1st ODI: England beat Australia by 15 runs

Match resumed after a brief rain delay in the first ODI between Australia and England at Lord`s on Friday.

Zeenews Sports Bureau

London: England completed a 15-run win against Australia in the first of their 5-match ODI series at Lord’s on Friday. Scorecard » Chasing 272, Australia got off to a decent start until a DRS decision went against their opener Shane Watson. Umpire Aleem Dar couldn’t hear the nick but Hot Spot showed there was a nick when Watson looked to back-cut Finn. The ball went to the keeper. He was given out after the referral. Anderson stepped up to break the partnership between George Bailey and David Warner. He removed Bailey in the 19th over for 29 runs. Bailey lost his stumps while he was trying to cut a delivery to third man but it was too close to his body and dragged it back onto the stumps. Anderson struck again in the next over to remove Warner (56). He was looking strong after scoring a fifty but tried to drive a delivery just outside off only to manage a faint outside edge. Keeper completed a clean catch diving quickly to his left. Yet Australia were in a comfortable position with 111/3 on board after 21 overs. Soon, chances of a victory slipped out of their hands as wickets fell at regular intervals with asking rate shooting up. Earlier, Eoin Morgan top scored for England to help them post 272 for the loss of 5 wickets in their quota of 50 overs. Morgan’s 63-ball 89, which included 5 fours and 4 sixes, was crucial in England’s innings and it earned him Player of the Match award. Openers Alastair Cook and Ian Bell gave England a slow but steady start in a rain-affected game. However, Bell fell victim to Lee in the 17th over after scoring 41 runs. He was trapped before wicket. He was soon followed by his partner Cook, who chased a Cummins wide delivery outside off and edged behind scoring 40. Bopara didn’t stay longer as he fell to McKay for 15. Later in the 41st over, Xavier Doherty struck with the first ball of a new spell to remove Jonathan Trott, who was trying to flick a yorker-length flighted delivery to leg from the left-arm bowler. He completed a half century scoring 54 (70) at a slow rate of 77. Earlier, Trott and Morgan stitched together 68 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership. England: Alastair Cook (captain), Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, Ravi Bopara, Eoin Morgan, Craig Kieswetter (wicket-keeper), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, James Anderson. Australia: David Warner, Shane Watson, George Bailey, Michael Clarke (captain), David Hussey, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade (wicket-keeper), Brett Lee, Clint McKay, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty.