In a blockbuster showdown between the oldest rivalries of this game of cricket, Reigning Champions Australia showed signs of peaking at the right time for this tournament, when they steamrolled past England at Lords today by 64 runs, as the English quest for the elusive title seems to be stuttering & going downhill, after a blazing start against South Africa in the opening encounter.
Put into bat under overcast conditions & a green tinged surface, Australian openers in red hot form, neutralised the famed English pace attack with considerable ease, clocking yet another century partnership, before Warner fell in the 23rd over for a solid 53 runs & score at 123 runs, as Khawaja walked in to join his captain. The scored card showed an imposing 173 for one in the 32nd over, raising visions of a 350 + score, when the Aussie battings started to falter. Dropped at backward point by Vince when on 15, Finch went on to register his 15th century off just 115 deliveries, but got out next ball, while Khawaja & Maxwell got out after promising starts & Stoinis got himself run out in a horrible mix up with Smith. Wickets fell at regular intervals, putting a brake to the free flow of runs, & the innings ended at 285 for 7 - Smith got out, livid with himself after another pleasing cameo, while Carey stayed unbeaten, both scoring 38 crucial runs. At that stage, it looked as if the Australians had lost the initiative with a below par score.
However, coming into chase, England found the left arm pace of Starc & Behrendorff too hot to handle, & made the worst possible start, losing opener Vince in the 2nd ball of the innings. In form batsmen Joe Root, Eoin Morgan & Jonny Bairstow, all fell cheaply, as the score read a dismal 53 for 4 in the 14th over, as England were staring into the barrel of defeat. Ben Stokes & Jose Butler stuck a purposeful 71 runs partnership, but Khawaja caught Butler at deep square leg boundary in the 28th over, with England requiring another 162 runs at more than 7 runs an over. Ben Stokes then partnered with Woakes to add another 53 runs, before Finch brought back Starc into the attack in the 37th over. The burly left hand pacer virtually ended the contest, conjuring up, arguably the best yorker of the tournament, to scream the ball under the astonished bat of Ben Stokes, dislodging the bails, as Stokes, stunned by the delivery, dropped his bat & then kicked it in exasperation - It certainly was a dream delivery & England were left tottering at 177 for 6. The rest of the tail could not wag much, with Chris Woakes getting caught on the boundary line via a relay catch between Maxwell & Finch, as England were all out for 221 in the 45th over & Australia victorious by 64 runs. Behrendorff had claimed 5 wickets for 44 runs, while Starc had scalped 4 for 43.
David Warner captures the top spot in batting with 500 runs, Aaron Finch a close second with 496 runs & Shakib of Bangladesh third with 476 runs. In bowling Mitchell Starc tops the chart with 19 wickets, with Jofra Archer second with 16, & Md Amir third with 15.
Australia becomes the first team to qualify for the semis with six wins now & are looking good in all departments of the game, as England, outplayed in almost all parts of the match today, are in a spot of bother with back to back losses. They now face a very difficult match against the marauding India & then another tricky match with New Zealand.
Put into bat under overcast conditions & a green tinged surface, Australian openers in red hot form, neutralised the famed English pace attack with considerable ease, clocking yet another century partnership, before Warner fell in the 23rd over for a solid 53 runs & score at 123 runs, as Khawaja walked in to join his captain. The scored card showed an imposing 173 for one in the 32nd over, raising visions of a 350 + score, when the Aussie battings started to falter. Dropped at backward point by Vince when on 15, Finch went on to register his 15th century off just 115 deliveries, but got out next ball, while Khawaja & Maxwell got out after promising starts & Stoinis got himself run out in a horrible mix up with Smith. Wickets fell at regular intervals, putting a brake to the free flow of runs, & the innings ended at 285 for 7 - Smith got out, livid with himself after another pleasing cameo, while Carey stayed unbeaten, both scoring 38 crucial runs. At that stage, it looked as if the Australians had lost the initiative with a below par score.
However, coming into chase, England found the left arm pace of Starc & Behrendorff too hot to handle, & made the worst possible start, losing opener Vince in the 2nd ball of the innings. In form batsmen Joe Root, Eoin Morgan & Jonny Bairstow, all fell cheaply, as the score read a dismal 53 for 4 in the 14th over, as England were staring into the barrel of defeat. Ben Stokes & Jose Butler stuck a purposeful 71 runs partnership, but Khawaja caught Butler at deep square leg boundary in the 28th over, with England requiring another 162 runs at more than 7 runs an over. Ben Stokes then partnered with Woakes to add another 53 runs, before Finch brought back Starc into the attack in the 37th over. The burly left hand pacer virtually ended the contest, conjuring up, arguably the best yorker of the tournament, to scream the ball under the astonished bat of Ben Stokes, dislodging the bails, as Stokes, stunned by the delivery, dropped his bat & then kicked it in exasperation - It certainly was a dream delivery & England were left tottering at 177 for 6. The rest of the tail could not wag much, with Chris Woakes getting caught on the boundary line via a relay catch between Maxwell & Finch, as England were all out for 221 in the 45th over & Australia victorious by 64 runs. Behrendorff had claimed 5 wickets for 44 runs, while Starc had scalped 4 for 43.
David Warner captures the top spot in batting with 500 runs, Aaron Finch a close second with 496 runs & Shakib of Bangladesh third with 476 runs. In bowling Mitchell Starc tops the chart with 19 wickets, with Jofra Archer second with 16, & Md Amir third with 15.
Australia becomes the first team to qualify for the semis with six wins now & are looking good in all departments of the game, as England, outplayed in almost all parts of the match today, are in a spot of bother with back to back losses. They now face a very difficult match against the marauding India & then another tricky match with New Zealand.
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