thanks for your company, goodnight!
49th over: England 267-8 (Billings 113, Archer 6)Billings pulls Cummins for four to reach his first century in international cricket! His celebration is very modest, because England are going to lose the game, but his teammates are thrilled for him. Eoin Morgan in particular has an almost exaggerated grin on his face. It’s been a hugely impressive innings: 101 balls, 11 fours, two sixes.
Make that 13 fours. He hits Cummins for consecutive fours, a thumping pull on the run followed by a ramp from well outside off stump. England need 28 from the last over.
48th over: England 252-8 (Billings 98, Archer 6) The main focus now is whether Billings can score his first century for England. A bouncer from Starc hits him on the helmet and knocks some of the neck protection off, so there’s a break in play while Billings changed his helmet. A single off the last ball takes Billings to 98.
47th over: England 246-8 (Billings 96, Archer 3) A brilliant over from Cummins - only three runs from it. England need 49 from 18 balls. Not even Ben Stokes could win from here.
46th over: England 243-8 (Billings 95, Archer 1) Billings walks across to ramp Starc’s attempted yorker for four, another high-class stroke. But England can only take six from the over in total; they need 52 from 24 balls. No.
45th over: England 237-8 (Billings 90, Archer 0) After a difficult start, especially against Zampa, Billings has played ever so well. It won’t be enough for an England win, but it might bring him a maiden ODI century: he has 90 from 90 balls.
Rashid blasts Cummins miles in the air towards cover, where Maxwell steadies himself to take his third catch of the innings. He’s had a terrific day.
44th over: England 229-7 (Billings 87, Rashid 1) Billings reverse sweeps Zampa over short third man for another boundary; he’s played that shot superbly in the last 10 minutes. Zampa ends with fine figures: 10-0-55-4.
And gone. Zampa gets his fourth wicket, with Woakes holing out to long-off. Australia have just been a bit too good for England.
43rd over: England 221-6 (Billings 81, Woakes 9) Billings hasn’t given this up. He scrunches Starc’s yorker down the ground for four and then gets a big slice of luck when a top-edged pull lands between two fielders. England need 74 from 42 balls.
42nd over: England 213-6 (Billings 75, Woakes 8) Billings reverse-sweeps Zampa superbly for four - and then does it again two balls later. That’s terrific batting. This is now his highest ODI score.
41st over: England 203-6 (Billings 66, Woakes 7) England don’t think this is a lost cause. Mitchell Marsh’s fourth over has just gone for 13. Woakes drove over extra cover for four and Billings dragged over midwicket for six, but Marsh pulled it back by conceding only two from the last three deliveries.
40th over: England 190-6 (Billings 58, Woakes 2) England need 105 from the last 10 overs. With that, good luck.
39th over: England 182-6 (Billings 52, Woakes 0) Hazlewood ends a superb day-night’s work with figures of 10-3-26-3. His masterful new-ball spell left England with too much to do.
Moeen Ali drives Hazlewood straight to short extra cover, where Labuschagne leaps to take a good two-handed catch. Hazlewood has his third wicket, and Australia are on course for a big victory.
38th over: England 181-5 (Billings 51, Ali 5) Maxwell replaces Zampa and has a strong LBW against Moeen turned down by Richard Kettleborough. If it was pad first - and I think it was - then it was close. Replays show it was umpire’s call, so it wouldn’t have been overturned efven if Australia had reviewed. Moeen then gets away with a sliced drive that falls short of the cover sweeper Stoinis. England are running out of time: they need 115 from 12 overs.
37th over: England 177-5 (Billings 50, Ali 3) Josh Hazlewood replaces Mitchell Starc, who still has three overs remaining (groin permitting). Billings gloves a short ball round the corner to reach a calm fifty from 66 balls.
36th over: England 174-5 (Billings 49, Ali 1) Bairstow made 84 from 107 balls. It was an innings of two halves: 33 from 71 balls, then 53 from 36. Zampa almost gets his second wicket of the over when Billings cuts the ball onto the leg of the keeper Carey and away for a single.
Bairstow has gone! He launched Zampa towards long-on, where Hazlewood ran round the boundary to take a superb diving catch. That should be a matchwinning wicket.
35th over: England 169-4 (Bairstow 84, Billings 45) A glorious shot from Billings, who drives Starc’s attempted yorker whence it came for four. Bairstow then pulls mightily over square leg for six to move within 16 of a century. It’s been an innings of extraordinary defiance, because he barely middled a thing for the first 24 overs.
There’s a break in play while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood look for the ball in the stands. Starc is also struggling with his groin, which could be very significant giving his peerless death-bowling ability. England need 126 from 90 balls.
34th over: England 158-4 (Bairstow 78, Billings 40) Adam Zampa, who has four overs remaining, also comes back into the attack. Bairstow sweeps his first ball brusquely for four and then drives a single to bring up a resilient, resourceful hundred partnership from 106 balls.
