World T20 World Cup: England v Netherlands (Chittagong)

England suffer shock defeat to Netherlands

Netherlands 133-5 (20 overs) beat England 88 all out (17.4 overs) by 45 runs.

England ended their ICC World T20 World Cup campaign with a hugely embarrassing 45 run defeat to the Netherlands. England had earlier in the day won the toss and elected to field first which paid off as they reduced the Dutch to 133-5 from 20 overs. However, a calamitous batting collapse from England saw them end their tournament in highly horrific style as they crumbled to 88 all out in the 18th over. Barresi starred for the Dutch, scoring 48 off 45 whilst Broad took 3-24. England were unable to go through to the semi-finals whatever the result but they were on the wrong end of a massive shock as Bopara top scored with 18 from 20 as the English batsman all failed to impose themselves. Incredulously, Bakhari took very impressive figures of 3-12 as England left Chittagong with a whimper. 

My Opinion:
Well I'm shocked, devastated and embarrassed by that result. All seemed as normal when England reduced the Dutch to a respectable total which should easily have been chased down by England's batsman. Now I know that England were already out but to just throw the towel in like that was pathetic. After all the brilliance they had shown in defeating Sri Lanka and pushing South Africa right to the end, you would have at least expected some fight some someone in the team to get England over the line. What happened was highly painful to watch as the Dutch whittled out England for a mere 88. Nobody apart from Bopara showed any sign of wanting to fight as they atrociously crumbled. I suppose they went out with a bang albeit one they would rather forget about quickly. A great shame and maybe time for the coaches and selectors to have a rethink. That can't happen despite what situation your in. England should be beating the Dutch at cricket, period. I expect India to win the tournament and Sri Lanka to face them in the final. 



England win the toss and elect to field first.

Netherlands Innings
(3.5) 34-1, Swart 13 (15), 2 fours, caught Parry, Broad.
(5) 43-1, Myburgh 17*, Barresi 5*.
(7) 52-1, Myburgh 23*, Barresi 8*.
(10) 75-1, Myburgh 38*, Barresi 21*.
(11) 84-1, 50 partnership off 44 balls between Myburgh 37* and Barresi 22*.
(11.1) 84-2, Myburgh 39 (31), 6 fours and 1 six, caught Hales, Bopara.
(15) 106-2, Barresi 35*, Cooper 6*.
(16.1) 110-3, Cooper 8 (15), caught Jordan, Broad.
(19) 131-4, Borren 7 (10), 1 four, caught Parry, Broad.
(19.2) 131-5, Barresi 48 (45), 2 fours and 2 sixes, bowled by Jordan.
(20) 133-5, Bukhari 1*(2) and Cooper 0 (2).

Batsman of the Innings: Barresi 48 (45)
Bowler of the Innings: Broad 3-24

England Innings
(3) 18-1, Lumb 6 (8), caught Cooper, Bukhari.
(4.1) 19-2, Hales 12 (17), 2 fours, bowled by Bukhari.
(5) 21-2, Moeen 0*, Morgan 2*.
(5.5) 26-3, Morgan 6 (8), 1 four, caught Borren, Van Der Gugten.
(8.1) 32-4, Moeen 3 (7), caught Cooper, Borren.
(10) 42-5, Buttler 6 (14), caught Seelaar, Van Beek.
(11.4) 52-6, Bresnan 5 (6), run out by Bukhari.
(12) 52-6, Bopara 8*, Jordan 0*.
(15) 74-6, Bopara 18*, Jordan 13*.
(15.1) 74-6, Bopara 18 (20), caught Seelar, Van Beek.
(15.5) 76-8, Jordan 14 (14), caught Swart, Van Beek.
(17.2) 86-9, Broad 4 (5), caught Barresi, Bukhari.
(17.4) 88 all out, Tredwell 8 (6), 1 four, run out by Swart. Parry 1*(1).
Netherlands win by 45 runs.

Batsman of the Innings: Bopara 18 (20)
Bowler of the Innings: Bukhari 3-12

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World T20 World Cup: England v South Africa (Chittagong)

England knocked out of the T2O World Cup

South Africa 196-5 (20 overs) beat England 193-7 (20 overs) by 3 runs.

England were knocked out of the T20 World Cup after suffering defeat to South Africa by 3 runs. To progress into the semi-finals, England were battling South Africa for that final place to go through alongside Sri Lanka. However, despite scoring 193-7, England fell 3 runs short of South Africa's 196-5. The Proteas got off to a strong start and race away to 85-0 from their first ten overs as Amla struck 50 from 30 balls. England struck back with three wickets to reduce South Africa to 120-3 but De Villiers smashed 50 off 23 balls before Miller struck 19 from 15 at the end of the innings to push their total up to 196-5. 
It was a tall order for England to chase down such a high score once again but they couldn't pull it off this time as they came three runs short. Hales was caught in the field for 38 in the eighth over and failed to reproduce the blistering form from the Sri Lanka game. Moeen followed Hales back to the pavilion after being caught from the very next ball to leave England struggling at 73-3. Morgan and Buttler both failed to impose themselves and were both dismissed fairly cheaply as England's hopes started to diminish. Despite Jordan and Bopara's efforts the game had gone for England who needed 22 runs from 5 balls. Bresnan smashed a couple of sixes from the last couple of balls but in the end it wasn't enough as England were knocked out of the tournament. 

My Opinion:
England can bow out of the tournament with their head held high.The odds always seemed to be against them throughout and they played reasonably well in each of their matches so far. They needed to beat South Africa today in order to progress but it was a very tough ask after the Proteas made 193-7. Amla got off to a flying start whilst De Villiers played magnificently for his 50. Unfortunately for England, none of their batsman really stood up and took control of the situation. Hales, Buttler and Bopara all made it to 30 but were unable to really push on and do some damage. A great shame, especially as they only fell three runs short in the end but I thought it was a respectful way to bow out of the competition after such a farcical result against New Zealand. I still don't understand how England were theoretically defeated by the Duckworth/Lewis method in such an important T20 international but that's apparently the way things are done whether it seems right or wrong. To beat Sri Lanka was a remarkable result and a great chance for Hales to show what he's capable of but in the end the fielding and bowling displays were not good enough. Disappointed England are out and by the way they have been put out but proud of the guys for giving all they had out there. 



Match Guide: Key Moments

England win the toss and elect to field.

