Australia lived up to their status of favourites by crushing England by 111 runs in a thoroughly impressive performance on the opening night of the Cricket World Cup in Melbourne.
It was a commanding all-round effort from the hosts before a massive crowd of 84,336 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Batting first after being put in, Australia made the most of England’s fielding largesse as they reached 342-9. In reply, England were bowled out for 231 in the 42nd over.
That margin of victory would be a lot more spectacular if not for a gutsy batting display by James Taylor, who was unluckily left stranded on 98.
There was drama at the death with a ‘double review’, Taylor surviving an lbw decision off Hazlewood on review as the ball was found to be missing leg stump only for his partner James Anderson to be short of his crease as Glenn Maxwell threw down the stumps.
Questions were raised by Taylor as to whether it was a dead ball but the umpires did not agree.
But England’s goose was properly cooked way before Taylor started hitting the ball around the park. Sensational fielding display by the hosts saw them tumble to 92 for six in the 22nd over chasing the massive target of 343.
Earlier, Steven Finn took a hat-trick with the last three balls of the innings and Stuart Broad took two wickets in two balls, but Australia inflicted enough damage in the remaining balls to reach their imposing total.
That really is the land of gold… and yellow, out there! Think we are now close to 80k fans @MCG. @Sport_360 #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/CdCGWo130J
— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyOfCricket) February 14, 2015
The Australian innings was built around a brilliant century by Finch (135 in 128 balls), after the Melbourne-based opener was dropped in the first over of the match while on nought.
Finch added 146 runs for the fourth wicket with under-pressure captain George Bailey (55 in 69 balls) after three quick wickets halted Australia’s quick start.
Broad clean bowled David Warner (22) with the score on 57 in the eighth over, and then induced an edge from Shane Watson for Buttler to accept with glee. Steve Smith was next to go, cleaned up by Chris Woakes with the Australian score on 70.
.@CricketAus starts it’s #cwc15 campaign with a big win over @ECB_cricket #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/B2Re248p52
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) February 14, 2015
The late fireworks were provided by Glenn Maxwell, who smashed 66 runs in 40 balls, and Brad Haddin, who made 31 in 14. The duo added 61 runs for the seventh wicket in just 27 balls as Australia raced to 342-6 with three balls to spare in Finn’s last over.
Despite not being able to bowl the 50 overs in the allotted time, England captain Eoin Morgan took his own sweet time rearranging the field, and it paid dividend.
Haddin was the first to go, top-edging to Broad at third man, where he took a superb tumbling catch. Maxwell, who crossed over, then holed the next ball to Joe Root at long-on, who held on to a screamer. And Mitchell Johnson perished in the final ball, pulling it to James Anderson at mid-on.
Finn finished as the most successful English bowler, taking 5-71.
