Lee propels Australia to facile victory
Monday, 14 September 2009
Brett Lee has wanted to prove a point in this series after missing the Ashes and did so in emphatic style as he claimed 5 for 49 to set up Australia's crushing seven-wicket victory, which gave them an unassailable 4-0 lead. After England folded to the pace of Lee for 220, Tim Paine made his first international half-century to set up the chase, then Michael Clarke helped himself to an unbeaten 62 as Australia cruised home with 38 balls to spare, according to website cricinfo.
England were still handily placed on 146 for 3 when Lee, who removed Joe Denly in the fifth over, returned for a one-over spell before the mandatory ball change at 34 overs. His first delivery was a pinpoint yorker that was too much for Matt Prior, he finished with a wicket-maiden, and from there the innings nose-dived. However, it was Lee's last spell that was the most destructive as England's last five wickets fell for 20.
Lee was just too quick for four batsmen as he demolished the stumps with searing yorkers to complete the ninth five-wicket haul of his career. Nathan Hauritz also deserves huge credit for claiming two key wickets, including Strauss, and conceding just 23 runs from his 10 overs. In a pattern that has become eerily predictable, Andrew Strauss shone at the top with a neat 63, but once again his colleagues couldn't follow suit.
It was thrilling to watch Lee in full flow, an absent phenomenon during the Ashes series, as he uprooted the stumps of Luke Wright, Stuart Broad and Adil Rashid in the space of 15 balls. England's frustrations nearly boiled over when Owais Shah swung a full toss from Shane Watson to midwicket and stood his ground, believing the ball had been above waist height. Replays showed it was marginal, but England are far from a happy bunch.
There was barely a need for Australia to break sweat during their chase, although Watson's habit of falling lbw continued when he played across a delivery from Tim Bresnan. Paine cashed in on a couple of long hops from Rashid, who was introduced inside the Powerplays and struggled with his length to begin with, while Ricky Ponting eased back into his day job with two boundaries off Bresnan during a second-wicket stand of 57 in nine overs.
At times England's bowling was as ordinary as the batting, but to Rashid's credit he recovered somewhat from his loose start and removed Paine via a top-edged sweep. Ponting enjoyed what was little more than an extended net following his three-week lay-off - an ideal way to get himself back into the groove ahead of the Champions Trophy - until he drove Bresnan to cover, but Clarke eased to his half-century from 66 balls in the glorious late-summer sunshine.
Australia didn't bother to knock the runs off especially quickly on their last appearance at Lord's for the summer and the batting Powerplay was unused. The ground has brought mixed memories this year, but they will be back again in 2010 when they face Pakistan in a Test.
England innings: (all
out; 46.3 overs) 220
Australia innings:
SR Watson lbw b
Bresnan 26
TD Paine c Prior b
Rashid 51
RT Ponting c
Bopara b Bresnan 48
MJ Clarke not out 62
CJ Ferguson not out 23
Extras:
(b 1, lb 1, w 7, nb 2) 11
Total: (3 wickets;
43.4 overs) 221
Toss: England, who chose to bat
Series: Australia led the 7-match series 4-0
Player of the match B Lee (Australia)
England were still handily placed on 146 for 3 when Lee, who removed Joe Denly in the fifth over, returned for a one-over spell before the mandatory ball change at 34 overs. His first delivery was a pinpoint yorker that was too much for Matt Prior, he finished with a wicket-maiden, and from there the innings nose-dived. However, it was Lee's last spell that was the most destructive as England's last five wickets fell for 20.
Lee was just too quick for four batsmen as he demolished the stumps with searing yorkers to complete the ninth five-wicket haul of his career. Nathan Hauritz also deserves huge credit for claiming two key wickets, including Strauss, and conceding just 23 runs from his 10 overs. In a pattern that has become eerily predictable, Andrew Strauss shone at the top with a neat 63, but once again his colleagues couldn't follow suit.
It was thrilling to watch Lee in full flow, an absent phenomenon during the Ashes series, as he uprooted the stumps of Luke Wright, Stuart Broad and Adil Rashid in the space of 15 balls. England's frustrations nearly boiled over when Owais Shah swung a full toss from Shane Watson to midwicket and stood his ground, believing the ball had been above waist height. Replays showed it was marginal, but England are far from a happy bunch.
There was barely a need for Australia to break sweat during their chase, although Watson's habit of falling lbw continued when he played across a delivery from Tim Bresnan. Paine cashed in on a couple of long hops from Rashid, who was introduced inside the Powerplays and struggled with his length to begin with, while Ricky Ponting eased back into his day job with two boundaries off Bresnan during a second-wicket stand of 57 in nine overs.
At times England's bowling was as ordinary as the batting, but to Rashid's credit he recovered somewhat from his loose start and removed Paine via a top-edged sweep. Ponting enjoyed what was little more than an extended net following his three-week lay-off - an ideal way to get himself back into the groove ahead of the Champions Trophy - until he drove Bresnan to cover, but Clarke eased to his half-century from 66 balls in the glorious late-summer sunshine.
Australia didn't bother to knock the runs off especially quickly on their last appearance at Lord's for the summer and the batting Powerplay was unused. The ground has brought mixed memories this year, but they will be back again in 2010 when they face Pakistan in a Test.
England innings: (all
out; 46.3 overs) 220
Australia innings:
SR Watson lbw b
Bresnan 26
TD Paine c Prior b
Rashid 51
RT Ponting c
Bopara b Bresnan 48
MJ Clarke not out 62
CJ Ferguson not out 23
Extras:
(b 1, lb 1, w 7, nb 2) 11
Total: (3 wickets;
43.4 overs) 221
Toss: England, who chose to bat
Series: Australia led the 7-match series 4-0
Player of the match B Lee (Australia)