Published: Feb 14, 2015, 12:50 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 14, 2015, 03:46 PM (IST)
Australia have reached 342 for nine in their 50 overs and have set England a stiff target to chase down in their opening game at Melbourne. Australia got off to a great start as openers Aaron Finch and David Warner put on 57 runs for the opening wicket. Finch was dropped by Chris Woakes early on and England will rue that missed opportunity. Australia then lost three wickets, that of Warner, Shane Watson and Steven Smith in quick succession. Live Updates: Australia vs England Pool A match at Melbourne
Skipper George Bailey, who hasn’t been in the best of forms finally got things going as he managed to get to his 15th One-Day International (ODI) half-century. Aaron Finch on the other end started scoring at a rampant pace and didn’t give England any respite. Finch went on to score his sixth ODI century and along with Bailey he stitched a 146-run stand for the fourth wicket. Live Scorecard of Australia vs England 2nd ODI Pool A match at Melbourne
Then, the wickets of Finch and Bailey fell and England had a sniff. But the Glenn Maxwell (66) and Mitchell Marsh put on 53 for the sixth wicket in quick succession before Marsh was dismissed for a well made 20-ball 23. Maxwell meanwhile managed to get to his fifty off just 30 balls to put Australia in command and ensured that his side went past 300. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: POINTS TABLE
Every England bowler went for runs. Steven Finn picked up a hat-trick, picked up five wickets in the process and Stuart Broad picked up two wickets apiece and Chris Woakes finished with one wicket. It was a forgettable day for the bowlers, they didn’t have any clue as to what hit them out in the middle. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
Earlier England had won the toss and elected to bowl first. Australia certainly had the upper hand going into this game as they Thrashed England in all the games in the recently concluded tri-series. England will now hope that their batsmen fire and get them over the line and get them off the mark in the tournament. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete Coverage
Brief scores:
Australia 342 for 9 in 50 overs (Aaron Finch 135, George Bailey 55, Glenn Maxwell 66; Steven Finn 5 for 71) vs England.
