Australia v England, 3rd T20, Olympic Park

Australia:
AJ Finch, CL White, GJ Maxwell, GJ Bailey*, BJ Hodge, MS Wade†, DT Christian, BCJ Cutting, MA Starc, NM Coulter-Nile, JM Muirhead

England:
AD Hales, LJ Wright, BA Stokes, JE Root, EJG Morgan, JC Buttler†, RS Bopara, TT Bresnan, CJ Jordan, SCJ Broad*, JW Dernbach


The final T20 for the women is also being played today at Olympic Park.
England has retained the Ashes and currently leads 10-6 on points. The final 2 points are for this match.

Australia:
EJ Villani, AJ Healy†, MM Lanning*, NE Bolton, EA Perry, JL Jonassen, EA Osborne, RM Farrell, AJ Blackwell, ML Schutt, HL Ferling

England:
CM Edwards* , L Winfield, SJ Taylor†, LS Greenway, NR Sciver, A Brindle, DN Wyatt, D Hazell, JL Gunn, GA Elwiss, KL Cross

The Australian Women won the toss and elected to field.

England managed to score a total of 101/8 after 20 overs.

Natalie Sciver top scored for England with 28 runs, Sarah Taylor made 22.
Renee Farrell claimed 4 wickets for 15 runs.

Australia are currently 18/0 after 4 overs with Villani and Healy at the crease.

Oz 56/1 after 10 overs.

The Southern Stars are 77/1 now after 13 overs.
Villani and Lanning are well in control.

Meg Lanning holes out to Sciver in the deep. Georgia Elwiss makes a late breakthrough.
77/2
So Australia require 25 runs off 40 balls.

Nicole Bolton run out by Kate Cross for 5

92/3

The scores are level... 10 balls left.

Villani pushes through a single towards mid off.

Australia wins the final T20 with 7 wickets and 9 balls to spare. Farrell wins the WoM award.

In summary,

They are 2 very competitive teams who show absolutely no mercy when the other team is on the ropes.
Often, the game situation would turn around with one side completely dominating the other for a short spell. Then in the next spell (or in the next match) the complete opposite would occur and the other team gained ascendency.

Quite ruthless cricket really, considering they played in over 50°C heat out at the WACA (the air temp was over 41°C for 3 consecutive days) - so a fantastic win for England there.

England then hammered Australia in the 1st ODI at the MCG and had skipped out to a perfect 8-0 lead with only 5 games to go... worth 2 points each.

Australia then came back with 2 wins (at the MCG and at Bellerive Oval) to snatch the ODI Series... "within a Series"

However at Hobart, England breezed past Australia's total of 150 for the loss of only 1 wicket - thereby clinching the Little Urn.
It was a majestic captain's innings from Charlotte Edwards (and maybe her last match Down Under?) and she was backed up ably by Sarah Taylor.
There were fireworks at Battery Point that night.

Then in the last 2 T20 matches (at the MCG and here at Homebush) it has been one-way traffic for the Southern Stars.
Perhaps England celebrated a touch too hard in Tassie... and that was the difference?   

Anyway, The Roses have fully deserved their Ashes win and have been very good value to watch. Both teams will be celebrating tonight.

1st Test: (6) 6 England (0) 0 Australia. England win only Test Match 1-0
1st ODI: (2) 8 England (0) 0 Australia
2nd ODI: (0) 8 England (2) 2 Australia
3rd ODI: (0) 8 England (2) 4 Australia. Australia wins ODI Series 2-1
1st T20: (2) 10 England (0) 4 Australia. England retain the Ashes
2nd T20: (0) 10 England (2) 6 Australia
3rd T20: (0) 10 England (2) 8 Australia Australia wins T20 Series 2-1

There is a suggestion on cricinfo that Australia might bring in either Ben Cutting or Kane Richardson for Josh Hazlewood. I'd like to see more of Hazlewood though.

For England, it looks like Lumb will make way for Stokes... and a shuffle up of the order.
I think England need to get Buttler and Stokes as high up the order as possible with Bopara tending to make slow starts.