33rd over: England 152-4 (Bairstow 73, Billings 39) Mitchell Starc returns in an attempt to end this irksome partnership. He doesn’t manage that, at least not yet, but he does restrict England to just a single. The required rate thus moves up to 8.41 per over.
32nd over: England 151-4 (Bairstow 72, Billings 39) A pretty tight over from Stoinis; six from it, all in ones and twos.
31st over: England 145-4 (Bairstow 71, Billings 34) Cummins to Billings, who drags a pull stroke through midwicket for four. Time for drinks.
30th over: England 140-4 (Bairstow 71, Billings 29) Another bowling change: Maxwell off after one over, Stoinis on. He starts with a front-foot no-ball, which means a free hit. Bairstow’s heave is dropped by Labuschagne, which allows England to steal a second run.
Bairstow is then beaten by consecutive, legitimate deliveries from Stoinis before ending the over with a superbly timed cut for four. I don’t know how or why, but Bairstow is still at the crease and while that’s the case England have an outside chance. They need 155 from 120 balls.
29th over: England 131-4 (Bairstow 64, Billings 28) Oof. Bairstow clouts Cummins over midwicket for a big six, his third in the last five overs. An affronted Cummins ends the over with a stunning delivery that beats Billings.
28th over: England 122-4 (Bairstow 57, Billings 27) The offspinner Glenn Maxwell replaces Mitchell Marsh and goes round the wicket straight away. England settle for low-risk milking in his first over: five singles, a two and a bonus wide. England need 174 from 132 balls.
27th over: England 114-4 (Bairstow 52, Billings 25) Pat Cummins returns to the attack - and disappears for 15. Billings drives confidently over extra cover for his first boundary, and then top-edges consecutive pull strokes for four and six.
“Not sure if we’re allowed to be optimistic on the OBO,” says Ben Mimmack, “but if England win it from here, this will be an amazing two hours or so of entertainment.”
26th over: England 99-4 (Bairstow 51, Billings 11) Bairstow works Marsh off the pads for two to reach a laborious half-century. He’s been in abysmal touch almost throughout, yet has fought like a beast to keep England in the match. And he might have willed his way back into form. His first 25 runs took 60 balls, the second 25 just 18.
Billings then survives another big LBW shout from Marsh. It didn’t have much going for it: he was on the walk, probably outside the line, and it looked high.
25th over: England 96-4 (Bairstow 48, Billings 11) A long hop from Zampa is walloped over midwicket for six by Bairstow, who was been waiting all night to sweet-spot something like that. Bairstow misses a mighty slog sweep at the next delivery and is almost bowled, then drives sweetly over wide long-on for six more. Great stuff, and an excellent over for England: 15 from it.
24th over: England 81-4 (Bairstow 33, Billings 11) Six from Marsh’s over.
23rd over: England 75-4 (Bairstow 29, Billings 9) Billings survives another big LBW appeal after missing a sweep at Zampa. It looked just outside the line and Aaron Finch decides not to risk Australia’s final review. England are in all sorts of trouble here.
22nd over: England 70-4 (Bairstow 29, Billings 4) Mitchell Marsh comes on to replace his brother Starc. Billings, like most of the England batsmen, is really struggling to pierce the infield. He can only take a leg-bye off the last ball of Marsh’s over, which means he has 4 from 20 balls. The required rate is more than eight an over.
21st over: England 69-4 (Bairstow 29, Billings 4) A superb over from Zampa to Billings, who doesn’t know which way it’s spinning. Australia are all over England like a cheap cliche. It’s been a merciless performance in the field, very similar to their demolition job at Lord’s during last year’s World Cup.
Billings is not out! He didn’t need umpire’s call; ball-tracking showed it was just clearing leg stump. That’s fine umpiring from David Millns because it was a seductive appeal.
Australia review for LBW against Billings! It was a delicious googly from Zampa, and this looks close. Height should save Billings though, especially as he has umpire’s call in his favour.
20th over: England 68-4 (Bairstow 29, Billings 3) The tougher the challenge, the greater the opportunity, and a matchwinning century tonight would change Sam Billings’ life. He is taking his time to get his eye in, with 3 from 8 balls. Bairstow continues to struggle on, clouting a pull towards cow corner for two. He has 29 from 67 balls.
19th over: England 63-4 (Bairstow 26, Billings 1) I’ve just watched the Labuschagne catch again and it looks clean to me. His hand skidded along the floor but he twisted it so that the ball wasn’t touching the ground. That said, my eye prescription gets worse by the year, so for all I know he could have started scrubbing the turf with it.
Bairstow survives a big LBW shout after missing a sweep at Zampa. Outside the line. Bairstow. bless him, is in woeful nick but is fighting so hard. Possibly too hard. He’s called for a different bat grip in the hope it will make a difference.
18th over: England 61-4 (Bairstow 25, Billings 0) Lovely, aggressive captaincy from Aaron Finch, who brings back Mitchell Starc with a view to taking the wicket(s) that would finish England off. Since they slipped to 123 for five halfway through their innings, Australia have been spectacularly good.
