CricketArchive

Ponting helps Australia to take 5-0 lead
by CricketArchive Staff Reporter


Ground:Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Scorecard:England v Australia
Player:EJG Morgan, RT Ponting
Event:Australia in British Isles 2009

DateLine: 15th September 2009

 

The Australian team continued their dominance over the English team in the one-day format off the game as they successfully chased a target off 300 with 10 ball remaining. Ponting scored a majestic century and gave the hosts a free master-class off how to build an innings and consolidate. The English team though batted well to put up a challenging total did not have the firepower to stop the Australian team from reaching the target. England in their 50 overs scored 299 while Australia in reply scored 302 for the loss off six wickets.

 

Strauss continued to win the toss and again he elected to bat first on a placid batting wicket. He was partnered by Joe Denly at the top and the pair got off the blocks very slowly. The opening duo took their own time to get familiar with a new look Australian bowling attack and once they got their eye in, the pair played some excellent shots. Strauss was in sparkling touch during his stay but his attempt to reverse sweep a fuller, straighter delivery from Nathan Hauritz was ruled out by the umpire. Bopara's innings promised a lot but once again the right hander gave away his start with an ill-advised shot. Denly played well for his 45 but he too threw his wicket away when he was needed to play a long innings.

 

Shah and Matt Prior managed to score attractive 30's but failed to convert their starts. Mascarenhas was struck on the head by a Johnson with his first delivery and edged unconvincingly at several other short-pitched offerings. Mascarenhas eventually fell to Watson. At 192 for 5 it seemed that the English team would lose their way till Morgan decided to change the now familiar script. The left-hander utilised the batting Powerplay option which was taken between the 38th and 42nd overs and the hosts took 45 runs in those five overs. During this phase off the innings the left-hander showcased some stunning shots to all parts off the ground to push the English score up.

 

Bracken removed Morgan and at the time of his departure in the 48th over, England were well on course for a competitive total, and when Adil Rashid blasted three boundaries from Mitchell Johnson's final over the English team had scored 299 runs in their 50 overs.

 

The Australian openers once again provided the platform with a solid 45 run association in just 9 overs but then Bresnan produced a short ball which Paine could only top edge. Watson was looking for a big score when once again his innings was nipped in the bud with another short delivery from Bresnan which he top edged to midwicket. The English team should have been forgiven for thinking that they had created the needed breakthrough to create a hole into the Australian batting line-up but then Ponting and Clarke stopped the English bowlers in their tracks with another masterly created partnership.

 

Both the batsmen used the depth off the crease to counter any swing created by the English bowlers, feet against the young leg spinner Rashid and then employed powerful pulls and cuts when the bowlers erred by bowling short. The pair did not resort to any violent methods early in the partnership as they were cautious. Mascarenhas troubled both the batsmen with accurate seamers especially with the ball keeping low, the pair looked circumspective. Encouraged by the variable bounce in the pitch, Strauss brought on Rashid and he immediately troubled both the batsmen with some turn. But once the duo settled in they began to use their feet against Rashid, first milked him and then blasted him out off the attack.

 

As the duo began to feel comfortable the shots began to get bolder, with Ponting now chancing his arms. First he deposited an off-colour Sidebottom over the long on ropes and then proceeded to tear apart Rashid with consecutive maximums. Ponting reached a well-deserved century and Clarke crossed the fifty run, mark with minimum fuss. Just when Clarke had the bowling by the scruff off the neck he send a rank long hop from Rashid straight into the hands off deep square-leg. Hussey came and went without causing much ripple. Ferguson was trapped leg before by Broad and Ponting holed out to long off to give English team some semblance of hope. But White and Johnson joined forces to shut England out off the game.

LATEST SCORES

| Privacy Policy | FAQs | Contact |
Copyright © 2003-2024 CricketArchive