365 Sporting Days

With the single T20 between these 2 teams happening tomorrow I’m going to write this with just a few photos included, then I’ll add more later.

413 runs were scored in this 5th ODI and it was far and away the best of the 4 games I went to.

Tim Paine won the toss again, and again elected to bat.  Travis Head and Aaron Finch started the Australia innings with some intent, hitting 58 from the first 6 overs.  The Australian batsmen have struggled against spin in this series and Eoin Morgan introduced Moeen Ali early.

The move was to prove to be a perfect one as Moeen took 2 wickets in his first over.  Finch was bowled for 22 and 2 balls later Stoinis was caught by Jake Ball for a duck!  Australia were 60 for 2.

He had scored 56 from 42 balls, but with another bowling change was caught by Morgan from the bowling of Liam Plunkett.  Moeen who’s had a great series took the wicket of Shaun Marsh in the next over.  As you can see by the photo both I and Jos Buttler knew he was out stumped before the 3rd umpire told us so.  Australia were 97 for 4.

A calm head was needed for Australia as captain Tim Paine came in, however that wasn’t to be the case as he got himself run out taking an unnecessary run, the throw to execute the run out was an outstanding one from Jos Buttler, who was in mid air as he threw the ball.  Paine was out by a country mile, it was frustrating to have the decision referred.

Australia had gone from 60 for no wicket to 100 for 5, not the best way to go about avoiding a 5 nil whitewash. Alex Carey had come in at 5 and he and D’Arcy Short went about building a much needed partnership.  The pair batted for 10 overs adding 59 to the total.

Sam Curran was brought back into the attack, and again the bowling change brought results as Carey swung his bat to be caught by Buttler.

Ashton Agar had looked good with bat in hand during the series, but 2 balls later he made a terrible mis-judgement in leaving a ball, it clattered into his stumps and he was out for a Duck.  Australia were 159 for 7.

Light up stumps too!  Perfect!

D’Arcy Short safeguarded his wicket and finished on 47 not out, but Australia were all out for 205 by the 35 over.  206 to win, that’d be easy for this England team wouldn’t it?  Well, no, it wouldn’t!

England are prone to a collapse themselves and wow they really went for it this time!  With 5 nil beckoning they did their very best to snatch defeat from the jaws of a record series win.

4 balls into the England innings Jason Roy was bowled by Ashton Agar, the joy can be seen on Tim Paine’s face as the bails fly! England were 2 for 1.

Enter the impressive Billy Stanlake, this will be a man who’ll torture England for years to come.  He bowled Jonny Bairstow in the 6th over and England were 19 for 2.  I’d witnessed an England ODI collapse against South Africa at Lord’s last summer, this didn’t bode well!

Joe Root was in at 4, he was also next back in the pavilion as he failed to cope with a ball from Stanlake, Root was caught by Shaun Marsh and England were 23 for 3!

This was a batting performance of disastrous proportions! Captain Eoin Morgan didn’t fare much better, he faced 3 balls before being bowled by Stanlake the young bowler was on fire and Australia had something celebrate!

Alex Hales had come in at 3 and watched all around him fall, he made a 29 ball 20 before being caught by Paine from the bowling of Kane Richardson.  England were struggling in a very big way, they were 50 for 5. 206 looked a very long way off.

50 for 5 turned into 86 for 6 after Moeen Ali was caught by Lyon from the bowling of Stoinis, Paine’s bowling changes were working too!

Debutant Sam Curran joined Jos Buttler, no pressure on the 20 year old!  The win was on if someone could build a partnership with Buttler, a man in the form of his life, Curran looked confident at the wicket, he even hit a mighty 6, but on 20 he was caught by Paine from the bowling of Richardson.  England were on 114 for 7.

Liam Plunkett who can wield a bat wafted at a Richardson ball and was caught by Paine for a Duck!  114 for 8!  Surely this couldn’t be done?

Adil Rashid joined Buttler and probably played one of the best innings of his career, I’ve never cheered so many dot balls, all he needed to do was keep Buttler company and he’d get the runs needed.

Rashid batted for 67 minutes, facing 47 balls, making 20 runs.  With 25 balls remaining and 11 runs needed Rashid lifted his bat to a Stoinis ball, he was caught by Stanlake.  England were 195 for 9.

Jos Buttler hit a straight 6 to reach his century, having played a remarkable innings!  Jake Ball faced 10 balls for 1 run and Buttler aptly scored the wining runs.  His was far and away the best innings of this series and this was by far the most exciting game!  Buttler was rightly named Man of the Series.

England had their 5 nil series win, but Australia at least had some positives to take from the game.