“Nobody on the telly has noticed, but Labuschagne dropped that catch off Buttler,” says Nail Ashby. “It rolled along the floor before he threw it up, me thinks.”
17th over: England 58-4 (Bairstow 22, Billings 0) Billings survives a huuuuuuge shout for LBW from Zampa. I’m pretty sure there was an inside edge; Adam Finch decides not to review. Edit: there was a big inside edge.
“I am no longer looking forward to seeing how the innings pans out,” says Matt Dony.
Game over! Zampa has picked up the huge wicket of Jos Buttler. He sliced a lofted drive towards long off, and at first it looked like Labuschagne had misjudged it. But he hurtled towards the ball and dived forward to take an outstanding low catch.
16th over: England 57-3 (Bairstow 21, Buttler 1) Hazlewood continues, despite taking some punishment in his previous over, and beats Bairstow on the inside for the third or fourth time tonight.
“I really hope JB gets a ton,” says Austin Baird. “It will surely underline what a fantastic player he is even though not everything goes how you want it.”
15th over: England 55-3 (Bairstow 20, Buttler 0) The new batsman is the in-form Jos Buttler.
Adam Zampa strikes in his first over! That’s a huge moment because Morgan was looking so dangerous. He pulled Zampa firmly towards midwicket, where Maxwell took a smart catch.
14th over: England 48-2 (Bairstow 19, Morgan 23) After conceding five runs from his first six overs, Hazlewood’s seventh disappears for 14. It starts when Bairstow finally gets hold of an attacking shot, slapping a short ball through backward point for four. Then Morgan, on the charge, blasts a thrilling six over wide long off. This is an admirable counter-attack, 23 from 16 balls. The other England batsmen have scored 23 from 68 between them.
13th over: England 34-2 (Bairstow 12, Morgan 16) Morgan steals a quick single to Warner, who misfields and gives England another couple of runs. Morgan is doing everything he can to put pressure back on Australia; it’s fascinating to watch. After swaying out of the way of two sharp bouncers - there are two men out on the hook now - he charges Cummins and batters the ball over mid-off for a couple. He has 16 from 13 balls, Bairstow 12 from 42.
12th over: England 28-2 (Bairstow 11, Morgan 11) Bairstow plays a one-handed drive off Hazlewood that bounces short of mid-off. Then he mistimes a pull stroke and is hit in the arm. I’d love to hear his internal monologue right now; his facial expression suggests he is not entirely without rage.
Another maiden from Hazlewood, his third of the innings, includes an unsuccessful appeal for caught behind when Bairstow is beaten on the inside by a big nipbacker. It brushed his thigh, that was it. This is pretty awesome from Hazlewood: 6-3-5-2.
11th over: England 28-2 (Bairstow 11, Morgan 11) Eoin Morgan wasn’t born to die wondering. He has had trouble with the short ball against Australia in the past but still has the conviction to hook Cummins emphatically for four. He has 11 from 9 balls and has changed the mood ever so slightly.
At the other end, Bairstow’s innings is verging on the excruciating: 11 from 34 balls, and he has barely middled any of them. To his credit, he still wants to be out there. There are plenty who would have thrown the towel in by now.
10th over: England 22-2 (Bairstow 10, Morgan 6) Bairstow has 10 from 30 balls and is getting increasingly frustrated at his inability to tonk fours and sixes like he usually does.
Jonny Bairstow is given out LBW - but he successfully reviews the decision. He fell over a delivery from Hazlewood that was angled in and would just have missed leg stump.
9th over: England 20-2 (Bairstow 8, Morgan 6) Morgan rifles Cummins through mid-off for four, a beautifully timed stroke that takes England’s run-rate above two an over. The required rate is still fine (6.7); the worry is how many more wickets England will lose in the next hour.
“Hello Rob,” says Geoff Wignall. “In the T20s, there was emphasis on having Buttler at the top of the order so as to maximize the overs available to him. Seems England are adopting a different method to allow him plenty of batting time today.”
8th over: England 14-2 (Bairstow 7, Morgan 1) The new batsman is Eoin Morgan, who will surely try to hit England out of trouble like he did in that Champions Trophy game in 2017. It’s easier planned than done against this attack. Hazlewood’s figures: 4-2-3-2.
“You’re going to appear on an 80s & 90s cricket podcast?” says Matt Dony. “Stepping out of your comfort zone, there, Rob? I jest, of course. Maxwell in full flow is a thrilling sight, but I can see Morgan taking it as a challenge. Looking forward to seeing how this innings unfolds.”
Root is put out of his misery by another jaffa from Hazlewood. It straightened to take the edge as Root fiddled outside off stump, and Alex Carey did the rest. This is stunning new-ball bowling from Hazlewood, who has two for two from 3.1 overs.
7th over: England 13-1 (Bairstow 7, Root 1) Pat Cummins replaces Mitchell Starc. Root gets off the mark from his ninth delivery, pulling a single round the corner, but England are going nowhere in a hurry: they’re scoring at less than two an over. Australia’s bowling has been relentless.
6th over: England 11-1 (Bairstow 6, Root 0) Hazlewood is bowling majestically. He beats Root with a beauty that straightens from a fullish length and zips another past the outside edge two balls later. Another maiden from Hazlewood, who has gorgeous figures of 3-2-2-1. It’s starting to resemble the World Cup match between these teams at Lord’s.
5th over: England 11-1 (Bairstow 6, Root 0) A short delivery from Starc is cuffed over cover for four by Bairstow. He needed that, as did England.
“When you did a ball-by-ball report on a football match, you wrote that VAR was making referees wary of making decisions that could be overturned - but this is a criticism that is never levelled by you, or your colleagues, against Hawkeye and its effect on umpires,” says Peter Hillmore. “Surely they are the same?”
4th over: England 7-1 (Bairstow 2, Root 0) Roy made 3 from 12 balls. The new batsman Joe Root is beaten by his first delivery, which completes a wicket maiden from Hazlewood.
This is the first time Roy has faced Australia since his Ashes horribilis, so maybe that’s in his mind as well. He’s really struggling to time the ball - and then the moment he does get hold of a shot, Hazlewood takes a blinding return catch! Roy drove the ball back towards Hazlewood, who stuck out his right hand in his follow through to take a super low catch.
3rd over: England 7-0 (Roy 3, Bairstow 2) Roy muscles a pull through midwicket for three to get off the mark. He didn’t time it particularly well, and it’s obvious that both these batsmen are straining for their usual fluency.
2nd over: England 3-0 (Roy 0, Bairstow 1) Josh Hazlewood starts with a wide to Jonny Bairstow, who is then beaten on the inside by a good nipbacker. England have started with unusual caution, probably for a couple of reasons: the ball is doing a bit and the openers aren’t in great form.
1st over: England 1-0 (Roy 0, Bairstow 0) Jason Roy hasn’t been in great form since lockdown, with 43 runs in six innings across all forms of the game, and he plays and misses three times in Mitchell Starc’s first over. A leg-side wide gets England off the mark.
“’Afternoon, Rob,” says John Starbuck. “It looks like the ECB should be taking a knee after shooting themselves in the foot (again).”
Those of a certain age and/or persuasion may be interested in this. (Full disclosure department: I’ll be on it next week.)
Episode 1 is here!
We take a look at the 1990 Tour of the West Indies and assess Ian Botham's career after 1981.
The 80's and 90's Cricket Show https://t.co/8moE7trQCT via @acast
Thanks Tim, hello everyone. England asked for it and now they’ve got it: a stiff test on a slowish pitch. Australia only have one full-time spinner, but this looks a big ask even for England. And they asked for it!
Sky are featuring England’s disability cricketers, who won the Ashes 8-0. In Australia! On that happy note, it’s time for me to hand over to Rob Smyth, who could be covering anything from a triumphant chase to a twilight rout. Thanks for your company, your quips and your views on taking the knee, which (ECB please note) is opposed by not one of our correspondents.
England’s women have a T20 series against West Indies starting on 21 September, and their captain Heather Knight says they will take the knee.
50th over: Australia 294-9 (Starc 19, Hazlewood 0) Before the wicket, Woakes got two slower balls past the bat and over the stumps. But after it, he gets it all wrong with a length ball that Starc can swing for six. Even given their rather constipated last ten overs, Australia can be delighted with that total after being 123 for five. England will need 295, which would be a record chase in an ODI at Old Trafford. The pitch is doing plenty, and I’d say Australia were slight favourites – but Morgan, Buttler and co. are champion chasers. It’s still beautifully poised.
England’s slower balls prove too much for Zampa, who gives the simplest of return catches.
49th over: Australia 286-8 (Starc 12, Zampa 4) Wood’s last over is another good one, mainly slower balls short of a length. Presented with a run-out chance, Wood takes a left-foot shot that hits the stumps without being sharp enough to bag the wicket. “He’ll be talking about that for the foreseeable,” says Broad. Wood finishes with three for 54. England’s pace aces have both been good, but maybe that means that Australia’s pace aces will all enjoy themselves.
48th over: Australia 282-8 (Starc 10, Zampa 3) Starc takes over as the main man, lofting Archer over mid-on. “He’s a powerful striker of the ball,” says Stuart Broad – takes one to know one. Archer finishes with three for 57. He’s been a different person since he got his hands on the white ball.
47th over: Australia 273-8 (Starc 4, Zampa 0) An admirable over from Wood, with a wicket and no boundaries. Marsh was staunch, but he didn’t hit many fours – only six off 100 balls.
Out! It was hitting leg, and the last recognised batsman has gone, after an innings that was straight from the 1970s. Well bowled Wood,
Struck in front, but it could be going down...
