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England hammer Australia in ODI opener, and this time it was the bowlers at fault

14th January, 2018
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Pat Cummins of Australia bowls. (AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
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14th January, 2018
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Australia’s ODI form trough deepened yesterday as they were flayed by England’s hyper-aggressive batting line-up in the series opener at the MCG.

The hosts made enough runs – their total of 8-304 set England the task of a record chase at the MCG – but their bowling was simply not good enough against a very strong batting unit.

The defending World Cup holders now have a thoroughly ordinary win-loss record of 21-20 over the past two years.

The key issue amid that slump has been inconsistent batting displays, in particular from their middle order. Yesterday it was their bowlers who misfired. In a horrendous spell with the new ball, Ashes stars Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins leaked 72 runs from eight overs.

Even though each bowler picked up a wicket during this period, their frequent loose offerings allowed England to reduce the greatly required run rate to just 5.54 runs per over with 42 overs to go. From there Australia was always going to have to bowl the visitors out. With Starc and Cummins struggling, that was a task beyond Australia.

Seamer Andrew Tye was disciplined on ODI debut, maintaining a nagging line and length and displaying his fine array of changeups. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa bowled extremely well for his first six overs before taking some tap later on.

Australia's Adam Zampa bowls

(AAP Image/SNPA, John Cowpland)

It was clear from the opening 30 minutes of England’s innings that the belligerent Jason Roy would be the key wicket. The Englishman rode his luck and rode it and rode it all the way to a very streaky but nonetheless match-winning knock of 180 from 151 balls.

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It was an innings which showcased all the strengths and flaws of Roy. He played some truly gorgeous strokes alongside some horrible hacks, a multitude of which saw the ball lob off his blade tantalisingly close to fielders. In the end, however, all that mattered was his massive score.

The one major positive to emerge from the match for Australia was the composed manner in which their new-look middle order put them back on track yesterday. While Australia’s top order has been strong for years now they have been soft in the middle for too long.

It was the frailty of Australia’s middle order which was the decisive factor in their recent 4-1 ODI series loss in India.

In the final three matches of that series, Australia got off to good starts with the bat before their middle order folded. At Indore, they were 1-224 with 12.2 overs remaining, well placed to make 350, before losing 5-69 and finishing with an under-par total of 6-293.

The following match at Bangalore, Australia were even better placed at 0-231 with 15.1 overs left and 400 a distinct possibility. Then they lost 3-5 and only managed to make 103 from those final 91 balls.

Finally, at Nagpur, they were 1-100 off 19.2 overs with Warner and Smith cruising before their innings was derailed and they managed just 9-242.

Yesterday Australia found themselves vulnerable at 3-78 with their two best batsmen Warner and Smith already gone. Instead of blaster Glenn Maxwell coming out at number five, as he often did the past two years before being dropped this month, it was in-form all-rounder Mitch Marsh.

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The 26-year-old played an impressively patient knock of 50 from 68 balls. Rather than relying on boundaries, Marsh worked the ball around nicely, handing strike over to his well-set partner Aaron Finch (107 from 119 balls) during a 118-run stand.

Then Marcus Stoinis continued his extraordinary start to his ODI career with a blistering 60 from 40 balls. He found an able ally in newly-installed wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Paine, who played a neat cameo of 27 from 31 balls.

Australia’s total of 304 was slightly above par at the MCG. It swiftly became far less daunting due to the awful start with the new ball by Starc and Cummins.

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