- England win the one-off T20I by 5 runs
- Ali and “refreshed” Morgan put on 135 as hosts post 182
- Stand-in captain Smith smashes 90 but Australia fall just short
Right - that’s all from this page today.
Join us for more of the longer white ball stuff on Thursday, as the ODI series kicks off at The Rose Bowl. BYES!
Top win! @Eoin16 and @MoeenAli were class, backed up by the bowlers! #EngvAUS
A chipper Eoin Morgan is speaking to everyman Ian Ward:
“It was a great game of cricket to win,” he says. “You can learn a lot from a game that’s so tight. It reinforces the freedom which we want to play with.
20th over: 177-8 (Stoinis 10, Starc 0)
Ben Stokes holds his nerve superbly well, not just to get his lengths right but to help out with two run-outs, catching bullet throws from Morgan and Roy to run out two non-strikers.
Brilliant from Roy and then Stokes. Fat lady warming up with eight needed off the last ball...
A skewed hoik lands in the hands of Rashid at third man. Stokes holding his nerve.
19.3: Single down the ground for Stoinis. Nathan Coulter-Nile on strike.
9 needed from 3...
19.3: Fine leg is up and Stokes bowls a slower bouncer that is wided...
10 from 4
19.2: Stokes goes for a wide yorker. Stoinis swings and misses. Dot ball.
11 from 4...
11 from 5...
Miscommunication – none whatsoever, really – from Wade and Stoinis and there’s a run out at the non-striker’s end.
19th over: Australia 171-5 (Stoinis 6, Wade 1)
Smith smashes into the off-side for a single and he gets the strike back when Stoinis tucks one off his legs. But Smith goes hitting high into the leg-side and Billings takes a comfortable catch. Wade the new man but the batsmen crossed and Stoinis manages to find a four on the leg-side rope. Wade gets off the mark with his first ball for one and keeps the strike for the final over.
A tired looking shot from Smith as he hits high into the deep where Sam Billings takes the catch! A brilliant knock from the skipper...
20 from 12...
18th over: Australia 163-4 (Smith 89, Stoinis 1)
Poor from Moeen who allows a ball to slip through his legs for four. Marsh takes a single next ball to bring Smith back on strike. But when Marsh returns, he edges a well-disguised slower ball onto his stumps to give Topley his first international wicket. Marcus Stoinis comes out to bat on debut and he gets an easy single down the ground. Smith does the same to keep the strike. Topley finishes with 4-0-35-1.
A slower ball, out of the back of the hand, is edged onto his stumps by Marsh...
28 off 18 needed by Australia...
17th over: Australia 155-3 (Smith 87, Marsh 8)
David Willey returns and, after a fortuitous single from Marsh, he’s flicked around the corner by Smith, who steps right outside off-stump and uses his wrists to beat Finn at fine leg. Next ball, Smith hits the shot of the day by going inside-out over cover for six! Brilliant hands. Good comeback from Willey who takes pace off the ball as Smith finds thin air.
16th over: Australia 142-3 (Smith 76, Marsh 6)
Topley back. He’s around the wicket to Smith, who plays out a dot and then takes advantage of a slip from Billings to take two. A good wide yorker has Billings in action again, this time at deep point, for another couple. More good running gets Marsh two off the penultimate ball. A single means there is eight from Topley’s last six. Good going.
15th over: Australia 134-3 (Smith 71, Marsh 3)
Stokes punished by Smith yet again for bowling short as the Australia captain hits him to mid-wicket for four! Stokes is much better to Marsh, getting him forward and pushing into a heavily guarded off-side.
14th over: Australia 127-3 (Smith 66, Marsh 1)
Ali replaces Rashid and does superbly to concede just three runs and take the wicket of Maxwell, first ball. He’s helped by an excellent catch from Stokes, who is back into the attack...
Stunning catch from Stokes, who has to run to his right in the deep and dive to cling on to a tricky chance.
13th over: Australia 124-2 (Smith 64, Maxwell 44)
A couple for Smith brings up the 100 partnership off 62 balls. Great fielding from Billings saves another two but Finn, in his last over, is then clobbered into the stands for six! Huge, huge hit – certainly the biggest of the day. Two at the end of the over sees Finn finish with 4-0-39-1 today.
12th over: Australia 110-2 (Smith 51, Maxwell 43)
Rashid’s worst ball so far, a drag down, is thumped for six by Maxwell. Then Smith completes his fifty from 30 balls with a straight slap for four! Australia getting things done at a canter here...
11th over: Australia 96-2 (Smith 46, Maxwell 34)
Tight two is made by Smith, who gets some serious air-time with his dive and ensure he’s in his ground as Buttler takes out the stumps. He charges Stokes next ball but finds nothing but air. A slower ball is poorly bowled and Smith uses the width and shortness of the ball to beat backward point for four!