Rather than:
Wright, Hales, Root, Morgan, Bopara, Buttler, Stokes,... (R,R,R,L,R,R,L,...)

I'd go:
Wright, Hales, Stokes, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Bopara,... (R,R,L,R,L,R,R...) or something like that. More strike power up front.

I'm not sure whether Dernbach will make the cut this time. Maybe they'll try Jordan for this final match.

We've had superb summer weather in Sydney... since about October.

Every day seems to be about 26°-30°C on the coast and 32-36°C inland around Olympic Park. There's been hardly any rain all year and not much wind except for the usual light cool sea breeze in the evenings. Currently 27°C at 6:30pm, 52% humidity and winds are from the E at 22km/h.

The drop in pitch has some grass on it but looks pretty dry.
The outfield is a bit slow too. Players need to take care going for dives and slides... it can wreck knees, shoulders, etc.

155-165 runs haven't been enough for the Thunder on this ground. The winning BB teams got the runs easily.

More like 180+ runs would be needed here with shorter straight boundaries (the main stands have been retracted for cricket/AFL mode) and quite wide boundaries square of the wicket.

Looking forward to yet another 20 ball half-century from Lord Dernbach!.

Aus won the toss and will have a bat.

Tredwell dropped, Jordan in, Stokes in for Lumb. And Jade Dernbach is playing!.
Cutting in for Australia.

Christian in for Lynn as well.

17/0 after 3

Hit hard to Jordan... possible chance there but it was travelling fast.

This stadium is rather ordinary. 

All matches in Sydney should be at the SCG.

I look at that team sheet and see Bresnan and Dernbach

7 right arm seamers and a part time spinner.

Really? This is Giles' application for the test job?

They play at both now Gerry. This stadium is closer to the geographical centre of town so it's easier to get to for more people usually.

It's not really a full size AFL ground let alone cricket oval because it was designed mainly for the Olympics. Great facilities there. It's not as ordinary as most stadiums in SA.

Our stadiums aren't ordinary, they're quaint.

They'd be illegal here and in most parts of the world. Open timber seating is a big no-no these days.  

Newlands is the nicest by far, all of the new WC football ones are great but the cricketing facilities in SA are a bit like how it was in Australia during the 1980s and 90s. Quaint... as you say.

You are ripe for renovations.  

Linebreaker wrote:They'd be illegal here and in most parts of the world. Open timber seating is a big no-no these days.  

Newlands is the nicest by far, all of the new WC football ones are great but the cricketing facilities in SA are a bit like how it was in Australia during the 1980s and 90s. Quaint... as you say.

You are ripe for renovations.  

If it's not broke, we ain't fixing it!  

We're doing OK ish at the moment

Is Brad Hodge ever gonna get a bat?

Should've been at 3, as Maxwell's been pretty brainless in this series.

Huge let down from Cutting and White, Dernbach only managing to give away 5 from his first over. Task now cut out for him, has to get 45 of 18.

Gerry SA wrote:

Linebreaker wrote:They'd be illegal here and in most parts of the world. Open timber seating is a big no-no these days.  

Newlands is the nicest by far, all of the new WC football ones are great but the cricketing facilities in SA are a bit like how it was in Australia during the 1980s and 90s. Quaint... as you say.

You are ripe for renovations.  

If it's not broke, we ain't fixing it!  

Why bloody not?!  

It'd be something you could "tailor to your own needs..." and even possibly work to your advantage.

Just think of all the bubble gum cards you could sell.... with better, more organised public open areas.

Bresnan showing Dernbach how it's done. Goes for 18 in an over. Come on Jade, you can do better!.

Linebreaker wrote:

Gerry SA wrote:

Linebreaker wrote:They'd be illegal here and in most parts of the world. Open timber seating is a big no-no these days.  

Newlands is the nicest by far, all of the new WC football ones are great but the cricketing facilities in SA are a bit like how it was in Australia during the 1980s and 90s. Quaint... as you say.

You are ripe for renovations.  

If it's not broke, we ain't fixing it!  

Why bloody not?!  

It'd be something you could "tailor to your own needs..." and even possibly work to your advantage.

Just think of all the bubble gum cards you could sell.... with better, more organised public open areas.

