England and Australia go head-to-head at Headingley in the fourth of five ODIs, with the hosts having fought back on a slow pitch last game. Join us on The Roar for all the action from 7:30pm (AEST).
Needing a win to stay in the series, England bounced back to crush the Aussies in the third match thanks to a James Taylor century and resounding efforts from their spinners.
After winning a crucial toss and batting first for the first time, England looked set to get themselves to more than 330 at one stage. However, a late-order collapse saw them post a total of 300. Not that it mattered too much, given the nature of the surface.
At the toss, England captain Eoin Morgan explained his decision to bat first, attributing it to the dry-looking pitch, which he said would get slower in the second half of the innings.
That’s exactly how it panned out, and with Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali in their line-up, England managed to exploit whatever help they got from the surface.
In reply, Australia lost Joe Burns early but Aaron Finch’s straight-driving in the first match of his return led to rising hopes. Once he departed however, the rest of the batsmen failed to adjust to what had become a proper slow surface.
The Rashid-Ali combination bowled 20 overs and conceded just 73, in turn picking up five wickets. That’s back-breaking under normal circumstances, but when a side is chasing upward of 300, it’s a match-winning haul.
England go into the fourth match with a lot of confidence as a result, while Australia need to pick up the pieces and ensure the loss of David Warner, Shane Watson and Nathan Coulter-Nile doesn’t continue to hurt them.
Mitchell Starc had an awful day with the ball, conceding 79 from his 10 overs, but a lot of it can be put down to the fact he has been on tour for far too long now. No other bowler from either side has played in as many games as Starc and there’s a sense ofjadedness.
England will have to make do without Chris Woakes, ruled out because of a thigh injury, and they may look at trying out Reece Topley or David Willey in his place.
Follow the live scores and blog of this fourth ODI between England and Australia from 7:30pm (AEST), and add your comments in the section below.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
I am sorry, Nudge, I didn't see this message of yours yesterday. The rule was changed to allow for that kind of catch to take place in 2013. Earlier, he would have to start from within the playing arena for it to taken cleanly, not any more.
Wasted1
Guest
I'm with you on that one. Taylor is the perfect number 3 for England in all forms. Compact classy and keeps the scoreboard ticking by being busy, why he was dropped for balance is beyond me.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Agree Suneer, Patto and Hastings bowled pie. I'd bring Starc back and maybe Agar in to balance the bowling.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Agree Suneer, Pato and Hastings bowled pie. I'd bring Starc back and maybe Agar in to balance the bowling.
Avon River
Guest
Super catch that.
Nudge
Guest
Totally agree Ronan. The problem is it's too much of a risk for him. Potentially could lose his 20/20 and one day spot for Australia plus his dollar value as a 20/20 cricketer would nearly halve. Could probably still play 20/20 tournaments As a keeper batsman though I suppose, but he wouldn't get picked for his country in white ball cricket if he wasn't keeping for his state.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
On England, here's a couple of my opinions: 1. Taylor is a gun and must be persisted with. I saw him copping criticism for his ton in the 3rd ODI being too slow and yet it was the bedrock of a winning ODI total. I'd also be giving him an extended run in Tests as his uncomplicated, compact game looks perfect for the longest form. 2. Roy is a serious talent. With no relevant ODI tournaments on the horizon give him plenty of patience. 3. Hales to open in Tests? No way. He has looked clueless against the express pace of the Aussie quicks, especially Cummins. He might do ok on flat decks in the UAE against 135kmh opening bowlers. But after that he'd have to go to South Africa and face up to 153kmh from Morkel and Steyn. He looks a long way short of conquering that kind of pace, let alone the quality that goes with it. 4. Stokes is batting too high at 5. Bairstow is easily the better batsman. In fact, so is Moeen at ODI level. 5. Plunkett is not and never will be a decent international bowler. Don't waste time with him. Invest in Finn, Wood, Willey etc. 6. Rashid will be expensive but his natural wicket taking ability is golden in the modern game. Combined with his excellent batting he should be a lock in the team.