Australia 227 (48.2 overs). England 231-7 (49.3 overs)
At the beginning of this ODI series, Ashley Giles played down expectations to an unprecedented extent. He said England should expect some pain in these matches, as they’d picked an experimental side missing key players.
Interpretation: I know I’ve lost more matches than I’ve won so far, and we’re likely to lose a few more, but can I still be England test coach next year please? It’s really not my fault.
We’re not sure what effect Giles’ words had on the confidence of his charges – it would’ve been easy for them to roll over knowing expectations, even from their own coach, were low – but luckily the predictions of doom haven’t materialised thus far.
This experimental England side – hamstrung by poor selection as much as key absences – pulled off an impressive and somewhat unexpected win yesterday in Cardiff.
What’s more, it wasn’t one of the several big guns remaining in the XI who did the damage. Pietersen, Trott and Root were all victims of a Clint McKay hat-trick. The hero was Jos Buttler – a man who endured a torrid time in the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
Before this series, Buttler’s ODI average was just twelve. The names Prior, Davies and Bairstow (if not Kieswetter) were whispered every time he strode to the wicket. Jos had won T20 matches for his country, but not fifty over games. He was a man under pressure.
If Buttler’s half century at Old Trafford (albeit in a lost course) showed glimpses of his talent, yesterday’s performance showed he has finally arrived as a international class keeper-batsman. It was a brilliant knock that had everything: initial caution, acceleration when needed, a cool head, and a brilliant finish. It’s no exaggeration to say it was Dhoni-esque.
Buttler’s critics might point out that Australia didn’t pick a spinner – Jos has often struggled to rotate the strike against class spinners – but this is something he can develop in time. His innings yesterday was probably the best by an England ODI keeper for years.
The other stars of the show for England were Finn and Rankin (again) plus Michael Carberry. The latter played a very responsible and valuable knock under extreme pressure. If you were being picky, you’d say he looks a little cramped at the wicket (and his hands are a tad too low), but he finally got the chance to show what he can do. It was impossible not to feel delighted for him – especially after KP had run him out so cruelly last week.
There was also a lot of chat about Ben Stokes after the match; it was the Durham man’s partnership with Buttler that put England into a winning position.
I’m a big Stokes fan – at just 22 years of age, he’s going to add a yard of pace, and I’ve seen him play some outrageous innings in the past – but to be honest I don’t think he played his best yesterday. He could’ve been out a number of times, and when he was finally bowled, it looked ugly.
One wonders what England are doing with him at the moment. He’s clearly not an international third seamer at the moment, yet we insist on playing him as a bowling all-rounder – the opposite of his role for Durham.
Anyway, who cares. England won yesterday despite picking an unbalanced team. If we’d had a genuine specialist seamer to back up Finn and Rankin, then we probably would’ve won more comfortably.
All of which, of course, leaves the Australia team with a large omelette on its face. Every time a close game comes along, England find a way to win – irrespective of personnel.
James Morgan
