Australia beat England by four runs in T20
CRICKET: MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan 16 (AFP) - Australia
finally had something to celebrate after recording an unlikely four-run
win over England in the second Twenty20 international at the Melbourne
Cricket Ground on Friday.
After Australia battled to 147-7 thanks to an unbeaten half-century
by second-gamer Aaron Finch, England looked set to cruise to victory
when they were 58-0 after six overs, with opener Ian Bell on song.
But England's quest to extend their record unbeaten T20 streak to
nine matches, having defeated Australia on the last ball of Wednesday's
game in Adelaide, came unstuck as their middle order failed to deliver.
As was the case in Australia's lone win during the Ashes series, in
the third Test at the WACA Ground, it was paceman Mitchell Johnson
(3-29) who turned the match on its head.
Johnson claimed the vital wicket of Bell (39) when the right-hander
dragged a ball onto his stumps in the seventh over to end an opening
stand of 60.
The left-hander then followed up by having Kevin Pietersen caught for
one three balls later.
Johnson also removed the dangerous Eoin Morgan for 14, while Shane
Watson backed up his brilliant effort in Wednesday's match with a frugal
2-17 from four overs.
With 13 runs needed off the last three balls from Brett Lee, young
England all-rounder Chris Woakes threatened to repeat his heroics on
Wednesday when he lofted the paceman into the stands to leave seven
needed from two. But Lee got the job done as Australia snapped a run of
five successive losses in T20 internationals. Man of the match Finch,
playing in only his second international, hit 53 not out from 33 balls
in a crucial performance with the bat for the home side.
SCORE BOARD
AUSTRALIA
David Warnerc Pietersen b Yardy 30
Shane Watson c Morgan b Woakes 17
Tim Paine c Collingwood b Swann 21
David Hussey c Woakes b Yardy 8
Cameron White (c) lbw Swann 0
Aaron Finch not out 53
Steve Smith c Collingwood b Shahzad 13
Steve O’Keefe b Bresnan 1
Mitchell Johnson not out 1
Extras (lb2, w1) 3
Total (for seven wkts, 20 overs) 147
Fall of wickets: 1-37 (S Watson), 2-63 (T Paine)
3-72 (D Warner), 4-74 (C White)
5-80 (D Hussey), 6-131 (S Smith)
7-138 (S O’Keefe)
Bowling: Woakes 3-0-29-1 (1w)
Shahzad 3-0-34-1
Bresnan 4-0-27-1
Swann 4-0-19-2
Yardy 4-0-19-2
Pietersen 2-0-17-0
Did not bat: Brett Lee, Shaun Tait.
ENGLAND
Ian Bell b Johnson 39
Steven Davies c Warner b Watson 29
Kevin Pietersen c White b Johnson 1
Paul Collingwood c Warner b Watson 6
Eoin Morgan c Finch b Johnson 14
Luke Wright c Smith b Tait 18
Tim Bresnan not out 15
Chris Woakes not out 11
Extras (lb2, w6, nb2) 10
Total (for six wkts, 20 overs) 143
Fall of wickets: 1-60 (I Bell), 2-62 (K Pietersen)
3-74 (P Collingwood), 4-88 (S Davies)
5-111 (L Wright), 6-113 (E Morgan)
Bowling: Tait 4-0-39-1 (1nb, 5w)
Lee 4-0-29-0 (1nb)
Watson 4-0-17-2
Johnson 4-0-29-3 (1w)
Hussey 3-0-18-0
O’Keefe 1-0-9-0
Did not bat: Michael Yardy, Graeme Swann, Ajmal Shahzad.
Man of the match: Aaron Finch (AUS).
Umpires: Paul Reiffel (AUS) and Bruce Oxenford (AUS),
TV umpire: Simon Fry (AUS).
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI) |