South Africa Innings
(5) 42-0, Amla 31*, De Kock 9*.
(6) 52-0, 50 partnership off 36 balls between Amla 38* and De Kock 11*.
(9) 74-0, 50 for Amla off 30 balls.
(10) 85-0, Amla 53*, De Kock 23*.
(10.5) 91-1, Amla 56 (37), 6 fours and 2 sixes, caught Hales, Broad.
(12.2) 98-2, De Kock 29 (33), 2 fours, stumped Buttler, Tredwell.
(13) 108-2, De Villiers 13*, Duminy 1*.
(14.3) 120-3, Duminy 5 (5), run out by Bopara.
(15) 121-3, De Villiers 20*, Miller 1*.
(17.3) 151-3, De Villiers 20*, Miller 12*.
(18) 167-3, 50 for De Villiers off 23 balls.
(18.1) 174-3, 50 partnership off 22 balls between De Villiers 50* and Miller 19*.
(18.4) 174-4, Miller 19 (15), 2 fours and 1 six, caught Moeen, Jordan.
(20) 196-5, A. Morkel 3 (3), bowled by Bresnan. De Villiers 69*(28), 9 fours and 3 sixes.

Batsman of the Innings: De Villiers 69*(28)
Bowler of the Innings: Tredwell 1-25

England Innings
(4.4) 46-1, Lumb 18 (14), 1 four and 2 sixes, caught Miller, Parnell.
(5) 47-1, Hales 23*, Moeen 1*.
(6) 62-1, Hales 37*, Moeen 2*.
(7.2) 73-2, Hales 38 (22), 6 fours and 1 six, caught Miller, Parnell.
(7.3) 73-3, Moeen 10 (10), 1 four, caught De Kock, Parnell.
(10) 92-3, Morgan 9*, Buttler 8*.
(12) 105-3, Morgan 14*, Buttler 16*.
(12.1) 105-4, Morgan 14 (14), 1 four, caught De Kock, Tahir.
(14.4) 131-5, Buttler 34 (24), 2 fours and 1 six, caught Morkel, Tahir.
(15) 133-5, Bopara 7*, Jordan 1*.
(17) 152-5, Bopara 15*, Jordan 10*.
(18.3) 167-6, Jordan 16 (14), 2 fours, caught De Villiers, Hendricks.
(19.1) 175-7, Bopara 31 (18), 3 fours and 1 six, caught Miller, Steyn.
(20) 193-7, Bresnan 17*(4), 1 four and 2 sixes, Broad 1*(1).
South Africa win by 3 runs.

Batsman of the Innings: Hales 38 (22)
Bowler of the Innings: Parnell 3-31

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World T20 World Cup: England v Sri Lanka (Chittagong)

Hales century gives England hope

England 190-4 (19.2 overs) beat Sri Lanka 189-4 (20 overs) by six wickets

England's hopes of progressing from the group stage of the World T20 into the semi-finals took a huge boost as Hales guided them to a thrilling victory over Sri Lanka. Alex Hales scored an unbeaten 116 off 64 as England produced a spectacular run chase, seeing them defeat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the final over of their innings. Jayawardene earlier hit 89 off 51 to take Sri Lanka's total up to 189-4 as England really struggled in the field, dropping a series of catches. With a tough task ahead of them, England got off to a nightmare start as they were reduced to 0-2 by the end of the first over as both Lumb and Moeen were sent back to the pavilion for ducks. However, an incredible 150 run partnership off 90 balls from Hales and Morgan revived England's innings and hopes of winning the game. Morgan was caught in the field for 57 in the 17th as England still needed 38 runs off 22 balls to win. Bopara managed a couple of fours whilst Hales passed his century to see England home with four balls to spare and fittingly hitting a six to win the match. A huge win for England gives them a great chance to go through into the semi-finals but they will need to beat South Africa in their next match to do so. 

My Opinion:
That was a tale of two halves or in this case, two innings. England looked utterly hopeless in the field as they dropped catch after catch. Jayawardene made them really pay after scoring 89 off 51 despite being dropped early on in his innings. Dilshan provided some stability after scoring 55 from 47 but England really made them look good and had a massive task ahead of them to win the game as they reached 189-4 after 20 overs.
Things went quickly from bad to worse as after England's first over, they were reduced to 0-2. It seemed like this was going to get ugly really quick and it was tough to watch. Amazingly, Hales and Morgan put on a 150 run partnership between them which was clearly a turning point in the match and the momentum of the game. I didn't see this one coming but Hales announced himself on the international T20 scene with that innings. Morgan got caught in the field and that was a potential slip up moment as England could quite easily have collapsed. Thankfully, Bopara came in and hit two fours off one Malinga over which felt like gold dust. Hales was in the zone and in the end comfortably smashed England home with four balls to spare. Incredible innings from Hales who deservedly will take a lot of credit for that performance. That win really gives England some renewed hope of progressing out of the group stage but there is still work to do as South Africa will pose a strong challenge next. I have renewed belief and confidence in the England team but the fielding desperately needs to improve along with the batting of Lumb and Moeen. South Africa will be tough to beat but I now believe England can do it after that magical win today. 



Match Guide: Key Moments

England win the toss and elect to field.

Sri Lanka Innings
(1.2) 4-1, K. Perera 3 (6), caught Buttler, Dernbach.
(5) 35-1, Dilshan 7*, Jayawardene 25*.
(8) 58-1, 50 partnership between Dilshan 22* and Jayawardene 32* off 40 balls.
(10) 70-1, Dilshan 32*, Jayawardene 34*.
(13) 103-1, 50 for Jayawardene off 32 balls and Dilshan 38*.
(14) 117-1, 100 partnership between Dilshan 40* and Jayawardene 73*.
(15) 130-1, Dilshan 42*, Jayawardene 82*.
(16) 143-1, 50 for Dilshan.
(16.4) 149-2, Jayawardene 89 (51), 11 fours and 3 sixes, bowled by Jordan.
(17) 152-2, Dilshan 51*, T. Perera 2*.
(17.2) 156-3, Dilshan 55 (47), 4 fours and 2 sixes, caught Jordan, Dernbach.
(18.1) 169-4, Sangakkara 0 (1), caught Hales, Jordan.
(20) 189-4, T. Perera 23*(12), 2 fours and 1 six, Mathews 11*(5), 1 six.

Batsman of the Innings: Jayawardene 89 (51)
Bowler of the Innings: Jordan 2-28

England Innings
(0.5) 0-1, Lumb 0 (5), bowled by Kulasekara.
(1) 0-2, Moeen 0 (1), caught Senanayake, Kulasekara.
(5) 31-2, Hales 21*, Morgan 9*.
(8) 52-2, 50 partnership between Hales 34* and Morgan 17* off 42 balls.
(10) 72-2, Hales 40*, Morgan 30*.
(13) 108-2, 100 partnership off 72 balls and 50 for Hales off 38 balls, Morgan 48*.
(14) 117-2, 50 for Morgan off 32 balls.
(15) 142-2, Hales 86*, Morgan 55*.
(16) 151-1, 150 partnership off 90 balls between Hales 92* and Morgan 57*.
(16.2) 152-3, Morgan 57 (38), 7 fours and 2 sixes, caught Mathews, Kulasekara.
(17) 156-4, Buttler 2 (3), caught Chandimal, Kulasekara.
(18.2) 175-4, 100 for Hales off 60 balls.
(19.2) 190-4, Hales 116*(64), 11 fours and 6 sixes, Bopara 11*(6), 2 fours.
England win by six wickets.

