Finn finished with a career-best 5-33 off eight overs
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
England produced a spectacular all-round performance as they demolished India by nine wickets at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Steven Finn took care of business with the ball as he picked up his maiden five-wicket haul, while Ian Bell and James Taylor excelled with the bat as they scored 88 and 56 respectively.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni would have been mulling over his decision to bat first after opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan was caught behind off the bowling of James Anderson for one run.
Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayudu made up for the early loss of Dhawan with a 56-run partnership before Rahane was caught by Taylor at mid-on off the bowling of Finn.
Following Rahane’s dismissal, India’s middle order collapsed as they went from 57/2 to 67/5.
Stuart Binny and Dhoni stemmed the bleeding with a 70-run partnership before Dhoni was caught behind off the bowling of Finn for 34.
India’s collapse continued after Dhoni’s wicket as they went from 137/6 to being bowled out for 153.
Binny ended up making 44 off 55 balls, which included three boundaries and two sixes.
Binny was India’s top-scorer with 44 runs
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Finn was the pick of the bowlers with five wickets, while Anderson snapped up four and Moeen Ali chipped in with one.
Chasing 154 to win, England got off to an awful start as Ali was caught by Virat Kohli at mid-off off the bowling of Binny for eight runs.
It was all England from this point on as Bell and Taylor amassed an unbeaten 131-run partnership, during which both batsmen brought up their half-centuries, to lead their side to victory with 135 balls to spare.
Bell hit eight boundaries during his knock of 88
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Bell finished on 88 off 91 balls, which included eight boundaries, while Taylor remained undefeated on 56 off 63 deliveries, which included four boundaries.
Taylor’s excellent form with the bat continued
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Binny was the only bowler to take a wicket.
Dhoni was disgusted with his side’s performance, and said: “I don’t think we batted well, especially after choosing to bat. The wicket was a bit two-paced to start off and our batsmen did not really play well. We needed to build partnerships, but that did not happen. If a ball is there to hit, you should, but if it needs to be defended, you should watch out. By the time you need to accelerate, there aren’t any wickets left. We have to use whatever time is left before the world cup in a useful manner. Staying four and a half months away from home is difficult, but we have to switch on and switch off. We need to switch on and assess what needs to be done in the nets, or wait in the hotel if the need be.”
England skipper Eoin Morgan was ecstatic to have won the match, and said: “Outstanding. We really put up a team performance, which I was delighted with. And there were individual performances [as well]. Steve Finn got that bounce and made most of it. Jimmy set the tone with an early breakthrough. If it swings, he tends to take advantage. It adds a hell of a lot of weight to the side. Australia are a very strong side at the moment, we will continue to concentrate on what we do well.”
Finn was named Man of the Match for his brilliant bowling figures.