Australia ease to 3-0 lead by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	The Rose Bowl, Southampton
Scorecard:	England v Australia
Player:	CL White, MJ Clarke, AJ Strauss
Event:	Australia in British Isles 2009

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DateLine: 9th September 2009

 

Australia continued their ODI winning run as they steamrolled England by six wickets. White was the star off the day for the visitors as he compiled a well-paced century to guide his team to a third consecutive win over a ragged looking English team. Australia chasing a target off 229 in their fifty overs scored 230 runs for the loss of four wickets.

 

Strauss won the toss again and this time elected to bat first. Both sides were unchanged from the teams that played in world champions Australia's 39-run win at Lord's on Sunday. In the third over, left-handed opener Strauss struck three consecutive fours off in-form fast bowler Brett Lee, a pull and a drive through extra-cover followed by a square cut. Ravi Bopara followed up by going down the pitch to drive Nathan Bracken for six. But, trying to repeat the stroke, Bopara holed out off the left-arm seamer with James Hopes, running back at mid-on, taking a well-judged catch.

 

Soon 41 for one became 41 for two when Matt Prior was out for a suck when his pull of left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson's fourth ball was held by a diving Hopes at square leg. Johnson then struck again when Owais Shah was pinned at the crease. By now England were 62 for three in the 15th over. Strauss, who completed a 60-ball fifty with six fours, fell next when he chipped off-spinner Nathan Hauritz low to Michael Clarke at mid-wicket. Paul Collingwood was dismissed when he holed out off medium-pacer Watson to leave England 132 for five in the 32nd over. Late order blows from Morgan and Bresnan took England to a challenging score of 228 in their fifty overs.

 

Australia in reply got off to a subdued start as they lost Watson to a sharp in-swinger from Anderson. Paine and White stabilised the innings as they took their own time to find the middle off their bat. It was not easy going for the Australian batsmen as the English opening bowlers were right on the money, but with a manageable target within their sights, both the batsmen refused to panic.

 

Paine was dismissed when a ball from Collingwood kept very low and it seemed that the variable bounce in the pitch will make make matters very difficult for the Australian team. But White in the company of Clarke made sure that they crossed the set target and take a 3-0 lead.