#AusvEng: Steve Smith breaks records as he eases Australia to ODI win over England

Steve Smith’s match winning 102 not out secured a win by three wickets for Australia, secured his side a place in the tri-series final and wrote him into the record books.

England’s defeat gives India a glimmer of hope, bit they do seem to be growing in confidence and form.

Smith has now scored a century in all four matches in which he has captained his country, but has now become the first player to register three figures on captaincy debut in both Tests and One-Day Internationals.

Australia v England: Carlton Mid ODI Tri Series - Game 4

Ian Bell continued his fine recent form with his fourth ODI century

Ian Bell had threatened to spoil Smith’s party after Smith had won the toss and asked England to bat. Bell made an ODI best of 141, but Smith judged the pace of his reply perfectly. His 103 included just six boundaries, one a maximum, as Australia seemed to be breezing to the winning line.

Australia monetarily wobbled when Brad Haddin fell and Moises Henriques could only muster three runs from James Anderson’s 49th over of the innings. Needing two runs from Chris Woakes’ final over of the match, Henriques was run out attempting a single that wasn’t there from the third ball.

With Smith back on strike and Australia were favourites again and he duly collected a single and Mitchell Starc hit the winning run with a ball to spare.

The difference between Smith and Bell was that the Australian team supported their premier batsman. Also, England had the perfect platform. Ten overs from the end of their innings they were 244 for two, but saw six wickets fall for the addition of only 59 more runs and paid the price for the lacklustre finish.

Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh had added 76 in 11.4 overs for the first wicket before Finch (32) was bowled by Moeen Ali. Steven Finn then got rid of Marsh (45) and Cameron White, lbw for a duck, in the 17th over of the innings. It should have been worse if James Anderson had managed to hold on to a chance at short midwicket offered by Glenn Maxwell in the same over.

That was when Smith showed calm and took charge and, alongside Maxwell, added 69 for the fourth wicket. Maxwell had played a mature knock before lofting Moeen to Joe Root on the fence.

James Faulkner (35) joined Smith and played the dominant role in a stand of 55 before being caught by Bell at point off Woakes.

It looked like Haddin would see the job through, but after hitting 4 fours and a six in his 29-ball 42 he became Woakes’ second victim midway through the 48th over. But other than making a meal of the last few runs the Australians were safe.

Earlier, Bell had played an innings of real class - something that he becoming a regular feature of his game. He batted through to the 42nd over, but only Moeen (46) and Root (69) gave him genuine suppport.

Moeen’s three sixes came in successive Pat Cummins deliveries and when he edged a bouncer from Faulkner, England were 113 for one in the 18th over and sailing along nicely.

James Taylor made a 14-ball 5 before driving Henriques to Faulkner at mid-off for 5, but then England stabilised again with a 121-run third wicket partnership between Bell and Root.

Bell’s fourth one-day century came in 92 balls and he would end with 15 fours and a six before mistiming a pull off Gurinder Sandhu to a diving Starc at mid-off. Sandhu then grabbed the wicket of Morgan first ball and Root’s advernturous knock ended when he dollied a catch to Finch at mid-off from a Cummins delivery.

Ravi Bopara made 7, Jos Buttler 25 and Woakes a duck, but no batsman could accelerate the way England required to take the score out of range.

CURRENT STANDINGS

Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR For Against
Australia 3 3 0 0 0 13 +0.467 808/138.4 804/150.0
England 3 1 2 0 0 5 +0.481 693/127.3 692/139.4
India 2 0 2 0 0 0 -1.356 420/100.0 425/76.3

James Buttler

James has been working as a journalist and broadcaster in cricket since 2006 and was an avid fan for many years before that.
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!

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