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Yep Wade's keeping still isn't up to scratch. It's his glovework to the spinners which worries me most. I still think he should forget keeping and just focus on his batting. I wrote a piece arguing that about 18 months ago. If a young batsman came in and in their first 12 Tests averaged 35 and made two tons you'd say they should be persisted with. Well that's just what Wade did while also having the responsibility of keeping. Wade's domestic FC batting record is really good, better than most batsmen up for Test selection - 3950 runs at 42. It seems logical that his batting would improve if he gave up the gloves as he'd have an extra 15-20% of his training time to focus on batting instead of keeping. He'd also have more energy when he's at the crease given he won't have had the physical burden of keeping.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The fifth and the final ODI will be played this Sunday as we move back to Old Trafford where the previous game was also played. Slow, turning pitch and all that but remember this time, it's going to be a day game. So things get slightly compensated if the bowlers can extra early morning swing from the pitch. Will be back for that one last time this English summer before I head away for a bit of a break myself. Ciao for now, hope to catch you on Sunday.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
England have done well to level the series at 2-2 after going down 2-0. They have chased down their third-highest score to win an ODI and will enter the final game with a lot of confidence. In the end, it looked like the pitch had flattened out drastically and Australia could have done with an extra spinner. The inclusion of John Hastings was a surprising one and not just because he went for aplenty. Also because Ashton Agar had bowled so well last game. Quite sure Agar will be back for the final game. Coming back to this match, Australia looked in early trouble, were rescued by Maxwell and Bailey, fell into trouble yet again before Wade and Hastings counter-punched to push them to 299. During their chase, England never looked out of it, something that had been the case in the first two games of the series and that's what helped. What also helped was captain Morgan's continuing form and the poor showing from Hastings and Pattinson, both of whom went for 129 from 15.2 overs. No wickets either.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just a couple of runs needed now from 11 balls. Willey on strike and the field has been brought in with Hastings the bowler... ...but Willey has dispatched him over the long-on fielder for a six! Willey finishes off the game for England. It's 2-2!
Don Freo
Guest
The bowling of Pattinson and Hastings has been plain dumb.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's poor, an overthrow at this stage. Maxwell threw down at the striker's end, hit the stumps and rolled over for an extra. And a single next ball for Willey as well, reduces it to four required now.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Swept away for a four by Moeen and Hastings there looked like he was never going to close to it. He was labouring there. A single off the next two balls makes it seven needed from 18. Maxwell's done with his 10 overs. 1/54 off it.
Don Freo
Guest
Would have been nice if we had a keeper instead of a backstop. A keeper holds that catch off Ali. Wade conceded the game.
Nudge
Guest
Amazing catch that Suneer. I would have thought though, that because he left the field of play one foot should have landed back into the field of play before he caught the ball the second time?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
David Willey has walked out at nine. Moeen gets one over the mid-on fielder and earns himself a three. Willey defends the first before driving the next and getting himself a single. 14 needed from 24. Cummins is done with his spell. He has bowled his heart out, 4/49 from his 10 when everyone else around is going for aplenty.
Andy Hill
Roar Pro
So what you are saying is, it doesn't take much IQ to win a shield title or two. Your WA side must be a bunch of smart blokes.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Whoa, what a catch? Is that a catch? Is that a six? Is that a match-turner? Too many questions and I am not sure anyone but the third umpire has the answer to some of them. Out! Out! Out! Give Maxwell three wickets for that catch alone! Doubt words can do justice to this. Probably Shakespere could. So go watch the video for this one. I will try doing my job though. Length ball, Plunkett smashes it high, very very high and Maxwell at deep mid-wicket has had to rush back. He plucks it out of thin air but the boundary is just behind him. He throws it up quickly and has to rush back in quickly enough and ensure his foot is in the air while he's taking the rebound because he is not yet back into the playing arena. Does just that. All this, with the calmness of Mark Waugh plucking one of those he used to in the slips.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
18 needed from five overs, with Pattinson conceding 13 from that one. 69 conceded from his eight.