Batsman of the Innings: Hales 116*(64)
Bowler of the Innings: Kulasekara 4-32

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World T20 World Cup: England v New Zealand (Chittagong)

Rain torments England in World T20 opener

New Zealand 52-1 (5.2 overs) beat England 172-6 (20 overs) by 9 runs (Duckworth/Lewis)

Controversy surrounds England's opening game in the T20 World Cup against New Zealand. Thunderstorms eventually took the players off in the fifth over of the New Zealand run chase. Play never resumed which meant that New Zealand won by 9 runs using the Duckworth/Lewis method despite only 5.2 overs being bowled. Broad felt that the umpires should have taken his team off three or four balls earlier as lightning strikes in the distance were beginning to disrupt play. Despite looking unsafe to play in these conditions, the umpires let play continue until they were forced off by the driving rain. England had earlier scored a competitive 172-6 from their 20 overs and had a strong chance of defending it. However, as only five overs are needed to determine a result in T20, New Zealand profited from a fast start to win the match. Controversial stuff but England will now face Sri Lanka in their next match in desperate need of a win. 



My Opinion:
That was all very farcical and it left a bad taste in the mouth. England actually batted reasonably well and set a decent target to defend for themselves. Moeen, Lumb and Buttler kept the runs ticking whilst a late bash from both Bopara and Bresnan took England up to 172-6. My hopes of England had been restored after that and I felt they could bowl out the match to take victory. However, the weather didn't look too good in the distance and lightning strikes became ever more prevalent. I found it amazing that the umpires kept the players out there for as long as they did as it was clearly unsafe to play in those conditions. Any sign of lightning on a golf course and everyone is soon off to the clubhouse. Now the first six overs of a T20 match are powerplay overs and are easier to score more runs off. New Zealand started quickly and made it to 52-1 after 5.2 overs before coming off. In comparison, England were 51-1 after 5.2 overs, 1 run behind New Zealand. So, I really can't get my head around why you can justify using the Duckworth/Lewis method in a T20 match where it only takes one over to change the game. Hugely frustrating as I don't see why play couldn't just have resumed the next day. Very strange!! All in all it means England are cruelly defeated in the first game and will need some big performances against the likes of Sri Lanka and South Africa if they are to progress in the semi-finals. 

Match Guide: Key Moments

New Zealand win the toss and elect to bowl first.

England Innings

(0.3) 1-1, Hales 0 (2), caught Anderson, Mills.
(5) 48-1, Lumb 15*, Moeen 29*.
(5.1) 50-1, Lumb 16*, Moeen 30*.
(5.2) 51-1, 50 partnership between Lumb 16* and Moeen 30* off 29 balls.
(7.5) 73-2, Moeen 36 (23), 6 fours and 1 six, caught Mclenaghan, Anderson.
(8.4) 76-3, Lumb 33 (24), 4 fours and 1 six, caught Anderson, Mclenaghan.
(10) 84-3, Morgan 7*, Buttler 4*.
(11.3) 101-3, Morgan 12*, Buttler 13*.
(12.2) 103-4, Morgan 12 (15), 1 four, caught B. McCullum, Southee.
(15) 126-4, Buttler 32*, Bopara 4*.
(15.4) 129-5, Buttler 32 (23), 4 fours, bowled by Anderson.
(17.4) 148-6, Jordan 8 (6), 1 six, caught Southee, N. McCullum.
(18.2) 150-6, Bopara 17*, Bresnan 2*.
(20) 172-6, Bopara 24*(19), 1 six and Bresnan 17*(8), 2 fours and 1 six.

Batsman of the Innings: Moeen 36 (23)
Bowler of the Innings: Anderson 2-32

New Zealand Innings:

(3) 29-1, Guptill 11 (9), 2 fours, caught Jordan, Dernbach.
(5) 47-1, Williamson 19*, B. McCullum 16*.
(5.1) 51-1, Williamson 23*, B. McCullum 16*. Rain stops play.
(5.2) Play resumes 52-1, Williamson 24*(17), 4 fours, B. McCullum 16*(6), 1 four and 2 sixes. Rain ends play. New Zealand win by 9 runs (Duckworth/Lewis method).

Batsman of the Innings: Williamson 24*(17)
Bowler of the Innings: Dernbach 1-13

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West Indies v England Third T20 (Bridgetown)

England restore some pride by beating West Indies

England 165-6 (20 overs) beat West Indies 160-7 (20 overs) by 5 runs (West Indies win the Series 2-1)

England restored some pride and hope by defeating the West Indies by 5 runs in their final T20 match before the world cup. The match started well for England who chose to bat first after winning the toss and making a solid start as Lumb and Hales put on a fifty partnership from just 24 balls. Once the first wicket fell, the West Indies kept taking them. As a result, England fell from 98-0 to 138-6 in 8 overs. Despite this, Lumb struck 63 from 40 balls before Jordan scored an unbeaten 27 off only 9 balls at the end of the innings to push the visitors total up to 165-6 from their 20 overs. 
The West Indies got their chase off to a disastrous start as Dernbach bowled Smith with the first ball of the innings. The momentum was fully in favour of the English bowlers as Charles was caught and bowled by Jordan to leave the hosts 4-2 before Samuels was bowled at 28-3. Simmons and Ramdin put on a fifty partnership from 30 balls to restore some stability to their innings but in the end it was not enough as Ramdin (33) was bowled by Jordan before Simmons was run out by Moeen on 69. Needing 14 runs off the last 4 balls proved too much for the hosts as they finished 5 runs short on 160-7. The result didn't affect the Series as the West Indies had already won it but it should give England with a little confidence boost heading into the world cup. 



My Opinion:
A great start to the English innings was not built upon as much as it could have been as wickets fell at a continuous rate. It meant that England were facing a potential struggle to defend 165 but in the end they just got the job done. Lumb and Hales opened the innings really impressively but got themselves out before doing some major damage. Nobody else really took responsibility until Jordan who struck 27 much needed runs off 9 balls at the end of the innings. Dernbach and Jordan opened their bowling spells with tremendous aplomb as they reduced the West Indies 28-3 in the fifth over. However, Simmons and Ramdin looked in good nick as they scored some decent runs to put the hosts back in contention. Thankfully, England managed to see the game out in the last over and avoid another crushing defeat. The result will hopefully give them some much needed confidence going into the T20 world cup and I have renewed confidence myself in the team to perform well in it. 

Match Guide: Key Moments

England win the toss and elect to bat first.

