Australia v England: Australia wrap up series 6-1

Mitchell Johnson

Perth (50 overs): Australia beat England by 57 runs

This was a good idea on paper. And perhaps that is where is should have stayed.

The debate over the last 30 years is whether limited-overs cricket is a means to the end of propping up the grand old lady of Test cricket or has become a separate entity in its own right. Either way there is strong evidence to support the view that this one-day international series, that reached its conclusion in Perth, should have been put on a far stricter diet.

The seventh match of a series that has pushed the Ashes into the distant memory was won by Australia and completed the initial healing process for the nation after that 3-1 Ashes loss to England. How quickly the injured players from both sides will take to heal and whether they will do so in time to play a part in the World Cup that starts on February 19th could determine just how far either team progresses.

Eoin Morgan, who missed this match with a fractured finger, was the sixth England player to make an early exit and there was the inescapable feeling that his teammates would not have objected to doing the same - and that was before this 57-run defeat.

Australia won the toss and Cameron White, their captain, elected to bat but did not get the start they had hoped for when the early loss of Tim Paine (five) and Callum Ferguson (15) had them at 35-2. Brad Haddin was given a life when he was dropped by Michael Yardy, before he had scored, but the damage was not that great as the off-spinner dismissed him for 27 with the assistance of a quick-thinking catch by Steven Finn at long-on. The Middlesex man was about to fall over the boundary rope, after making the catch, but had the presence of mind to throw the ball in the air then catch it once more when he returned to the playing area.

Yardy then had White caught and bowled for 24 with Australia looking a little vulnerable on 103-4. But then Adam Voges and David Hussey came to their rescue with half-centuries – which included a 95-run stand from 85 balls - and England’s tiring bowlers provided a contribution of their own with 19 wides as Australia reached 279-7 in their 50 overs.

Who lets who down in a losing side can often be a moot point but England’s batsmen have not kept the bargain very well with the bowlers in these ODIs and openers Andrew Strauss and Steven Davies (who was selected as wicketkeeper ahead of Matt Prior)were dismissed without scoring as England slumped to 5-2. Those wickets fell to Shaun Tait and Doug Bollinger respectively but it was Mitchell Johnson who delivered the champagne performance.

Johnson can infuriate at times but he is one of Australia key men and he unlocked England’s middle order – after a 43-run stand between Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen - as he skittled out Trott (14), Pietersen (26) and Ian Bell (eight) to leave reeling at 64-5 and starring at the bottom of a very steep hill.

Prior and Michael Yardy pulled England through that crisis – until Prior was out for 39 – and Yardy found able companionship at the crease from Luke Wright (24) and Liam Plunkett (20) as the Sussex man reached his top score in ODIs, 61 not out, but Tait came back for the wickets of Plunkett, Finn (0) and James Anderson (four).

Paul Wheeler

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