Published: Sep 07, 2015, 03:43 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 08, 2015, 08:15 PM (IST)
Sourly moments involving Ben Stokes and Australia engulfed discussions on the second One-Day International (ODI) at Lord’s, but there is clearly some gulf between the two teams in the effectiveness of their plans. While Australia played better than in the first ODI, England made similar errors. Abhishek Mukherjee previews the third ODI at Manchester, a must-win game for a hurt and incensed England. SCORECARD: England vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Manchester
A ball at Ben Stokes’ direction, a reaction, an appeal and a decision, were a series of events which were completed within a few minutes but they left an overpowering taste of the second One-Day International (ODI) at Lord’s, overshadowing the cricket and the result. When Eoin Morgan and Liam Plunkett dominated the bowling attack with abandon following a chunk of wickets that derailed England’s chase of 306, the crowd felt warm with the appearance of a stunned and confused Australian unit. But the result, the home side’s second loss in as many games, reflected the sobering reality of their effectiveness being poor in comparison with Australia. England’s middle-order collapse and their death bowling will be two areas to rectify, and the slightly altered side they are likely to field in the third ODI in Manchester will hope to iron out those problems. READ: Brendon McCullum says Steven Smith might live to regret ‘obstructing the field’ dismissal against Ben Stokes
Jos Buttler, the wicketkeeper with a reputation of match-turning, counterattacking capabilities with the bat, has not been in good form with the bat, and has been rested, also keeping in mind his heavy workload playing non-stop for his country. Jonny Bairstow, the middle-order batsman who featured in the Ashes, will play his first ODI since the New Zealand series in June. The management can also tweak the fast-bowling unit, with David Willey, the left-arm seamer, getting a look in. All fast bowlers have leaked runs, at the start and at the death, to allow their opponents to cross 300: Australia were more in trouble in the first ODI, at 194 for 6, before the late recovery act by Matthew Wade and Mitchell Marsh, and at Lord’s, Marsh worked to lift the run-rate towards the death, after the base was laid by the other middle-order batsmen. READ: 8 instances when cricketers were dismissed ‘Obstructing the Field’
For them, two key limited-overs batsmen, David Warner and Shane Watson, and a bowler, Nathan Coulter-Nile, are ruled out due to injury. John Hastings, the Victoria all-rounder and Peter Handscomb, the top-order batsman, also from the same domestic team, are called in to the squad. In what was supposed to be a run-glut of a series, like the one involving New Zealand, the games have seen middle-order stutter three times out of four, and both teams would like to ensure they maximise the runs. Whereas in the New Zealand series, 300 was an iffy total, in the last two ODIs it has been a winning one. READ: England must address poor death bowling to keep ODI series against Australia alive
Morgan’s efforts at Lord’s was an exceptional one, and if James Taylor, the No. 3, can convert his starts to bat through most of the innings, England will well reach their batting potential in the upcoming ODIs. They seemed to be steering themselves well towards their target, before Stokes’ incident distracted and demoralised them, and they collapsed. Stokes’ was the fourth wicket to fall, with the score at 141, and they were soon reduced to 187 for 8. Plunkett and Morgan entertained for a while thereafter, but it only served to provide a bit of consolation to the home crowd and delayed the inevitable.
England will need to win this upcoming contest to keep themselves alive. A lacklustre ODI series will further put a stamp on the reckoning that Australians, in Tests and ODIs, were a better unit than them, and that the three wins in Tests were significant but temporary. This Australian team, as was evident with the Stokes incident that stoked some fire, plays to win, without fuss, or without any regard of their perception in others’ eyes. They will be tough to beat.
Squads:
England: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
Australia: Steven Smith (c), Matthew Wade (wk), Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, George Bailey, John Hastings, Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson.
Time: 14:30 local | 13:00 GMT | 18:30 IST
(Abhishek Mukherjee is a reporter with CricketCountry. His Twitter handle is @bhejafryyy)