England Innings:
(4) 52-0, 50 partnership between Lumb 42*, Hales 9* off 24 balls.
(7) 75-0, 50 for Lumb off 27 balls.
(10.5) 98-1, Lumb 63 (40), 9 fours and 2 sixes, caught DJ Bravo, Cottrell.
(12) 102-1, Hales 36*, Morgan 1*.
(13) 112-2, Hales 38 (31), 4 fours and 1 six, caught Simmons, Cottrell.
(15.4) 123-3, Morgan 18 (17), 1 four and 1 six, caught Smith, Narine.
(16.3) 128-4, Buttler 3 (8), caught Sammy, Santokie.
(16.5) 129-5, Stokes 0 (1), bowled by Santokie.
(18.1) 138-6, Moeen 3 (5), run out by Santokie.
(20) 165-6, Bopara 6*(9) and Jordan 27*(9), 4 sixes.

Batsman of the Innings: Lumb 63 (40)
Bowler of the Innings: Santokie 2-27

West Indies Innings:
(0.1) 0-1, Smith 0 (1), bowled by Dernbach.
(1.3) 4-2, Charles 4 (3), 1 four, caught and bowled by Jordan.
(4.2) 28-3, Samuels 15 (13), 3 fours, bowled by Jordan.
(9) 57-3, Simmons 24*, DJ Bravo 11*.
(10.2) 66-4, DJ Bravo 16 (19), 2 fours, caught Jordan, Bopara.
(11) 67-5, Russell 0 (2), caught Morgan, Bopara.
(15.1) 101-5, Simmons 47*, Ramdin 16*.
(16) 113-5, 50 for Simmons off 42 balls.
(17) 126-5, 50 partnership between Simmons 64* and Ramdin 22* off 30 balls.
(18.4) 140-6, Ramdin 33 (21), 4 fours and 1 six, bowled by Jordan.
(19.2) 152-6, Simmons 69*, Sammy 8*.
(19.3) 153-7, Simmons 69 (55), 7 fours and 2 sixes, run out by Moeen.
(20) 160-7, Sammy 15*(6), 2 fours and 1 six, Narine 0*(0).
England win by 5 runs, West Indies win the Series 2-1.

Batsman of the Innings: Simmons 69 (55)
Bowler of the Innings: Jordan 3-39

Series Stats

England batsman of the Series: Lumb scored 85 runs off 63 balls.
England bowler of the Series: Bopara took 5 wickets for 61 runs

West Indies batsman of the Series: Samuels scored 112 runs off 94 balls.
West Indies bowler of the Series: Santokie took 6 wickets for 48 runs.

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West Indies v England Second T20 (Bridgetown)

West Indies stroll to Series win over England

West Indies 155-5 (18.5) beat England 152-7 (20) by 5 wickets (West Indies win the Series 2-0)

England suffered a setback in their preparation for the T20 World Cup with a T20 Series defeat against the West Indies. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, England were reduced to 26-3 before struggling their way up to 152-7 from 20 overs despite the efforts of Hales 40 (36) and Buttler 67 (43). Tim Bresnan took two wickets but in the end it was all too easy for the West Indies who eased their way to 155-5 after 18.5 overs to defeat England by 5 wickets and winning the T20 Series 2-0. 

My Opinion:
That was a pretty poor batting display by England who didn't leave themselves much to defend against a strong West Indies batting lineup. After choosing to bat first and falling to 26-3 by the end of the fifth over was extremely embarrassing. Thankfully, Hales and Buttler scored some valuable runs and propelled England up to a slightly respectable score, finishing on 152-7. Despite taking five wickets and reducing the West Indies to 116-5, they still only needed to get 37 more runs off 22 balls. An incredible unbeaten 30 off just 9 balls from Sammy meant that the hosts stormed to victory in spectacular style with six balls remaining. A definite dent to the confidence of the England team to lose the Series in the way that they did but there is still one more game to show what they can do before the world cup. 



Match Guide: Key Moments

England win the toss and elect to bat first.

England Innings
(2) 13-1, Lumb 4 (4), lbw Santokie.
(3.3) 21-2, Moeen 5 (7), 1 four, lbw Santokie.
(5) 26-3, Morgan 3 (7), caught Simmons, Badree.
(10) 61-3, Hales 27*, Buttler 18*.
(12) 82-3, 50 partnership between Hales 30* and Buttler 36* off 42 balls.
(13.2) 102-3, Hales 40*, Buttler 44*.
(13.5) 102-4, Hales 40 (36), 1 four and 2 sixes, caught Simmons, DJ Bravo.
(15) 109-4, 50 for Buttler off 32 balls.
(18.2) 137-5, Buttler 67 (43), 5 fours and 3 sixes, caught Sammy, Santokie.
(19) 143-6, Bopara 14 (15), 1 four, caught DJ Bravo, Santokie.
(20) 152-7, Bresnan 7 (3), 1 six, caught Ramdin, DJ Bravo.

Batsman of the Innings: Buttler 67 (43)
Bowler of the Innings: Santokie 4-21

West Indies Innings
(4.3) 48-1, Smith 30 (16), 2 fours and 3 sixes, caught Bresnan, Dernbach.
(5) 52-1, Gayle 20*, Samuels 1*.
(10) 74-1, Gayle 36*, Samuels 7*.
(10.2) 75-2, Gayle 36 (30), 1 four and 4 sixes, bowled by Bopara.
(14) 100-2, Samuels 34*, Simmons 19*.
(14.4) 111-3, Simmons 19 (13), 3 fours, caught Buttler, Wright.
(15) 113-3, Samuels 26*, Russell 1*.
(16.1) 116-4, Samuels 28 (35), 1 four and 1 six, caught Hales, Bresnan.
(16.2) 116-5, Russell 2 (4), caught Hales, Bresnan.
(18.5) 155-5, Sammy 30*(9), 2 fours and 3 sixes, DJ Bravo 8*(6), 1 four.
West Indies win by 5 wickets and win the Series 2-0.

Batsman of the Innings: Gayle 36 (30)
Bowler of the Innings: Bresnan 2-51

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West Indies v England First T20 (Barbados)

England soundly beaten by West Indies

West Indies 170-3 (20 overs) beat England 143-9 (20 overs) by 23 runs (West Indies lead Series 1-0)

The West Indies storm to a comfortable win over England in the first T20, winning by 23 runs. It was a relatively straightforward victory for the West Indies who put England under a lot of pressure with their score of 170-3 after 20 overs. Smith and Gayle put on a fifty partnership which saw the West Indies power their way to 56-0 after the first six overs. England hit back with three wickets to reduce the hosts to 112-3 in the 15th over but Samuels struck an unbeaten 69 runs off 46 balls whilst Russell whacked 24 off 15 balls as they stormed their way up to 170-3 by the end of their 20 overs. 
England got their chase off to a slow start and continuously kept on losing wickets as they came 23 runs short on 143-9 by the end of their 20 overs. Badree took 3-17, dismissing the top order of Hales, Wright and Lumb as England fell to 36-3 in the 7th over. Things never improved as by the end of the 15th over, England struggled to 102-7, still needing 69 runs off 30 balls. Despite an impressive unbeaten knock of 47 from 29 balls from Bresnan, England were soundly beaten by 23 runs as they finished on 143-9. With that win, the West Indies lead the T20 Series 1-0.

