[quote author=DownUnda link=topic=95790.msg618612#msg618612 date=1423898381]
what a finish by Aus to their inning, 342 after 50
can Eng chase down 343???
[/quote]
I wouldn't back them to chase down 243. Not a chance at 343. At this point, I am just hoping Morgan can find some form.
By my count, Australia scored 102 from the last 10 and 61 from the last 5. With Bailey's wicket (228/5 (38.1 ov)), I thought England might be able to limit Australia to 300-310. As we saw in the tri-series final, England's bowling at the end needs some work, though full credit to Maxi, Haddin and Marsh for taking control.
Bell and Root out in consecutive balls and England on the canvas at 66/4. That should just about do it. Mail hit the nail on the head when he said that England just have no idea how to bat in 50 over ODI's.
New Zealand by 98 runs, Australia by 111. Who said hosting the World Cup brought added pressure? Day one showed why it would be no surprise if the two home nations met in Melbourne on day 45. In front of 84,336 fans at the MCG, Aaron Finch scored 135, Mitchell Marsh took 5 for 33, and Australia subjected England to their second-biggest World Cup loss in terms of runs.
Finch's hundred was the first of this World Cup; back in 1992, Martin Crowe struck the first century of the World Cup on the opening day and went on to be Player of the Tournament. Australia would love such a six weeks from Finch, but will settle for now with this win. Their 342 for 9 was their highest ODI total at the MCG, and England never really had a hope in their chase.
For England, the match was omnishambolic, even in its ending. James Taylor, who had shown some fight and reached 98, tried to whip Josh Hazlewood to leg and was given out lbw. He reviewed, and the ball was missing leg. But in scrambling for a leg bye, his partner James Anderson had been run out. Out, review, not out, review, out.