46th over: Australia 264-7 (Marsh 66, Starc 3) Stuart Broad, commentating, reckons England have had a conference and agreed to bowl every kind of slower ball – knuckle, leg-cutter, off-cutter – to protest that short boundary. Archer nearly picks up a fourth wicket as Mitchell Starc hooks a bouncer up in the air, but Billings racing in from the deep, can’t quite cling on. Only five off the over: Archer has three for 48 from his nine.
Another one! A knuckle ball from Archer, a skyer from Cummins, a slight fumble from Morgan at short extra but he holds on, dislocated finger and all.
45th over: Australia 259-6 (Marsh 64, Cummins 7) Wood joins Archer, so it’s hot stuff at both ends – but Pat Cummins is equal to it, shovelling a pull for four. Nine off the over, so 300 is still on. Morgan, in the infield, is wearing not two caps but three, which may be a record.
44th over: Australia 250-6 (Marsh 63, Cummins 1) Morgan gave Archer the dubious privilege of coping with the short legside boundary, and Maxwell seized his chance, lofting the first ball for six off a full length. The second ball was a full toss that could have been a wide but went for another six, flicked over fine leg with an air of contempt. The ball, after two trips into the stands, was looking like an old rag, but Archer had the last laugh and probably saved England 25 runs with one flick of his wrist. This game is beautifully poised.
The big one! Maxwell hits Archer for six, flicks for six more, and then plays on to the slower ball. A great retort from Jofra, and the end of a game-changing innings.
43rd over: Australia 237-5 (Marsh 63, Maxwell 65) A couple of swishes off Woakes and Maxwell overtakes Marsh, who was on 23 when he came in. The partnership is 113, a new record for the sixth wicket for Australia against England in ODIs, surpassing Mark Waugh and Simon O’Donnell. back in 1990-91. Woakes has one over left, Archer and Wood three each. I predict a slower ball or two.
42nd over: Australia 230-5 (Marsh 61, Maxwell 59) Rashid’s final over, and it feels like some time since he was taking wickets for fun. The batsmen see him off with five singles, and Rash finishes with two for 55. Australia are heading for 300 if these two stay together for a few more overs, and they may even be favourites.
41st over: Australia 225-5 (Marsh 59, Maxwell 57) A touch of genius from Maxwell, who flicks his wrist to play a sort of whipped push past Archer at mid-on. The bowler is Woakes, who comes as close to a reproachful glare as he can manage. Up comes the hundred partnership, off 104 balls: great stuff, with Maxwell playing lead guitar, and Marsh on rhythm.
And here’s Abhijato Sensarma. “I have one eye on these white-ball series for a simple reason - the IPL is coming up soon.” Sign o’ the times. “Glenn Maxwell had a fantastic year with Kings XI Punjab, but since then his fortunes have always swung one way or the other without much stability (as it has tended to throughout his career). He regained some consistency before taking a break for mental health. Hopefully this innings proves he’s carrying it over!”
40th over: Australia 218-5 (Marsh 58, Maxwell 51) More byes – real ones this time, as Rashid’s leg-break turns and bounces, beating both batsman and keeper. Rashid is now open to the shorter legside boundary and Maxwell cashes in with a six into the top tier. A member of the groundstaff retrieves it, holding it daintily in his mask, and drops it ... onto a speaker. It’s the Keystone Cops, Covid-style. Maxwell square-drives to reach a sparky fifty off 43 balls.
39th over: Australia 204-5 (Marsh 56, Maxwell 43) Morgan, who doesn’t seem inclined to give Root a go, turns back to Woakes. When he drops short, Marsh plays a pull that finds the gap and brings up the 200. The partnership is 81 at a touch more than five an over: an excellent rebuilding job.
38th over: Australia 197-5 (Marsh 50, Maxwell 42) Morgan goes back to Rashid, England’s main man of the past week. Maxwell aims a big mow at him and nicks it for four, over Buttler’s shoulder, but they’re given as byes. Marsh reaches fifty off 75 balls with an off-drive for a single that sums up the way he has played – soberly. He’s been the designated driver in the party.
37th over: Australia 188-5 (Marsh 48, Maxwell 39) Morgan keeps Moeen on for his last over and it’s a better one, going for just four singles.
36th over: Australia 184-5 (Marsh 46, Maxwell 37) Just when the batsmen are getting on top, Mark Wood puts them back in their place with an over that has the eternal virtues: pace and accuracy. H’s such a likeable figure, and he’s getting his just deserts today after a summer spent carrying the drinks.
35th over: Australia 182-5 (Marsh 45, Maxwell 36) Fortified by a drink, Maxwell tucks into Moeen, his fellow off-spinner. A reverse sweep for four, a cover-drive for four more, 11 off the over, and suddenly this partnership is 59.
34th over: Australia 171-5 (Marsh 43, Maxwell 27) Wood cranks his pace up to 92mph, and may regret it as Marsh plays a canny guide for four through gully. And that’s drinks, with Australia halfway to a salvage job.