Renovation what help maybe increase spectator numbers, but it's the cost. 

We haven't really got the money to redevelop as present. 

Plus unless we play Australia or England, Test attendance has been a little down in recent times.

Stokes and Bresnan are giving Dernbach a tough competition, but Dernbach hasn't been up to it today!. By the look of things, he might even take a couple of wickets!.

Stokes expensive too. Despite a relatively sedate start the Ausies are likely to post a hefty score.

Still these straight boundaries are shortish ...might need a few.

Fine return catch by Root sees the back of Cutting   

Hodge not lasting long. Bailey could still get Australia a big total.

But Christian won't ...bowled for a duck. Broad finishes with an excellent 3/30   

Linebreaker wrote:

Gerry SA wrote:

Linebreaker wrote:They'd be illegal here and in most parts of the world. Open timber seating is a big no-no these days.  

Newlands is the nicest by far, all of the new WC football ones are great but the cricketing facilities in SA are a bit like how it was in Australia during the 1980s and 90s. Quaint... as you say.

You are ripe for renovations.  

If it's not broke, we ain't fixing it!  

Why bloody not?!  

It'd be something you could "tailor to your own needs..." and even possibly work to your advantage.

Just think of all the bubble gum cards you could sell.... with better, more organised public open areas.

Soon we won't need stadiums, just grass banks and leisurely afternoons watching our amateur clubs.

Back to the old I say.   

A couple of quick wickets for Broad.
Oz 139/6 after 16.

Yeah vital stuff from Broad but I cant help feeling this bowling attack is ludicrous.

Jordan a handy four overs 1-23

Aus 146/6 with three to go

???

157/6 with 2 overs to go.

169/6 after 19 overs. 180 would be nice.

Morning / evening folks,

Am I right in thinking the boundaries are a bit on the short side? If so, it'll be interesting to see how Muirhead gets on. Likely England will target him which could well bring runs and wickets. Doubt the lad will be fazed anyway ....

Wow...
A huge final over from Bailey.
26 runs off it and Buttler nearly runs him out on the last throw back to the stumps.

195/6 is a very good score you'd think.

Don't mess with Lord Dernbach!. Bresnan and Stokes tried hard, but the lord found his true range in the last over and won hands down!. Missed his 50 by one run though!.

A good ground for hitting sixes , I fancy.

But I think that late onslaught from Bailey has taken it out of England's reach.

Should also bury this quaint notion that Dernbach is "good" at the death. Sometimes he is : but he can get smashed , as today , same as anyone. And given his failings in other aspects , I think England need to be looking elsewhere. At least Jordan looked promising today.

Wonder why Bopara didn't bowl tonight ?

alfie wrote:A good ground for hitting sixes , I fancy.  

But I think that late onslaught from Bailey has taken it out of England's reach.

Should also bury this quaint notion that Dernbach is "good" at the death.  Sometimes he is : but he can get smashed , as today , same as anyone. And given his failings in other aspects , I think England need to be looking elsewhere.  At least Jordan looked promising today.

Wonder why Bopara didn't bowl tonight ?

Very kind there alfie. Dernbach is a joke of an international bowler. His slower balls an slower than slow and slower than fast stuff was a bit of a novelty when he started off, but now that the batsmen have figured him out, the inherent lack of international quality is just getting exposed. Give me Ravi Bopara over this clown any day!. To be fair to Dernbach, I think it is the selectors and the team management who need to take the blame for this atrocious selection.

I'll even take Ishant Sharma over Dernbach. Believe me, that really takes some doing!.

Dernbach gave away 141 runs in his 11 overs in this series.

and he was doing OK after 3 overs at 0/23 but that last over was way out of control.

Is Derbach Giles secret love child. Will he go to Bangladesh after this?

Giles has a pish poor record in the short formats   

skyeman wrote:Is Derbach Giles secret love child. Will he go to Bangladesh after this?

I'd say so... and the rest of the team will hopefully be at North Sound preparing for the Windies.   

The way things have gone so far, Dernbach will be the first name on the team sheet even above that of captain Broad, Pietersen and Morgan!.