10th over: Australia 86-2 (Smith 38, Maxwell 33)
After staying in the crease for Rashid’s first over, Smith greets the start of his second with a skip and a thump over long on for six! He goes high to mid-off this time where Stokes does the fielding to keep it to one. Rashid goes flatter for the rest of the over and Australia pick up six more from the last four balls.
9th over: Australia 73-2 (Maxwell 30, Smith 28)
Ben Stokes replaces Topley and starts well before digging one in short that Smith works easily through square leg for four! A slash last ball bounces to Rashid at deep third man.
8th over: Australia 64-2 (Maxwell 29, Smith 22)
Leg-spin didn’t go particular well for Australia, with Boyce’s one over going for 19. But it’s a decent start for Rashid, who concedes four from his first five balls. The batsmen try for two off the last ball but Jason Roy does well to get to the ball and release quickly at deep midwicket to keep them honest.
7th over: Australia 59-2 (Maxwell 27, Smith 19)
Maxwell nearly drags Topley onto his stumps and gets four via an inside edge. Hales is then called into action on the point boundary but, having made up the ground, can’t keep the ball from running through him and onto the boundary sponge. A third four ends the over. as Maxwell picks up a length ball and hits it to midwicket.
6th over: Australia 45-2 (Maxwell 15, Smith 18)
Lovely straight drive from Smith for six– holds his shape and lofts it down the ground. Good pace from Finn keeps Maxwell honest as he tries to pull the ball square. Three overs, 1 for 25 is Finn’s lot so far.
5th over: Australia 37-2 (Smith 11, Maxwell 14)
Essex left-armer Reece Topley in for his first bowl in international cricket. He’ll change his pace well and normally swings it a bit, though it doesn’t look like there is much of that out there. One of those slower deliveries is just lifted over David Willey’s head at mid on. for four. Smith then chastises himself for finding Morgan at cover when he should have beaten him for four.
Good luck @reece_topley on your debut
4th over: Australia 32-2 (Smith 6, Maxwell 14)
Finn looks to have bowled a good yorker but Maxwell whacks it down the ground for four. Maxwell then clatters one into his own foot and is nearly run out by Ben Stokes running in. A shy at the stumps allows one over-throw before Smith gets a short-ball to square leg for four. Not great from Finn, so far, and Morgan changes the field in a bid to get him to bowl outside off-stump. He does and is backed up accordingly by a great stop from Stokes at backward point.
3rd over: Australia 22-2 (Smith 1, Maxwell 9)
Maxwell carves Willey through cover for four, before showing a bit of finesse to roll with a short ball and help it around the corner for another.
Shane Watson out because he couldn't get the ball to hit his leg? Remarkable.
2nd over: Australia 12-2 (Smith 0, Maxwell 0)
Two fours and one comical demise. We’ll miss Watson when he decides he’s had enough. He defends one into the ground, which pops up and threatens his stumps. He then loses his balance as he tries to kick the ball away, misses it completely, and it nudges a bail off.
Oh Watto. Comical. Tries to kick a ball off his stumps, misses, gets bowled. Poor bloke.
1st over: Australia 4-1 (Watson 0)
Slow start from Willey, by his standards – 79mph first up and then just breaks the 80-mark and is hit through the covers for a couple. Better next ball as he squares up Warner and hits him in front, but too high. High over cover gives the left-hander another couple but he’s gone to the final ball as he gets a leading edge to Finn, who’s down at fine-leg.
Warner is squared up and offers the back of his bat – the ball flies high to Steven Finn, running in from long leg.
David Warner and Shane Watson to get Australia’s chase up and running. Warner to take the strike first.
England go with David Willey for the first over...
20th over: England 182-5 (Ali 72, Stokes 1)
Ali gets on strike after the first ball and slices gorgeously over point for four! Billings is then run out trying to get Moeen on strike. Just two singles to finish – decent end of the innings from Australia.
Billings tries to get Moeen on strike for the final two balls of the innings. He does so but loses his wicket in the process...
19th over: England 174-4 (Ali 66, Billings 1)
Cummins’ last over starts with a one over cover. Billings on strike now, 0 from 3, and he charges a short-ball, completely misreading it but at least getting Ali back on strike. Awkward deflection fine down the leg-side allows Moeen to get back for two. Good wide yorker from Cummins gets a single and then Billings is bowled a 94mph ball that cracks Billings on the kidney. Um, ouch.
18th over: England 168-4 (Ali 64, Billings 0)
Mid-off up in the ring for Mitchell Starc’s return and Buttler plays inside-out over cover for four! Mid-on’s up too, so there goes one in that area, this time for six! Starc’s thrown and sends one wide down the off-side. Then he finds that man – Pat Cummins – to end his cameo early, a demise greeted by sighs from the bleachers. Three dots end the over, as Billings is unable to get Starc away.
