Eng Aus ODI 1: Morgan ton helps England draw first blood, as 3000th ODI is Played!

by Vinay Anand

Eoin Morgan’s authoritative 103 of just 87 balls sealed the deal for the England team who beat the Australians by 4 wickets at the Rose Bowl, Southampton in the first ODI of the NatWest Trophy. Morgan blazed away and proved his versatility including his famed sweeps.

eoin morgan

Prior to this innings, Morgan had several scores over the 80 run mark but all against weaker oppositions. Getting a century against the number one ODI team in the world and with England having their backs against the wall was truly special for the young lad from Ireland.

Earlier in the day Australian skipper Ricky Ponting had won the toss and like ever chose to bat. The two teams clashed in what was to be the 3000th One Day International match. Ironically, it was these two teams itself who had played the first ever ODI. The teams might have been similar on both occasions but as it turned out the result was not as Morgan’s heroics helped the Englishmen improve their woeful one day record against Australia in recent times.

It was the same opening combination used by Ponting that was used on the last trip to England. Shane Watson and Tim Paine look a good combination with Watson being the aggressor and Paine complementing him well. The Australians were off to a quiet start on what looked like a typical Rose Bowl pitch of recent times. The green top that once existed was not to be seen as Watson cashed in on a pitch offering no swing or lateral movement.

Watto, as he is known to his mates, was looking ominous before Stuart Broad, who with his uncanny knack of picking up wickets, had him caught and bowled off a short delivery.

It was yet another typical Broad over with a couple of boundaries and then a wicket. All eyes were on Australia’s skipper as he walked in to bat after what was a 10 week break. Michael Atherton, former England captain turned commentator, spoke about this and how rusty Ponting could be due to his long break. Ponting played two scintillating drives, one of the back and the

other of the front foot through the cover point region which got him going. Unfortunately, it was his famed pull shot that proved to be his undoing as he got under the ball and pulled it straight into the hands of Broad at long leg.

Michael Clarke, who had a couple of ducks to his name in the two practice matches, walked in with a point to prove. The home team had done their homework well as Clarke who is susceptible to the rising delivery was bounced constantly.

However, Strauss’s captaincy had a couple of question marks. Michael Clarke is not the one to provide the impetus to an innings. He is, by no means,a big hitter. In spite of this, Strauss left the field back when Clarke was playing Michael Yardy. As a result of this Clarke was able to feel his way in and went on to play a fine innings (87) for Australia.

The second being, introducing the team's best bowler (Swann) in the 26th over of the innings. The field here again was sub standard. Giving an attacking spinner a defensive field is

one of the worst things that a captain could do on the field. Swann never had a slip when he came on to bowl. Both, Clarke and Michael Hussey nicked through the slips only to get fortunate boundaries.

Strauss may have got out of jail this time round but his tactics could backfire if he decides to go on with them in similar fashion in the matches to come.

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