Watson leads Australia to thumping win
All-rounder Shane Watson slammed a terrific unbeaten 161 to lead Australia to an impressive six-wicket win over touring England on Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.England, after opting to bat first, posted a challenging 294 in 49.4 overs. Australia led by Watson's terrific effort overhauled the target in 49.1 overs to end at 297 for four.
Watson and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin got Australia off to a flying start scoring 110 for the opening wicket in 19.4 overs. Thereafter handy contributions from skipper Michael Clarke (36), Mike Hussey (21) helped Watson build Australia's chase. Towards the tail end of the chase Cameron White stepped in with a 23-ball 25 which helped Australia romp home in fine style. For England Tim Bresnan (2-71) was the most sauccessful bowler.
Earlier, England capitalised on another hapless performance from Australia in the field to post an imposing total. Kevin Pietersen led the way for England with 78 from 75 balls, including three sixes. It was England's highest total in a One-Day International against Australia in Australia, and also their highest at the MCG.
Just over a month before its World Cup defence, Australia dropped catches, missed stumpings, botched run outs and wickets from no-balls, as well as more than a dozen wides. The rot set in early for the home side when Steven Smith and Brett Lee somehow got in each other's way at the non-striker's end to mess up an elementary run out to give opener Steve Davies (42) a life before he had scored.
With England captain Andrew Strauss on 17, Lee thought he had the left-hander caught on the boundary, only for a review called by umpire Bruce Oxenford to show it was a clear no-ball. To rub salt into the wounds, Strauss, who went on to make 63 from 65 balls, smashed the subsequent free hit for four.
Watson then grassed Davies, when he was on 18, at short cover, from the bowling of Lee before wicketkeeper Haddin squandered the first of three missed stumpings when Davies was on 24 from the bowling of David Hussey. The blunders enabled England to get off to a flyer, and the visitors were 90-0 after 12 overs.
Haddin later missed another simple stumping when Strauss was on 48 and facing Xavier Doherty. The New South Welshman made it a hat-trick of missed stumpings when he cost Hussey for a second time, with Pietersen the beneficiary when on 37.
The belligerent Englishman made the Aussies pay immediately, lofting the unlucky Hussey for successive sixes to bring up his half-century and his team's 200.
Source: http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net
