Australia v England: 2nd ODI, Brisbane

Australia:
DA Warner, AJ Finch, SE Marsh, MJ Clarke*, GJ Bailey, GJ Maxwell, BJ Haddin†, MG Johnson, JP Faulkner, NM Coulter-Nile, CJ McKay

England:
AN Cook*, IR Bell, JE Root, GS Ballance, EJG Morgan, RS Bopara, JC Buttler†, BA Stokes, TT Bresnan, CJ Jordan, WB Rankin

England won the toss and have elected to bat.
They have gone in with the same side from the 1st ODI

For Australia, Shaun Marsh is in for Watson and Doherty makes way for Johnson.

Gobsmacked England persevere with Root. Woefully, out of form and guaranteed to score way too slowly. Either Carperby or Treadwell would have been a better option.

G'day Craig.

Yes, I've given up trying to deduce any rationale behind the England team selections these days.

Just read a little piece on Stuart Broad... paddle-boarding on Sydney Harbour with some bird.
Beautiful weather for it!

I know he deserves a good break but something just doesn't seem right with the seemingly casual way in which England simply sweep their problems under the carpet (so to speak) and have picked the same team which failed last match. Surely at least one change would be worth experimenting with... either rest Root as you say... or maybe Woakes for Rankin?

It is odd. Finn sent home due to lack of form without getting a chance whilst they refuse to drop Root from the side for exactly the same - lack of form.

A decent start for England on 59 for 1. Root needs a confidence-boosting score here and needs to bat positively.

Another Root flop out for two and wastes the review (again) with it. Not rocket science he would struggle so why was he picked?

Poor Joe... lbw Johnson via Umpire's Call.

Ballance deceived by Maxwell. A slight fumble by Haddin but Ballance was miles down the pitch.

Clarke attempting to slow things down by having a bowl himself in tandem with Maxwell. The plan has worked so far with the run-rate slowing down since the opening partnership.

80/3 after 18 overs.

Decent start, then a good return catch from Maxwell to get Cook, another failure for Joe Root and than Garry Ballance also went without doing much. From 59 without to 78-3, but Bell and Morgan have started a mini recovery.
England 116-3 after 25. Bell has been batting with good intent.

England being too stubborn with their selections. No spinner, Rankin still in, (I hope he can last a 10 over spell today)....... .......

Crucial run out of Bell by Clarke. His partnership with Ballance was going along nicely.

139/4 after 30 overs.

The England innings just failing to kick on. It has been pinned at between 4.5 and 4.8 runs per over for too long now. Bopara and Morgan may change that.

Just as Bopara and Morgan were building a partnership, Ravi goes. England 178-5.

Buttler in at 7.

Just losing wickets at the wrong times

England 213-5 after 42.

England 241-5 in 44 overs, Buttler and Morgan opening up.......

England 268-5 after 46. A score above 300 certainly on the cards.

A flurry of late wickets - they should get over 300 which would be around a par score. 320-340 runs would have been better though.

Great batting from Morgan who had a couple of lucky breaks early on but then really got things moving for England.

Is that enough? I have my doubts. Great knock by Morgan though.

Better from England, at the thirtieth over I didn't think they will get close to 300.

Morgan played a perfect innings.

Australia pulled things back in the final 4 overs and restricted England to a score of under 300. 296-8 is a good score, lets see what the bowling can come up with.

Yeah, not sure it was really restriction, the English batsmen went for a swing at everything, and it was inevitable that new batsmen were going to throw their wickets away in the quest for chasing 300.

Great stuff from Morgan, ably supported by Bell and Buttler.

Some serious hitting from Eoin, such a clean striker of the ball when he's in

The "sensational death hitting" seems to be more and more common since the field restrictions... Becoming a cheap party trick.

kingraf wrote:The "sensational death hitting" seems to be more and more common since the field restrictions... Becoming a cheap party trick.  

Personally, in my opinion, limited overs cricket has always been like that. It is why I prefer test cricket - wickets have to be earned apart from on this tour.

Pity about the clatter of wickets at the end...if the Buttler catch hadn't been taken I reckon they might have had another fifteen runs ; which might be crucial...

Good score anyway. If Broad and Anderson were here I'd fancy them defending this : with the actual bowling lineup I have my doubts. Australia have a lot of good hitters even without Watson.

Certainly won't want to be giving Finch extra lives again...

Well that was funny    Last time Ballance drops him two handed - today he goes one handed at an identical chance and takes it easy as you please ...

Good start for England.

Finch down early, England now need Warner to go without inflicting too much damage.

Root   

On the England selection : I agree it seems a bit pigheaded to keep the same team. But with Broad due back next I suppose they want to see Rankin at least once more (and Jordan ) . And if they aren't picking Tredwell then I guess Root is the spin option.
Of course you could have had Tredwell and one less batsman at not much cost   
Worth noting though that Australia also dropped their main spinner for this match and Clarke ended up with a rare bowling spell - perhaps a bit of pitch misjudgment all round ? Certainly I would like to have a full time spinner now...

Expect a change or two for the next game.

msp83 wrote:Finch down early, England now need Warner to go without inflicting too much damage.

Yes. And Marsh . And Bailey. And then there's Haddin   

Decent catch that   

Jordan takes a great return catch ! Warner gone...

Was just about to post how much I was liking what I'm seeing from Jordan. Double that now.   

Brilliant catch from Jordan to get rid of Warner.

[alfie, how are you coping with the heat. Has the cool change arrived yet?]

Joradn again, he gets Warner!. Australia 32-2. Perhaps Brad Haddin will have to do it again?

Now if only Rankin will stop serving up pies...

Linebreaker wrote:Brilliant catch from Jordan to get rid of Warner.

[alfie, how are you coping with the heat. Has the cool change arrived yet?]

Aah , you know , lb ...mad dogs and Englishmen ...it's just a bit of sunshine   

But yes it has been a bit warm. Down to a balmy high twenties now I think. Change came around five ; quite welcome . In the field tomorrow so I am happy it won't be 44...

I'm confused! Why are Aus chasing 301 now? Buttler seems to have been given an extra 4 runs.

Good to hear, alfie. Are you playing or umpiring tomorrow?

We need these two to settle things down and set the platform. I've got a strange feeling this is going to be England's day. It has to be.

liver, they adjusted the score. 6 instead of a 2... Marsh was already out of play when Buttler's shot cleared the boundary on the full and he tapped it back in.

God no , lb , they don't want me umpiring ! Deaf as a post   

Still running in hurling down my thunderbolts...Perhaps rather more "m" than "f" these days , alas...

This could be a good match. Marsh has started well , and Clarke looks as if he means business.

Root with the big wicket of Clarke !

Obviously picked for his bowling   

(as I suggested before   )

Clarke and Marsh are building a partnership. Root into the attack.

Big wicket for Root and England, will Root expose England's folly in not picking Tredwell or cover it up with a match-turning performance?

Wasted review there...clearly pitched outside leg. Cook not picking these reviews well lately ; though I guess the keeper must take some blame.

Another wicket now and England would fancy this.

Bailey struggling a bit now...physio out there to see his leg...

No runners allowed , so a problem.

England in competing in a cricket match shocker!

Joe Root - the English Murali (and about as good with the bat)

Good to see Root getting a couple of wickets. At least he is contributing in some way. Bet he'd love some runs though.