Warner celebrates after scoring his third ODI century
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Australia opener David Warner scored a stunning century to not only hand his side a three-wicket win over England, but a bonus point as well.
Warner was well supported by left-arm pace bowler Mitchell Starc, who took four wickets.
However, England captain Eoin Morgan and seamer Chris Woakes deserve a lot of credit as the former made 121 and the latter picked up four wickets.
Morgan would have been regretting his decision to bat first since Starc dismissed opener Ian Bell off the very first ball of the match.
James Taylor was on his way back to the pavilion just two balls later as he was given out lbw for a duck.
Joe Root only made five runs before he was caught by Shane Watson at first slip off the bowling of Pat Cummins.
Moeen Ali scored 22 runs before he was caught by Glenn Maxwell off the bowling of James Faulkner.
Ravi Bopara fared no better as he was caught by Maxwell at backward point off the bowling of Xavier Doherty for 13 runs.
Morgan and Jos Buttler stemmed the bleeding with a 67-run partnership, during which Morgan brought up his half-century, before Buttler was caught by Warner off the bowling of Faulkner for 28.
Woakes mustered eight runs before he was caught by Steven Smith at midwicket off the bowling of Maxwell.
Morgan and Chris Jordan stabilised the innings with a 56-run partnership, during which Morgan registered his seventh ODI century, before Jordan was caught by Maxwell at deep midwicket off the bowling of Faulkner for 17.
Morgan went on to score 121 off 136 balls, which included 11 boundaries and three sixes, before he was caught by Maxwell at deep midwicket off the bowling of Starc.
Morgan’s seventh ODI century went in vain
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
England were bowled out for 234 the very next ball when Steven Finn was cleaned up by Starc for a golden duck.
Starc was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Faulkner snapped up three and Doherty, Maxwell and Cummins chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Starc finished with figures of 4-42 off 8.5 overs
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Chasing 235 to win, Australia got off to a horrible start as opening batsman Aaron Finch was clean bowled by Woakes for 15.
Shane Watson made 16 runs before he was caught by Woakes at deep midwicket off the bowling of Jordan.
Warner and Smith steadied the innings with an 87-run partnership, during which Warner recorded his half-century, before Smith was cleaned up by Ali for 37.
Australia skipper George Bailey failed to have an impact with the bat as he was caught behind off the bowling of Woakes for 10 runs.
Woakes struck again just three balls later when Maxwell was caught behind for a golden duck.
However, Maxwell should not have been given out since replays showed that his bat hit the ground instead of the ball.
Warner ended up making 127 off 115 balls, which included 18 boundaries, before he was caught by Bell at point off the bowling of Woakes.
Brad Haddin accumulated 16 runs before he was run out by Bopara.
Despite the late flurry of wickets, Australia still managed to reach their target with 61 balls to spare, which ensured that they received the bonus point.
Woakes was the most successful bowler with four wickets, while Jordan and Ali claimed one wicket each.
Woakes dismissed Finch, Bailey, Maxwell and Warner
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Morgan was gutted to have lost the match, and said: “We did well to get to 234 after the early wickets, 250 would have been better. Ultimately the early wickets cost us. Starc swings the ball like Jimmy Anderson, so credit to him. We still won’t know what a par score is if we look back, losing wickets throughout the innings cost us. I was happy with my performance to start like this as captain but devastated at the result. Woakes bowled well, Moeen Ali held his own as well. Looking forward to playing India after four days.”
Bailey was pleased with his team’s performance, and said: “Outstanding, and especially the start Starc gave us. He’s coming down at really good pace and he can rip through the heart of a team. Cummins is coming along nicely as well and Johnson will be back with Hazlewood so we have some good pace. It’s a challenging tri-series here. We were reasonably late to go for the bonus point, [but] Warner deserved to get his hundred. We made sure he got it and then went for the win, trying to make sure it didn’t get messy.”
Starc edged out Warner for the Man of the Match award, and said: “To contribute to a win is always great and make Australia win is what we play for. The ball came out nicely and they got some partnerships in the middle but as a whole we bowled really really well. It’s fantastic to see Warner bat like that, he’s had a great summer and showed it tonight as well. There’s healthy competition among the fast bowlers in the squad, everyone’s looking for games and wickets in the tri-series and in the lead up to the World Cup.”