Buttler’s cameo is cut-short as he finds mid-on, having previous beaten the in-field for two boundaries in the over.
17th over: England 157-3 (Ali 64, Buttler 1)
Pace at both ends now as NCN returns and he gets the wicket of Morgan, who goes, holing out to long-on, for 74 from 39 balls (three fours, seven sixes). Jos Buttler comes to the crease, fresh (dusty) from Finals Day success. Off the mark with a single into the leg-side, first ball.
Next time Morgan says he wants 30 days off just say "yes"
Morgan goes straight again but can’t quite get this one out of the screws and Watson takes a composed catch, right on the long-on boundary.
16th over: England 152-2 (Ali 60, Morgan 74)
Extra pace the key it seems, so Cummins is back into the attack to bowl some full, heat. A series of singles are ended by a high full toss which Morgan smites over mid-on for six! And another six off the final ball, as Morgan reads a slower-ball and gets it over mid-wicket with ease.
15th over: England 136-2 (Ali 58, Morgan 60)
Morgan brings up the 100 partnership with a straight six off the first ball of the over from Watson. He’s back at it fourth ball to get to his fifty off 32 balls. Then straight again – three sixes off the over so far! Watto goes wide - too wide - to take the ropes out of the equation. The final ball is chipped down the ground, just short of the man at long-on.
Smith needs to go Full Lanning and bowl himself here. #ENGvAUS
14th over: England 114-2 (Ali 58, Morgan 39)
Chance to see some leg-spin from Cameron Boyce. After one ball, Ali’s seen enough to skip down and plant him back over his head for six! He drops his length further back and Ali can just wait at the crease and slap the ball to the leg-side fence tto bring up his fifty from 31 balls. Then he skips right down and smashes him for six over wide mid-on. Glorious, Mo.
13th over: England 95-2 (Ali 41, Morgan 37)
Outrageous from Morgan. Watson comes into the attack – god, I’ve missed him – and his short-ball is charged and deposited back over his head for six! Ali gets the strike and manages to get two from the last ball with a checked bunt through extra-cover. Starc does well to field the ball on the slide, saving the boundary.
12th over: England 84-2 (Ali 39, Morgan 28)
NCN back into the attack for his third over and he’s cramping Morgan for room, who manages to get Ali back on strike for the third ball. A thick top-edge clears short mid-wicket for two before a straighter, fuller ball is flicked comfortably to that part of the fence for four! He replicates that classy wrist-whip next ball, moving across his stumps and waiting till the final moment to work a ball on middle for four, inside fine leg up in the circle.
11th over: England 73-2 (Ali 29, Morgan 27)
Morgan not at his prettiest, here, but he’s being proactive in coming down the wicket to hit Marsh over mid-on for four! This is better, though, as he stays still and times the ball for a straight six, out of the ground! It’s a hit that takes him beyond Kevin Pietersen as England’s leading run-scorer in T20 cricket.
Hey mate, can we have our ball back?! Cheers! #ENGvAUSpic.twitter.com/ofBmRPvRiw
10th over: England 62-2 (Ali 29, Morgan 16)
Round-arm from Maxwell and Ali picks off a single into the leg-side. Potential for a two off the second ball but Wade behind the stumps fields well, running into the plush, vacant green in the ring on the leg-side. The over ends with a single off every ball.
9th over: England 56-2 (Ali 26, Morgan 13)
Stoinis the debutant is given his first bowl in full Australian yellow and is carted for a six and then four, three balls in: both into the leg side, the six hammered glorious, on the move, over square leg. A change of pace means Moeen has to wait for the fourth ball, which he punches down the ground for one. Another short-one from Stoinis is mistimed to square leg by Morgan, but out of harm’s way. The over finishes with an Ali square drive for one.
This is only the 6th over of Stoinis' T20 career.
8th over: England 43-2 (Ali 14, Morgan 12)
Pace taken off the ball and replaced with pizzazz – it’s Glenn Maxwell. Morgan steps away and plays him off the pitch into the off-side for a single. Moeen does the same before Morgan does straight down the ground for a third. A missed sweep is followed by a short-arm jab. Mitchell Starc slips after a good stop and allows a third run.
7th over: England 37-2 (Ali 10, Morgan 9)
Mitchell Marsh into the attack and Moeen deposits him over cover for four! Marsh finishes the over out with a series of off-cutters which have Morgan out of sync but a short-ball gives him some relief as he works it around the corner for a second boundary. 10 from the over.