My Opinion:
Well after winning the fifty over format of the game, England fell vastly short in the T20 version. The West Indies are a very strong 20 over team and will provide a great warm up test for the upcoming T20 World Cup. However, after that performance, England look like they are far away from a team who look like winning that tournament. They let the West Indies get off to a good start but pegged them back to 112-3. However, Samuels and Russell propelled the hosts up to 170-3 after scoring 55 runs off the last 30 balls. It was a decent score and put the pressure on England to chase down a competitive target. Sadly, the English batsman were in torrid form and quite simply fell apart. Lumb and Morgan got themselves in but just as quickly got themselves out. Bopara was in decent touch, scoring 42 off 24 before being caught and bowled by DJ Bravo whilst Bresnan struck an unbeaten 47 off 29 balls at the end of the innings which proved in vain. The main downfall of the innings was England's inability to build a partnership that lasted for more than a few overs as new batsman kept coming in at regular intervals. A poor start to the T20 Series for England but they still have two games to turn things around - which they will be desperate to do in time for the world cup. 



Match Guide: Key Moments

West Indies win the toss and elect to bat first.

West Indies Innings:
(5) 45-0, Smith 27*, Gayle 16*.
(6) 56-0, 50 partnership between Smith 27* and Gayle 27* off 32 balls.
(6.2) 57-1, Smith 27 (18), 5 fours and 1 six, bowled by Bopara.
(10) 78-1, Gayle 38*, Samuels 10*.
(11.3) 87-2, Gayle 43 (35), 5 fours and 2 sixes, lbw Tredwell.
(12.4) 103-2, Samuels 28*, Simmons 2*.
(14.2) 112-3, Simmons 3 (7), caught Lumb, Bopara.
(15) 115-3, Samuels 37*, Russell 2*.
(17.3) 140-3, 50 for Samuels off 37 balls.
(18) 152-3, Samuels 63*, Russell 13*.
(19) 165-3, 50 partnership between Samuels 67* and Russell 21* off 28 balls.
(20) 170-3, Samuels 69*(46), 10 fours and 1 six, Russell 24*(15), 2 fours and 1 six.

Batsman of the Innings: Samuels 69*(46)
Bowler of the Innings: Bopara 2-23

England Innings:
(2.3) 13-1, Hales 3 (7), stumped by Ramdin, Badree.
(2.4) 13-2, Wright 0 (1), stumped by Ramdin, Badree.
(5) 31-2, Lumb 17*, Morgan 9*.
(6.3) 36-3, Lumb 18 (19), 3 fours, caught Rampaul, Badree.
(7.3) 40-4, Buttler 0 (3), caught Sub, Narine.
(8.3) 51-4, Morgan 17*, Bopara 11*.
(9.3) 55-5, Morgan 19 (18), 4 fours, caught Sub, Samuels.
(10) 58-5, Bopara 15*, Stokes 1*.
(11.4) 73-6, Stokes 4 (5), stumped by Ramdin, Samuels.
(14.2) 101-6, Bopara 42*, Bresnan 13*.
(14.3) 101-7, Bopara 42 (24), 5 fours and 1 six, caught and bowled by DJ Bravo.
(15) 102-7, Bresnan 14*, Broad 0*.
(18) 123-8, Broad 5 (12), run out by Ramdin.
(19) 133-9, Tredwell 1 (1), run out by Russell.
(20) 143-9, Bresnan 47*(29), 5 fours and 1 six, Dernbach 1*(1).
West Indies win by 27 runs and lead the Series 1-0.

Batsman of the Innings: Bresnan 47*(29)
Bowler of the Innings: Badree 3-17

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West Indies v England Third ODI (Antigua)

England wrap up ODI Series

England 303-6 (50 overs) beat West Indies 278 all out (47.4 overs) by 25 runs (England win the ODI Series 2-1)

Root scored 107 off 122 balls as England defeated the West Indies by 25 runs in the final one day international of the Series, meaning England claimed a much needed Series win, sealing it 2-1. After being put into bat by the West Indies, England made a stumbling start as they were reduced to 37-2 in the space of two balls. However, Moeen and Root brought some stability to the crease, putting on a fifty partnership together. Moeen was soon dismissed after passing his fifty whilst Root went on to make a century. England looked to be making good progress as they reached 216-4 after 41 overs. They raced away to 267-4 in the 46th over as Root and Buttler produced a brilliant 150 partnership stand. Root fell at 291-5 whilst Buttler was caught and bowled by Rampaul on 99 with three balls of the innings to go. However, a solid England batting performance meant that they posted a competitive score of 303-6 after 50 overs.

The West Indies got off to a dreadful start to their innings as they were reduced to 80-5 as Broad took two wickets. However, a couple of fifty partnerships in the middle order rescued the West Indies up to 200-6 by the end of the 39th over. Ramdin continued to battle on and scored 100 runs off 99 balls but wickets continued to fall around him. In the 48th over, Bresnan bowled Ramdin for 128 and sealed a 25 run victory for England as the West Indies were bowled out for 278. A morale boosting win meant that England took the one day international Series 2-1.

My Opinion:
England really needed that Series win for multiple reasons. Mainly, it will boost their confidence after a miserable winter but it also takes some of the pressure off the England players shoulders. It was an average start to England's innings and things started to look increasingly more bleak as they were reduced to 116-4. However, a match winning 150 partnership between Root and Buttler proved inspirational as they put England in control. A brilliant effort from Root to score 107 off 122 balls but it was devastating to see Buttler get himself out on 99. It all seemed a bit of a shambles in the last over as Buttler desperately wanted to get back on strike and pass his century. Although, after nearly being run out, Buttler got himself on strike with three balls to go in the innings and disastrously got caught and bowled by Rampaul. A massive shame for the guy!
England bowled very well at the start of the West Indies innings and within twenty overs reduced them to 80-5. Things looked to be coming to an end as DJ Bravo departed to leave the hosts 131-6. However, a resilient century from Ramdin kept the pressure on England to see the game off. Thankfully, they kept taking wickets and in the 48th over bowled Ramdin out for 128 and the West Indies for 278. A good result for England who go into the T20 Series with renewed confidence. 



Match Guide: Key Moments

West Indies win the toss and elect to field first.

