Australia will hope to live up to their favourites billing when they take on England in their first game of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. Follow the live blog of this match from the Melbourne Cricket Ground from 2.30pm AEDT.
It’s no surprise Australia start favourites against old rivals England. The statistics point to a telling chasm between the two teams in this format of the game.
In the last 15 matches played in Australia, the hosts have won 13 of them. At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia are 9-2 from their previous 11 games. England have won just 3 of their previous 11 matches here.
That’s to say nothing of the ruthlessness Australia exhibited in demolishing England in the three matches the two sides played during the tri-series.
In their opener in that tournament, Australia chased down England’s target with more than 10 overs to spare, Eoin Morgan’s century going in vain.
England pushed Australia hard the second time they met but a clinical century from the broad bat of Steven Smith ensured the hosts were comfortable throughout the chase.
The third strike came in the final of that competition, when Australia batted first and fell short of the much-coveted 300-run mark. Then a fresh and fired-up Mitchell Johnson tore through the English batting to guide his side to a facile victory – that game was over very early during the English chase.
England need their batting to fire to have any chance of an upset. With an Aussie batting line-up in the form of its life as a unit, the hosts will chase down any sub-standard total. England’s only hope is to pile on something substantial and then try and use their bowlers to exploit the bounce at the MCG to test out the Australian batsmen.
There are a couple of improvement areas for the English batting. Ravi Bopara’s poor run is an obvious one and while Eoin Morgan refused to name his starting XI a day before the game, there are suggestions Bopara’s place will be taken by Gary Ballance. Given Moeen Ali is regularly bowling his entire quota of 10 and Bopara’s batting form issues are refusing to go away, this makes for a sensible move.
The other is the batting of Moeen himself. He is a useful cricketer who will score his 20s and 30s and bowl most of his 10 overs but he needs to convert his starts as most top openers do. So far, he has thrown his wicket away and in turn put pressure on the middle-order.
Australia’s line-up is more or less settled, with the only question being over the third bowler’s spot behind Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc. Josh Hazlewood seems a favourite to take the place, but there’s Pat Cummins and Xavier Doherty fighting to make the XI as well.
Again, George Bailey refused to reveal the XI but if the pitch at the G has any bounce and carry, Doherty would have to sit out, and Hazlewood could just nudge out Cummins.
You can follow the live score and blog of this Australia vs England World Cup 2015 encounter from 2.30pm (AEDT). Be sure to post your comments below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
It's a joke that the umpires wouldn't know the rule. It was clear to see that the LBW was given and naturally why would the batsman keep running?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Would have loved to help out with the blogging my self Suneer, other commitments get in the way though.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Aussies = mind games
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
I only heard recently that some people has considered dropping him and I jaw dropped. Ridiculous idea.
Cantab
Guest
Crazy stuff, I don't see how there was any grey area here. There has never been a double out in cricket, nor has a player ever been stumped or run out after he has walked off or down the track to talk to his partner about a review. I do hope action is taken against the umpires, as its okay for an umpire to get a decision wrong, but it's not okay to outrightly not know the rules.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Finch would be a strong contender to open with Amla in an ODI World XI right now. He's made just under 1100 runs at 47 from his past 24 ODIs.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
Correct Avon. Dean Jones was incorrectly given out, run out, in the West Indies back in the day, after being bowled off a no ball.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Poor decision by the umps... Taylor deserved a chance to get his ton!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Here's the latest from the ICC: "The PCT (Playing Control Team) spoke to the England team management and acknowledges that the game ended incorrectly and an error was made." This has begun like how the 2007 World Cup had ended.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
I'd drop Bailey for Watson. 5 from Clarke and Finch is too much to expect. Marsh can bowl 10. Maxwell close to 10. Watson as many as he can. Great to see you have Faulkner in your team finally mate! Are you taking your kids to one of the matches? Seems like we've got pretty average matches here over in Perth.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Why Finch gets cops so much stick from Aussie fans is beyond me. He's brilliant. In fact, better than Warner in ODIs.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Finch is no bowler. Clarke will injure himself bowling. And Smith is too expensive. Drop Bailey for Clarke, I reckon. Move Smith up to 3.
Nudge
Guest
This is an unbelievable Aussie team. If the 3 finals were best of 3 I couldn't possibly see how Australia could lose. But it only takes a special Mccullum or Devilliers innings or a 4 for 30 from a Steyn or Boult for the Aussies to be knocked out. What is our best team now when Faulkners fit? Who does Clarke come in for? Bailey or Watson. Who does Faulkner come in for? Marsh or Hazlewood? Think our best team could look like this? Finch Warner Smith Clarke Bailey Maxwell Marsh Faulkner Haddin Johnson Starc Far out Haddin at 9 and Starc at 11. Bowling a little light on? But with Faulk 8 and Haddin 9 it makes up a touch for that. 30 overs from Faulk Johnson and Starc, 15 overs from Maxwell and Marsh and pinch 5 from Clarke and Finch
Nudge
Guest
20 off 40 balls when your chasing 340. Gave the poms no chance. Go hard early because you had too, to give yourself a chance.
Nudge
Guest
Ronan, you nailed it with Finch. Struggled slightly of late and I personally never thought he should have been dropped, but I thought he was a tad under the pump. But far out he nailed it today. Great call
Bobbo7
Guest
Australia were good however England are average. They have some talent but just not a good unit. I do wonder whether Morgan is the right man to lead them. The squad would much better with Luke Wright, KP and Stokes there. And what's with winning the toss and bowling first? Strange they would put pressure on the batting in making them chase a likely good score. You have to bat well either way so why not do it up front? SL made the same mistake putting NZ in today"
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Some of these officials have got no idea they are in the entertainment business. Unless it is totally clear as to what should happen , go with the flow, their wouldn't have been one person, Aussie , English or Callathumpian who wouldn't have liked to see Taylor go for his ton.no efn idea.
Avon River
Guest
To me the ball is dead from the point of view that he's given out and we don't do double plays. But you might argue were it last ball and a run required to win then if you got it then that should count if the lbw was over turned.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
In Finch's past 24 ODIs he has 5 centuries and a 96. Yet many Aussie fans were suggesting he didn't even deserve to be in this side. Bizarre. He's become arguably Australia's most bankable batsman, someone they can bat around, as opposed to the stand-and-bludgeon merchant we saw at the start of his career.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Good spot this. Strange to see the decision not being one that was made in the spur of the moment, because the batsman even argued about it. More like the umpires being sure there was no such rule.