6th over: England 27-2 (Ali 5, Morgan 5)
Cummins continuing to impress, bowling heat and getting Moeen playing and missing. Three dot balls mean the silky left-hander is desperate for a single and it nearly costs him his wicket, as he picks out mid-on, who throws down the stumps. It’s only an ungainly dive that saves Moeen’s (turkey) bacon. Bit of class from Morgan, who picks up his first boundary off the final delivery of the Power Play with a lovely cover-drive.
C'mon, admit it: you want to buy that back foot drive from Moeen mojitos and take it to Paris for the weekend.
5th over: England 22-2 (Ali 4, Morgan 1)
Eoin Morgan defends a couple and gets a streaky single just inside gully. Then Moeen does that thing where he plays a shot that makes adults groan happy groans, punching off the back foot through extra-cover for four.
This is Eoin Morgan's first innings since his duck against Hampshire on 1st August
4th over: England 18-2 (Ali 1)
NCN off, Pat Cummins on – first ball moves into Hales and strikes pad. Sliding down pretty comfortably, but Hales looked a bit surprised by the arm speed. Then two consecutive full-tosses – another LBW shot then one that Hales edges onto his stumps. Moeen Ali comes in at three, gets a single, then Roy mistimes one high into the off-side, where NCN takes a good catch running backwards at cover.
Roy miscues one too many, skying the ball to NCN, who runs back to take a fine catch.
Undone for pace by a full toss, is Hales, who edges onto his stumps, having had a couple of LBW shouts against him turned down...
3rd over: England 17-0 (Roy 11, Hales 3)
Roy is happy enough with the surface and his own game to try and force the issue: he’s clearing his front leg to the first ball, then galloping down the wicket. Both for none, mind. Ah, there it is: a well controlled flick off his hip goes behind square on the leg side for four, beating the fielder stationed on the boundary. A miscue goes to that man – debutant Marcus Stoinis – next ball for a single.
2nd over: England 11-0 (Roy 6, Hales 2)
Nathan Coulter-Nile with the second over and Hales gets off the mark with a single straightaway. Roy skews high but safe towards third man and then both openers take a couple more singles to finish off.
1st over: England 7-0 (Roy 4, Hales 0)
First run comes second ball as Roy slaps a wide delivery on the top of its head to get it behind point for a couple. Starc then resorts to his Test match set which goes wide, wide, runs square of the wicket: Roy uses his hands to open the face and guide through point for two. Then another wide. The over ends with a missed hoik.
The players are out in the middle.
Hales and Roy to open the batting for England. Mitchell Starc will bowl the first over...
Speaking of the Women’s Ashes – England’s consolation win in the final Twenty20 means Australia regain the Ashes with a 10-6 scoreline.
Surrey allrounder Nat Sciver took 4-15 and saw England home with 47 from 44 balls. However, as Amy Lofthouse reports, the host’s batting remains a collection of errors and indecision...
England’s batting has grown progressively worse as the series has gone on. The promotion of Wyatt to open with Charlotte Edwards was intended to give them some early momentum, but Wyatt lasted only two balls. With no foot movement, Wyatt tried to drive and chopped Perry on to her stumps. Sarah Taylor capped off a poor Ashes series with her fifth single figure score, edging Rene Farrell behind for three.
Rightly or wrongly, England follow Edwards’ lead with the bat. If she falls, chances are the team will follow. Her dismissal, reaching at a wide Rene Farrell delivery and slapping it to backward point, rounded off a disappointing series.
AUSTRALIA WIN THE TOSS AND BOWL...
Having watched the Women’s Ashes Twenty20 match earlier, which England won by five wickets, Steve Smith - captaining in the absence of Aaron Finch – felt the ball would swing about. Eoin Morgan disagrees, saying he’d have batted anyway because he feels the surface looks good.
Here’s Ali Martin’s preview, featuring a recharged Eoin Morgan, who returns from a period of rest having not played a competitive match since 1 August...
I sat down with Gus and discussed the pros and cons of it,” said Morgan, who will captain England for the 33rd time in white-ball cricket. “He was understanding and brilliant in the way he managed it because he said the priority was English cricket, which is a tough decision as a director of cricket at a county team.
“We talked about the benefits of it and, sitting here now, I’m probably twice the man I was a month ago because of the hectic nature of the schedule. I feel really fresh. My attitude, my mind, my body is a lot better than it was a month ago. I’m raring to go. I can’t wait to get started.”
Come on – you didn’t think it would be that long before ANOTHER England-Australia bout, did you? Ah well, at least they’ve brought a change of clothes with them.
I’m a bit miffed why they are only playing the one T20I on this tour given there’s a World Twenty20 around the corner, in March of next year. There are three scheduled T20s for the UAE tour against Pakistan and two at the end of a long series in South Africa. They’ll no doubt play a few warm-ups when they get to India in late February. Will that be enough? Probably, yeah.
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