England Innings:
(6.4) 37-1, Lumb 20 (26), 2 fours and 1 six, caught Narine, DJ Bravo.
(6.5) 37-2, Stokes 0 (1), caught Rampaul, DJ Bravo.
(8.3) 50-2, Moeen 23*, Root 5*.
(16.4) 88-2, 50 partnership between Moeen 41* and Root 22* off 59 balls.
(19.4) 100-2, Moeen 45*, Root 29*.
(20) 106-2, 50 for Moeen off 51 balls.
(22.3) 115-3, Moeen 55 (59), 3 fours and 1 six, caught and bowled by Miller.
(23.1) 116-4, Morgan 1 (3), bowled by Narine.
(29.3) 147-4, 50 for Root off 68 balls.
(30) 150-4, Root 51*, Buttler 17*.
(33.2) 167-4, 50 partnership between Root 59* and Buttler 25* off 63 balls.
(38.2) 200-4, Root 74*, Buttler 41*.
(40.3) 213-4, 50 for Buttler off 56 balls.
(41) 216-4, 100 partnership between Root 78* and Buttler 54* off 107 balls.
(44.4) 250-4, Root 99*, Buttler 66*.
(44.5) 251-4, 100 for Root off 112 balls.
(45.5) 267-4, 150 partnership between Root 101* and Buttler 79* off 137 balls.
(48.3) 291-5, Root 107 (122), 7 fours, caught DW Bravo, DJ Bravo.
(49.2) 300-5, Buttler 99*, Bopara 5*.
(49.3) 300-6, Buttler 99 (84), 7 fours and 4 sixes, caught and bowled by Rampaul.
(50) 303-6, Bopara 5*(5), 1 four and Bresnan 1*(1).

Batsman of the Innings: Root 107 (122)
Bowler of the Innings: DJ Bravo 3-60

West Indies Innings:
(1) 10-1, Powell 1 (3), bowled by Root.
(1.1) 10-2, Smith 9 (4), 2 fours, caught Moeen, Broad.
(7) 42-3, DM Bravo 16 (20), 3 fours, caught Bopara, Moeen.
(8) 43-4, Simmons 16 (21), 3 fours, bowled by Broad.
(12) 50-4, Samuels 3*, Ramdin 4*.
(19.5) 80-5, Samuels 23 (39), 2 sixes, caught Buttler, Parry.
(24) 101-5, Ramdin 21*, DJ Bravo 12*.
(29.1) 131-5, 50 partnership between Ramdin 43* and DJ Bravo 27* off 56 balls.
(29.2) 131-6, DJ Bravo 27 (32), 3 fours, caught Buttler, Bopara.
(35) 152-6, Ramdin 43*, Sammy 10*.
(36) 172-6, 50 for Ramdin off 70 balls.
(37) 185-6,50 partnership between Ramdin 64* and Sammy 22*.
(39) 200-6, Ramdin 71*, Sammy 23*.
(40) 202-7, Sammy 24 (35), 2 fours and 1 six, caught Stokes, Bresnan.
(44) 239-7, 100 for Ramdin off 99 balls.
(45.1) 246-8, Miller 10 (17), 1 four, caught Sub, Bresnan.
(46) 254-8, Ramdin 118*, Narine 1*.
(46.5) 263-9, Narine 10 (6), 1 six, run out by Broad.
(47.4) 278-10, Ramdin 128 (109), 12 fours and 5 sixes, bowled by Bresnan.
England win by 25 runs and win the ODI Series 2-1.

Batsman of the Innings: Ramdin 128 (109)
Bowler of the Innings: Bresnan 3-45

Series Stats:
Most Runs for England: Root scored 167 runs off 213 balls.
Most Runs for West Indies: Simmons scored 151 runs off 213 balls.

Most wickets for England: Bresnan took 7 wickets for 126 runs.
Most wickets for West Indies: DJ Bravo took 6 wickets for 160 runs.

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West Indies v England Second ODI (Antigua)

England level the Series in Antigua

England 163-7 (44.5 overs) beat West Indies 159 all out (44.2) by 3 wickets (Series level at 1-1)

England eased their way to 163-7 to beat the West Indies by three wickets and level the Series at 1-1 after the second one day international. After winning the toss, England elected to put the West Indies into bat first which proved to be a good decision as they whittled them out for just 159 in the 45th over. Joe Root took two early wickets as England reduced the West Indies to 30-3 in the 9th over before a fifty partnership between Simmons and DJ Bravo got them back on track at 132-4 in the 35th over. However, a major batting collapse unfolded as the West Indies lost six wickets for only a further 27 runs as Parry took an impressive three wickets. 
England replied with a modest start to their innings as they lost two early wickets on their way to 30-2 at the end of the 8th over. Lumb hit 39 whilst Root scored 23 but England kept losing wickets as partnerships failed to develop. Bresnan was the last wicket to fall as England struggled to 105-7 in the 32nd over. However, a fifty partnership developed between Bresnan and Broad who saw the game out to its conclusion with England reaching 163-7 after 44.5 overs, which meant they defeated the West Indies by three wickets and level the ODI Series 1-1 with one game remaining. 



My Opinion:
That was more like it from England but their blushes were saved in the end by a fifty partnership from Bopara and Broad. It was a good decision to put the West Indies into bat first and they profited from it, bowling them out for just 159. It was a disastrous end to their innings as they failed to bat through to fifty overs, falling 32 balls short. This was a great chance for England to build some confidence and chase down a low target. Things went along slowly but England kept losing wickets consistently throughout their chase. This made it a very nervy end to the match as England needed 55 runs with three wickets left. However, Bopara and Broad took control of the game and saw England over the line in comfortable style. England back to winnings ways and level the Series at 1-1. It would be really nice if England could continue their winning ways with another in the final ODI match and win the Series. 

Match Guide: Key Moments

England win the toss and elect to bowl

West Indies Innings:
(2.1) 10-1, Smith 5 (9), caught Wright, Root.
(8) 30-2, Powell 16 (20), 2 fours, caught and bowled Moeen.
(8.2) 30-3, Edwards 9 (21), caught Tredwell, Root.
(14.2) 50-3, Simmons 15*, DM Bravo 5*.
(22) 80-3, 50 partnership between Simmons 32* and DM Bravo 13* off 82 balls.
(22.4) 81-4, DM Bravo 13 (34), 1 six, bowled by Broad.
(29.4) 100-4, Simmons 45*, DJ Bravo 7*.
(33) 118-4, 50 for Simmons off 83 balls.
(34.4) 132-4, 50 partnership between Simmons 59* and DJ Bravo 20* off 72 balls.
(35) 133-5, DJ Bravo 20 (38), 1 four, stumped Buttler, Tredwell.
(37.5) 145-6, Simmons 70 (98), 4 fours, 2 sixes, caught Stokes, Parry.
(39.1) 150-6, Ramdin 4*, Sammy 3*.
(40.2) 151-7, Ramdin 5 (10), 1 four, bowled by Bresnan.
(41.1) 151-8, Sammy 3 (13), caught Broad, Parry.
(42) 155-9, Narine 4 (5), 1 four, stumped by Buttler, Parry.
(44.2) 159 all out, Rampaul 1 (5), caught Lumb, Tredwell.