33rd over: Australia 164-5 (Marsh 37, Maxwell 26) A fine over from Moeen, who concedes only two singles and draws a false shot from Maxwell, finding his inside edge. Mo’s figures, 8-0-44-0, don’t do him justice.
32nd over: Australia 162-5 (Marsh 36, Maxwell 25) Another change as Rashid, with three overs up his sleeve, gives way to Wood, who has an exceptional record against Maxwell in this format – 21 runs, three wickets. “Got the Wood on him!” says Shane Warne. In this over, he keeps Maxwell honest, conceding only one off four balls.
31st over: Australia 160-5 (Marsh 35, Maxwell 24) Morgan removes Archer, who didn’t provide the coup de grace he was looking for, and brings back Moeen. Maxwell gets four with a brutal shot through the covers, not so much driven as smashed. That’s 17 off the last two overs: has the tide turned?
30th over: Australia 152-5 (Marsh 33, Maxwell 18) Rashid bowls a rare bad ball, and almost gets a wicket as Maxwell pulls, off the toe end, and only just gets it over Banton at deep midwicket, who had crept in when he might have caught it on the rope. To add insult to injury, it goes for six. Another 40 minutes of Maxwell and the Aussies might yet reach respectability.
29th over: Australia 143-5 (Marsh 32, Maxwell 10) Marsh finds his mojo again, spotting yet another slower ball from Archer and waiting for the cover-drive. There’s plenty of time to rescue this innings.
28th over: Australia 136-5 (Marsh 26, Maxwell 8) Marsh has gone into his shell, anxious not to join the procession. He has 27 off 46 balls now, whereas Maxwell has 8 off 8. Rashid takes the opportunity to toss it up; he has 6-0-26-2.
27th over: Australia 133-5 (Marsh 26, Maxwell 6) Archer is mostly bowling slower balls in this spell, which seems a little too defensive. Even the quicker balls are 85 rather than 90, perhaps because the ball has gone soft. The upshot is only one run off the over, but not much threat.
26th over: Australia 132-5 (Marsh 26, Maxwell 6) A whole over from Rashid with no wickets: maybe the Australians are finally working him out.
On that subject, here’s Brian Withington. “Not sure what the Aussies are struggling with here,” he chortles. “As I have patiently explained, the Rashid googly is easily detected from behind the arm in super slow-mo. Get a grip!”
25th over: Australia 129-5 (Marsh 24, Maxwell 5) Morgan, going in for the kill, replaces Moeen with Archer, who started the rot with that 90mph jaffa to Warner. Maxwell takes a quick single to get up the other end and gets five for it as Moeen’s throw from mid-on is a wild one. That’s a piece of fielding from the other night, when Mo was captain. And that’s the halfway mark, with England well on top, thanks to four of their World Cup winners – Rashid and Wood, well supported by Woakes and Archer.
24th over: Australia 123-5 (Marsh 23, Maxwell 0) So another googly bears fruit, and Rashid has two for 20 from four overs. Australia badly need some fireworks from Glenn Maxwell, who’s quite capable of delivering them.
“Aussie are 1,2,3 for 5,” says Isaac Gow. “Has a nice rhythm to it.”
Rashid does it again! He’s all over the Aussies like a Rash. Another top-edged sweep, and this time it loops up nicely for the man running in from deep square. Not the brightest shot from Carey, who failed to learn from his mistakes.
23rd over: Australia 121-4 (Marsh 22, Carey 9) Three singles off Moeen, followed by three dots. The last five overs have yielded only 21.
22nd over: Australia 118-4 (Marsh 21, Carey 7) Carey, still hemmed in by that slip and leg slip, is struggling against Rashid. He top-edges a sweep and then thick-edges a square drive, but gets away with both. He’s a shadow of the man he was ten minutes ago, who reverse-swept his first ball.
21st over: Australia 114-4 (Marsh 19, Carey 5) The Aussies have been losing wickets but not losing heart. Marsh sees a quarter-volley from Moeen and sends it to the cover boundary with some top-class timing.
20th over: Australia 109-4 (Marsh 14, Carey 5) Another big scalp for Rashid, who has now deposed Jimmy Anderson as England’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs against Australia, with 39 in just 22 matches to Anderson’s 38 in 32. And this is only the second time Labuschagne has been out in an ODI for fewer than 40. In comes Alex Carey, and he reverse-sweeps his first ball for four, majestically. Morgan, snagging a collapse, brings in a slip and a leg slip for Carey, who then plays and misses, failing to pick the googly. England on top.
Yes, hitting middle and off. It was Rashid’s googly, perfectly pitched: stand by for some more swooning on social media.
This looks plumb, but he’s reviewing.
