The first ODI on Sunday for England at the MCG was an absolute disaster.
England just couldn’t get anything right. Misfields, poor batting performances and terrible bowling all led to the horrible result that they experienced.
It all started with the batting, where Alastair Cook is caught behind for four runs in the first over. They couldn’t have had a worse start.
The horror show continued with Joe Root going out for 3 of 23 balls. Next it looked as if Ian Bell and Gary Ballance were going to settle it for a while until Bell was bowled by Doherty.
The only reason in which England set a respectable total was the partnership between Eoin Morgan and Ballance.
But that 83-run partnership had to also come to an end with Morgan going out for 50. England ended up making a defendable and respectable total of 269.
When David Warner and Aaron Finch walked out to the middle to open the batting, we all knew that they were going to put on a show.
They ended up setting up the biggest opening partnership by two openers in an ODI between Australia and England of 163.
But that came to an end when Warner tried to hit Root out of the ground and was caught on the fence.
Watson then fell for a duck, but after that Australia powered through. Australia reached the total with 4.2 overs left.
Imagine how different the outcome could’ve been though if Ballance had held on to the ball Finch hit to him when he was on 8?
Or if that catch behind the stumps had been called out? Overall though England didn’t bowl the right line and lengths and they were hit around the park.
But what can England do to come back?
Australia has such a strong batting and bowling line-up that it will be hard for England, they have so many unexperienced players that are either playing really well, or struggling really badly.
The first thing England needs to do is get a spinner into the side, with all the fast and medium pacers, there was little variation and it was all to easy for the Australian batsmen.
The next thing England need to do is give Alastair Cook a rest. It may look really bad them resting their captain, but he needs to have a rest so he can find some form.
Otherwise their woes at the top of the order will continue.
Finally what they need to do is show some character. They are playing boring cricket and more excitement in the team is exactly what they need.
But I think that it is all to late for England, they will not win this series, but they need to win at least one game.
Otherwise their spirit will be well and truly broken, but I think that the charismatic team Australia are just too good for the struggling English team.
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
2nd ODI Pom team should be: KP, Bell, Balance, Carberry, Stokes, Joss, Kieswetter, Broad, Tredwell, Jordan, Finn
albo
Guest
Keep em here ,im enjoying this
Dizzy Tangles
Guest
50 over tour match being played today. Eng v Priminister's XI Groundhog Day for Cook & Root. Both scored 1 run each. Root faced 15 balls for his run. Brett Lee got them both. England XI Innings 264 for 8 (50.0 overs) Edit: sorry - did not realize this had already been posted.
Pom in Oz
Roar Guru
Yeah and Root wasted 14 balls getting his 1. Cook caught behind second ball. Please go home boys...
jameswm
Guest
PM's batting lineup not looking so flash though. Heaps of bowlers LA Pomersbach, PSP Handscomb†, BJ Hodge, BR McDermott, M Spaseski, BCJ Cutting - at 6? B Lee* - at 7? CA Rose AC McDermott, JM Muirhead, JM Bird,
jameswm
Guest
Oh too funny. And Binga got 'em both.
Scuba
Guest
Cook and Root managed a grand total of 2 runs between them in the game against the PM's XI this afternoon.
Dizzy Tangles
Guest
"Its clear kp, broad and anderson were rested from a meaningless odi" - can understand broad and Anderson being rested, but none of the batsmen for England spent enough time time in the middle during the ashes to warrant a rest.
The Bush
Roar Guru
To be honest, we've got so much ODI talent that it is to know what our best team...
Nudge
Guest
Agree Pedro, although he is probably behind Vogues. Vogues has been dropped for this series despite excellent form. He averages 46 from 30 matches with a strike rate of nearly 90. Brilliant figures. Then there is Smith as well who can't get a game. Smith Vogues and White would nearly be the first bats picked for England if they were English.
JGK
Roar Guru
If only they had also set up the biggest opening partnership by non-openers.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Has there been a bigger opening partnership between two middle order batsmen?
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Plus, Clarke has shown he can come out in limited overs matches and get the rate moving straight away and keep it moving. He's really improved in this manner in the last few years. Then down the order we have Bailey, Maxwell, Haddin, Faulkner and Coulter-Nile, who are all big hitters of the ball. For the first time in a long time this Australian team looks a really complete batting lineup, and the bowling isn't too bad either.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It was bad wasn't it. I think that with the quality of hitting Australia had still to come in that it still wouldn't have been enough for England, but it was really poor. I think fielding is a good window on the psyche. When you are going well you throw yourself into the field and give it everything and generally do a good job. When you are a bit down, you don't really want to be there, and in the field you aren't fully there and concentrating and that really comes through. England's fielding just got worse and worse as the test series went on and their heads dropped more and more.
The Barry
Roar Guru
"They ended up setting up the biggest opening partnership by two openers..."
Slane
Guest
The fielding was really the difference. I'm not saying the Poms would have won if they'd caught the balls they should have caught and stopped the boundaries they should have stopped, but it would have been a hell of a lot closer. It was 3 stoogesque at times.
Brian
Guest
Its clear kp, broad and anderson were rested from a meaningless odi
JB
Guest
I'd rest root and Cook and get some power in there, Morgan looked more comfortable than Finch at the crease he just got himself out. If he can have someone go with him they'll post a decent total, but I think there problem as highlighted is there fielding. Warner and Finch were taking singles at will against the english the Aussies would have run those guys out half a dozen times if they ran singles like that, the frustration on Cooks face and all the bowlers told a story, they couldn't do a thing to stop it, very few athletes in the field for England at the moment.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I did think that Pieterson was an out and out striker of the ball, but as you say, he's not in the team and it is unclear what is future is in this team...
DJW
Guest
Yeah I was suprised they didn't pick Wright or Alex Hales. Could even play Kieswetter as a batsmen. He must be in a close battle with Jos Buttler. Root is definatly not an odi batsmen. I think Australia would of rather not got him out and let him continue to score as slow as he was . 3 of 27 is terrible. However England will be stronger with Broad back in the team. Also Peteirson if they pick him. We do have Johnson to come back though!