Batsman of the Innings: Simmons 70 (98)
Bowler of the Innings: Parry 3-32

England Innings:
(6.5) 29-1, Moeen 10 (16), 1 four, caught Miller, Rampaul.
(8) 30-2, Wright 0 (5), bowled by Narine.
(14.3) 50-2, Lumb 27*, Root 8*.
(20.3) 79-3, Lumb 39 (60), 3 fours, lbw Miller.
(21.1) 81-4, Root 23 (43), 2 fours, caught and bowled by DJ Bravo.
(21.2) 81-5, Buttler 0 (1), caught Ramdin, DJ Bravo.
(24.3) 89-6, Stokes 4 (9), caught Ramdin, Miller.
(30) 100-6, Bopara 9*, Bresnan 5*.
(31.4) 105-7, Bresnan 10 (31), 1 four, run out by Ramdin.
(40.2) 150-7, Bopara 34*, Broad 20*.
(42.5) 155-7, 50 partnership between Bopara 36* and Broad 22* off 68 balls.
(44.5) 163-7, Bopara 38*(59), 4 fours and Broad 28*(46), 3 fours. England win by 3 wickets and level the ODI Series 1-1.

Batsman of the Innings: Lumb 39 (60)
Bowler of the Innings: Miller 2-28

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Australia v England Third T20 (Sydney)

England end tour with heavy defeat

Australia 195-6 (20 overs) beat England 111 (17.2) by 84 runs (Australia win T20 Series 3-0)

England finished their tour of Australia with a massive 84 run defeat in the last T20 match in Sydney. Australia chose to bat first and with the help of Finch (30), White (41) and Bailey (49*) reached 195-6 after their 20 overs. England got off to a terrible start as they were reduced to 25-3 after only 5 overs. The innings only got worse as England suffered a major batting collapse. From 79-5, England were bowled out within the next five overs as they crumbled to 111 all out. The innings ended in the 18th over as Dernbach was run out by Bailey which aptly summed up a terrible day and Series for England. With that defeat comes the end of the T20 Series and the tour. England managed to win one game out of 13 and lost the Ashes, ODI and T20 Series along the way. 



My Opinion:
Well at least it's all over now. England have had an absolute nightmare in Australia on this tour but thankfully it has come to an end. Australia posted a very competitive score with the majority of their batsman adding a decent score the total. After 5 overs, England were pegged down to 25-3. The inevitable defeat was clearly visible but sadly so was the lack of fight. Only four English batsman made it into double figures as they were just whittled out in 17.2 overs for 111. The only positive was Morgan who contributed 34 runs off 20 balls. Everyone else was highly disappointing. Hilariously, the tour finished with Dernbach being run out which simply summed up the whole tour - highly calamitous. There will be plenty to think about for the English cricket board and selectors after such a thrashing from the Australians. There were some positives from Stokes, Root and Morgan whilst Bresnan and Broad performed well with the ball but places are certainly up for grabs. On a final note, I must pay a massive tribute to the Australian team who performed magnificently throughout the tour and came out deserved winners. Johnson was just incredible with the ball whilst Warner was fantastic with the bat. Regrettably, I have to say well done to Australia - you were the better team. 

Match Guide: Key Moments

Australia win the toss and will bat first.

Australia Innings:
(6.4) 48-1, Finch 30 (21), 1 four, 3 sixes, caught Broad, Bresnan.
(7) 50-1, White 17*, Maxwell 1*.
(8.2) 65-2, Maxwell 14 (9), 2 sixes, caught Hales, Broad.
(12) 104-2, White 33*, Cutting 23*.
(13.2) 118-3, Cutting 29 (16), 1 four, 3 sixes, caught and bowled by Root.
(14.1) 130-4, White 41 (37), 4 fours, 1 six, caught Buttler, Jordan.
(15.4) 139-5, Hodge 7 (7), 1 four, caught Dernbach, Broad.
(16) 139-6, Christian 0 (2), bowled by Broad.
(18) 157-6, Bailey 20*, Wade 10*.
(20) 195-6, 50 partnership between Bailey 49*(20), 4 fours, 3 sixes and Wade 19*(10), 1 four, 1 six.

Batsman of the Innings: Bailey 49*(20)
Bowler of the Innings: Broad 3-30

England Innings:
(2.5) 11-1, Wright 8 (12), 1 four, caught Cutting, Starc.
(3.3) 19-2, Hales 6 (8), 1 four, caught Muirhead, Coulter-Nile.
(5) 25-3, Stokes 5 (4), 1 four, caught Cutting, Maxwell.
(8) 53-3, Root 9*, Morgan 18*.
(9) 60-4, Root 11 (21), 1 four, caught Cutting, Maxwell.
(12) 79-5, Buttler 8 (9), 1 four, caught Maxwell, Christian.
(12.4) 82-6, Morgan 34 (20), 2 fours, 2 sixes, caught Starc, Cutting.
(13.5) 92-7, Bopara 4 (5), bowled by Coulter-Nile.
(14.2) 98-8, Bresnan 14 (7), 1 four, 1 six, stumped Wade, Muirhead.
(16) 104-8, Broad 2*, Jordan 4*.
(16.1) 104-9, Broad 2 (4), bowled by Muirhead.
(17.2) 111 all out, Dernbach 1 (2), run out by Bailey. Jordan 10*(12), 2 fours. Australia win by 84 runs and win the T20 Series 3-0.

Batsman of the Innings: Morgan 34 (20)
Bowler of the Innings: Coulter-Nile 2-21

English Batsman of the Series: Ravi Bopara scored 75 runs off 43 balls
English Bowler of the Series: Stuart Broad took 4-84

Australian Batsman of the Series: Cameron White scored 174 runs off 125 balls
Australian Bowler of the Series: Coulter-Nile took 7-41

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Australia v England Second T20 (Melbourne)

England thrashed by Australia in second T20

Australia 131-2 (14.5 overs) beat England 130-9 (20 overs) by 8 wickets (Australia win Series 2-0)

Cameron White and George Bailey compounded England's misery after comfortably seeing Australia storm their way to an 8 wicket victory. England chose to bat first but suffered a major batting collapse as they struggled their way to 130-9 after 20 overs. Jos Buttler was England's highest scoring batsman with 22 runs but it was Hazlewood who did most of the damage, taking 4 wickets for 30 runs. 
Defending a low total proved tough for England's bowlers but they managed to reduce Australia down to 53-2 in the sixth over. However, White finished unbeaten on 58* whilst Bailey produced an unbeaten 60* off only 28 balls as Australia raced over the finish line in the 15th over, thrashing England by 8 wickets. The result means that Australia win the T20 Series 2-0 with one match to play and that England will have been beaten in every Series of the tour. 