19th over: Australia 102-3 (Labuschagne 21, Marsh 12) Moeen tries a yorker, which takes Labuschagne’s edge and then nutmegs Buttler to go for two and bring up the hundred. This partnership, like the last one, has been busy: 22 off 21 balls so far. The Aussies will either get a big score, or be all out, or both.
18th over: Australia 98-3 (Labuschagne 18, Marsh 11) Wood’s reward for his excellence is to be taken off, or saved for later, as Morgan turns to Adil Rashid, the maestro of the moment. Marsh gets four as the googly goes too leg-side, but Adil has his riposte, beating him outside off. “I always look at team-mates,” Broad says, “and ask, do they get good batsmen out? And without doubt Adil does.”
17th over: Australia 91-3 (Labuschagne 15, Marsh 7) Broad, with his sharp cricket brain, has worked out why Moeen is on: the wind is from leg to off, so the slog-sweep is liable to sit up and be caught. Both these batsmen are sweeping, but along the ground, for ones and twos – until Mitch Marsh finds the gap behind square leg.
16th over: Australia 82-3 (Labuschagne 12, Marsh 1) Another fine over from Wood, who has two for 22. Both wickets have come from deliveries a touch fuller than a normal good length.
Wood gets his due! Stoinis, perhaps intoxicated with his own excellence, plays a loose drive and gives Jos Buttler a diving catch. That’s a big moment.
15th over: Australia 79-2 (Stoinis 43, Labuschagne 10) Stoinis tucks into Moeen’s first two balls, driving into the covers for two and lofting over mid-off for four. Morgan moves Root out from slip, but Stoinis still fiddles a push through the covers for two more. He’s been in a class of his own so far. Who needs Smith?
14th over: Australia 71-2 (Stoinis 35, Labuschagne 10) Wood is bowling fast, a steady 89mph with the odd 91. He beats Labuschagne and concedes only a single and a two. “Bit unlucky not to get more wickets,” says Stuart Broad, who has joined the commentators.
13th over: Australia 68-2 (Stoinis 34, Labuschagne 8) Morgan decides it’s time for spin, but not for Adil Rashid – it’s Moeen, counter-intuitively, as both these batsmen are right-handers. Maybe he’s trying to pump up Mo’s tyres. If so, it goes fairly well: there’s an LBW shout against Labuschagne – it would have hit the top of off, but he was struck outside the line – and a leading edge from Stoinis that lands safely in the covers.
12th over: Australia 63-2 (Stoinis 32, Labuschagne 5) A fine shot from Stoinis, cutting Wood for four, followed by a false one – an edge that might have been held, head-high, by the missing second slip. Is Morgan being a touch too defensive here? Stoinis collects a third four from the over with a pull that is the shot of the day so far. He has 32 off 24 balls, while his mates have 27 between them off 48.
11th over: Australia 50-2 (Stoinis 19, Labuschagne 5) A sixth over for Woakes, who helps himself to some dots as Labuschagne finds his feet. Five of them – but then Labuschagne gets out of jail with a straight drive for four, to bring up Australia’s fifty.
“Stoinis looking pretty good for a Steve Smith understudy?” says Anthony Noel. “He’s certainly more handsome than Marnus.”
10th over: Australia 46-2 (Stoinis 19, Labuschagne 1) Just as Archer’s wicket was partly the work of Woakes, so Wood’s was partly down to Archer, whose pace had driven Finch back. After his instant impact, Wood keeps it tight to the mighty Labuschagne, and even Stoinis’s two off the last ball come off the inside edge. So the Powerplay ends with England on top.
We now have a Marcus batting with a Marnus. If they stay together for long, I may have to slip into Latin.
Mark Wood strikes with his first ball! Finch, stuck on the crease when he should be forward, gets a regulation nick.
9th over: Australia 43-1 (Finch 16, Stoinis 17) Just when Morgan has taken out the second slip, Finch sends a nick in that direction, and gets four for it. Gent that he is, Woakes retorts with nothing more than a wry smile. Stoinis rubs it in with a back-foot drive for four more.
“Permission to line up firmly with the immense Michael Holding,” says Guy Hornsby. “This is just the beginning of cricket, and society, addressing these huge issues, not the end. The justification from both teams here feels pretty risible. No wonder he feels discarded. We must do better.”
8th over: Australia 33-1 (Finch 11, Stoinis 12) A couple of singles off Archer, who’s been superb, and has driven Finch so deep in the crease that he almost treads on his off stump.
“I loved Warner’s reaction to being beaten all ends up by Archer,” says Mark Hooper. “A big ‘Ooh!’, a nod of appreciation and a broad grin, looking him right in the eye. None of that fake posturing, just an honest reaction from one supreme sportsman to another.”
7th over: Australia 31-1 (Finch 10, Stoinis 11) Stoinis, who’s looking pretty good for a Steve Smith understudy, clips for two, but otherwise Woakes is himself again. Meanwhile Shane Warne is talking about Ed Sheeran, for reasons that are not clear.