My Opinion:
Another very disappointing performance and result for England. They were simply outplayed in every department today and got thoroughly thrashed. After deciding to bat first you would expect a competitive score to be put on the board but instead England suffered a horrible batting collapse. Wickets fell every other over which continuously disrupted any partnerships and kept killing any rhythm. Not sure why Luke Wright keeps getting chances in the team as today he only lasted two balls. Morgan and Bopara both failed which didn't help but 130-9 is just simply not good enough. England took two Australian wickets but in the end White and Bailey smashed their way to 131-2 with 31 balls remaining. With that loss goes the Series for England which means they have managed to lose all three Series. Thankfully there is only one more game to go on the tour before all this came come to an end. Hopefully, England can finish with a win but after today's performance, I don't hold much hope at all! 

Match Guide: Key Moments

England win the toss and will bat first.

England Innings:
(3.2) 24-1, Lumb 18 (15), 4 fours, caught Coulter-Nile, Hazlewood.
(4.2) 30-2, Wright 0 (2), caught Hodge, Starc.
(5.3) 42-3, Hales 16 (13), 3 fours, caught Starc, Hazlewood.
(7) 55-3, Root 15*, Morgan 6*.
(7.1) 55-4, Morgan 6 (3), 1 four, run out by Hodge.
(8.3) 63-5, Root 15 (14), 3 fours, run out by Maxwell.
(12.2) 87-6, Bopara 6 (11), caught Maxwell, Muirhead.
(15.1) 96-7, Buttler 22 (27), 2 fours, lbw Coulter-Nile.
(17) 105-7, Bresnan 9*, Broad 3*.
(19.5) 130-8, Bresnan 18*(19), 1 four, bowled by Hazlewood.
(20) 130-9, Tredwell 0 (1), bowled by Hazlewood. Broad 18*(15), 1 four.

Batsman of the Innings: Buttler 22 (27)
Bowler of the Innings: Hazlewood 4-30

Australia Innings:
(5.1) 48-1, Finch 10 (11), 2 fours, lbw Bresnan.
(6) 50-1, White 34*, Maxwell 1*.
(6.5) 53-2, Maxwell 2 (5), caught Bresnan, Tredwell.
(12) 100-2, White 48*, Bailey 39*.
(12.3) 103-2, 50 for White off 38 balls and the 50 partnership between White 50* and Bailey 39*.
(13.2) 116-2, 50 for Bailey off 24 balls.
(14.5) 131-2, White 58*(45), 9 fours, and Bailey 60*(28), 7 fours and 3 sixes. Australia win by 8 wickets and win T20 Series 2-0.

Batsman of the Innings: Bailey 60*(28)
Bowler of the Innings: Bresnan 1-11

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Australia v England First T20 (Hobart)

England fall short in first T20

Australia 213-4 (20 overs) beat England 200-9 (20 overs) by 13 runs (Australia lead Series 1-0)

England fell 13 runs short of Australia's 213-4 in the first T20 at Hobart. Cameron White starred for Australia, scoring 75 off just 43 balls as they imposed a high target for England to reach. England kept losing wickets throughout their run chase and despite Bopara scoring 65 not out off only 27 balls, it was not enough as they finished their 20 overs on 209-9. Australia take a 1-0 Series lead. 



My Opinion:
A very entertaining game but England fell just short. White and Finch impressed as they both passed fifty during their innings whilst a late burst from Lynn took the Aussies up to 213-4. A strong target to set and it was interesting to see who would be able to step up to the plate for England. Lumb and Wright were early failures whilst Hales at least produced 22 runs. Morgan only lasted four balls as England kept on losing wickets. There was no real momentum in the innings and it kept the Aussies on top. Root managed 32 off 24 but then got caught in the field. Bopara gave England some late hope with a magnificent 65 not out off 27 balls. However, it just wasn't quite enough for the total. In general it was a poor batting display apart from Bopara's fireworks so there are still questions to be asked. After that performance, I would like to see Bopara move up the order as he looks to be in fantastic form and England really need to work on bowling more yorkers. There were too many runs conceded late on in the Aussie innings and if England are to win, they need to sort that out. The Series is still up for grabs and I still hold out a minor hope that England can win a Series on this tour but the odds are very much against them. 

Match Guide: Key Moments

Australia win the toss and will bat first.

Australia Innings:
(6) 52-0, 50 partnership between White 18* and Finch 33*.
(9) 89-0, 50 for Finch off 26 balls.
(10) 104-0, 50 for White off 32 balls and the 100 partnership between White 50* and Finch 51*.
(10.4) 106-1, Finch 52 (31) 5 fours, 3 sixes, caught Hales, Broad.
(12.5) 134-2, White 75 (43) 6 fours, 4 sixes, lbw Wright.
(14) 153-2, Maxwell 18*, Bailey 2*.
(15.1) 157-3, Maxwell 20 (13), 2 fours, 1 six, caught Bresnan, Bopara.
(19) 200-3, Bailey 14*, Lynn 26*.
(19.1) 200-4, Bailey 14 (14), 1 four, caught Bresnan, Dernbach.
(20) 213-4, Lynn 37*(19), 2 fours, 3 sixes and Christian 6*(12), 1 four.

Batsman of the Innings: White 75 (43)
Bowler of the Innings: Broad 1-25

England Innings:
(1.3) 14-1, Lumb 9 (6), 2 fours, caught Lynn, Coulter-Nile.
(4.3) 44-2, Wright 9 (10), 2 fours, bowled by Henriques.
(5) 45-3, Hales 22 (12), 5 fours, lbw Henriques.
(6.2) 51-3, Root 3*, Morgan 4*.
(6.3) 51-4, Morgan 4 (4), 1 four, bowled by Maxwell.
(11.1) 98-5, Buttler 20 (14), 1 four, 1 six, caught Muirhead, Coulter-Nile.
(11.3) 100-5, Root 32*, Bopara 0*.
(11.4) 100-6, Root 32 (24), 3 fours, 1 six, caught Finch, Coulter-Nile.
(16.3) 147-7, Bresnan 11 (14), bowled by Muirhead.
(17) 155-7, Bopara 36*, Broad 7*.
(17.4) 162-8, Broad 13 (5), 2 sixes, bowled by Coulter-Nile.
(19) 176-9, Dernbach 5 (4), 1 four, run out by Finch.
(19.2) 187-9, 50 for Bopara.
(20) 200-9, Bopara 65*(27), 2 fours, 7 sixes and Briggs 0*(0). Australia win by 13 runs and lead T20 Series 1-0.

Batsman of the Innings: Bopara 65*(27)
Bowler of the Innings: Coulter-Nile 4-31

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