6th over: Australia 29-1 (Finch 10, Stoinis 9) Archer puts the plug in. These two make such a good new-ball pair – a study in contrasts. But then Archer’s bouncer doesn’t climb steeply enough and Finch plays an excellent pull for four. Honours about even so far.
5th over: Australia 25-1 (Finch 6, Stoinis 9) Woakes blots his copybook! A rare wide, followed by a juicy morsel on leg stump that Stoinis duly gobbles up. A few singles too, as the Aussies show their usual appetite between the wickets.
4th over: Australia 16-1 (Finch 4, Stoinis 3) Archer is in the groove now, making the ball rear, and talk. The batsmen leave whatever they can, though Marcus Stoinis gets off the mark with a crisp block-drive for three.
That was the first really fast ball, 90mph, on a length. The wicket goes to Archer, but half the credit goes to Woakes.
Top of off! “David Warner was all at sea,” says Shane Warne. “Never looked happy.”
3rd over: Australia 13-0 (Warner 6, Finch 4) Woakes beats Warner again. And again! Shades of Stuart Broad last summer, though Woakes is coming over the wicket, not round. Warner escapes by way of a leg glance, the only run off an exemplary over.
2nd over: Australia 12-0 (Warner 5, Finch 4) Jofra Archer opens with a wide, followed by a half-volley, which Aaron Finch drives for four. Archer fights back with a lifter, clocked at 86mph but looking quicker; Finch shapes to pull before hastily letting it go. Jofra then beats Warner as the ball goes over the stumps, before bowling another wide, a touch harsh this, outside off. David Lloyd, who knows Old Trafford better than anyone, detects some swing for Jofra, perhaps because there’s a strong cross-wind.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Warner 4, Finch 0) It’s Chris Woakes, who’s had a trim and dispensed with his Alice band. He starts with a dot and then has Warner playing and missing, though a nick wouldn’t have carried. Later in the over, Warner does edge it, along the ground through the vacant third slip, and he picks up a hard-run two. He finishes with a better shot, a cuff past mid-off, for two more.
The players are out there, and England are back in light blue rather than red. They look like World Cup winners.
On that very issue, here’s Bill Hargreaves.“I wonder if they’ll take a knee, as our Mikey seemed to suggest would be of value. I think I agree with him. I noticed the Premier League footballers won’t have ‘Black Lives Matter’ on their shirts this season, (shame, for me), but will have the PL’s alternative and might well take a knee.
“I agree with what I think is Mr. Holding’s view - that this is a long-term race to be won, that a long hard slog will be necessary. Thanks for the great commentary. Exciting!” It’s our pleasure. Thanks for the thanks!
The teams will not be taking the knee. And this is not going down well with Michael Holding, the conscience of cricket. He feels that as soon as the West Indians flew home, English cricket forgot that black lives matter. He’s right, isn’t he?
An email!“You say England may have won on Tuesday with Joe Root,” writes Smylers, “who only wasn’t in the squad because he wasn’t in the first-choice XI. Similarly, in the 2nd Test v West Indies, when England suddenly needed a replacement for Jofra Archer, Jimmy Anderson wasn’t available, having being omitted from the squad as well as the team. Are England misunderstanding the purpose of a squad, if they aren’t actually picking the players they’d most want to use as replacements?”
Good question. To be fair, Root did need a rest, and it can be awkward to have a sometime captain carrying the drinks, though Sarfraz Ahmed managed it for Pakistan. As it happens, Root is talking to Sky right now. “I’m a passionate cricket fan,” he says, “and I just want to play.”
England have nine of the XI who won the World Cup, though they have two of the match winners missing in Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett. Australia have Marcus Stoinis impersonating Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell preferred to Ashton Agar as the second spinner. Morgan mentioned Root’s spin as well as Rashid and Moeen, so he may be planning to smother the Aussies with lack of pace on a surface that’s “tacky” and “a bit softer” than when England were last here.
Australia 1 Finch (capt), 2 Warner, 3 Stoinis, 4 Labuschagne, 5 M Marsh, 6 Maxwell, 7 Carey (wkt), 8 Starc, 9 Cummins, 10 Hazlewood, 11 Zampa.
Apparently he got a bang on the head in practice yesterday. Adil Rashid may be feeling robbed. But we wish Smith the speediest of recoveries.
Eoin Morgan does love a chase.
Afternoon everyone and welcome to yet another international series, England’s sixth and last of this peculiar summer. So far, they’ve won four (both Test series, ODIs v Ireland, T20 v Australia) and drawn one (T20s v Pakistan). Is it time for them to lose?
The Aussies, after winning the final T20 match, go to Manchester with a modicum of momentum. They may pick all three of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins – a trident if ever there was one. And their ropey middle order will be suddenly steelier for the arrival of Marnus Labuschagne, who sounds like something out of Harry Potter and makes runs like a machine. He only won his first baggy yellow cap this year, but already has 300 runs at an average of 50, and has made it to 40 every time he’s got off the mark.
Continue reading...