Birmingham: Ian Bell cracked a responsible 91 and James Anderson scalped three wickets as England dished out a disciplined allround performance to notch up a convincing 48-run victory over Australia in their Group A match of the Champions Trophy here on Saturday.
Riding on Bell’s half-century, England first posted a challenging 269 for six, despite some good bowling by the Australian bowlers, after electing to bat.
The hosts then returned to tighten the noose around Australia’s neck right from the start of the second innings with a very disciplined bowling display and eventually restricted the visitors for 221-9 in their 50 overs at Edgbaston here.
Seamer Anderson became the highest wicket-taker in one-day cricket for England during his three-wicket haul as he along with Tim Bresnan (2/45) and Stuart Broad (1/35) put Australia under trememdous pressure.
Spinners James Tredwell (1/51) and part-time spinners Joe Root (1/20) and Ravi Bopara (1/34) also supported the pacers well and didn’t allow the Aussies to free their arms.
For Australia, skipper George Bailey was the top-scorer with a 69-ball 55, while James Faulkner scored an unbeaten 54 but they never got the support from the other end as Australia kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
SCOREBOARD
A Cook c Wade b Watson 30
I Bell b Faulkner 91
J Trott c Wade b Starc 43
J Root c Bailey b McKay 12
E Morgan b McKay 8
R Bopara not out 46
J Buttler b Faulkner 1
T Bresnan not out 19
Extras: (lb-12, w-6, nb-1) 19
Total: (6 wkts; 50 overs) 269
FOW: 1-57, 2-168, 3-189, 4-189, 5-212, 6-213
Bowling: Starc 10-0-75-1, Johnson 8-0-44-0, McKay 10-0-38-2, Watson 7-0-26-1, Faulkner 10-0-48-2, Voges 3-0-13-0, Marsh 2-0-13-0
Australia:
D Warner c Buttler b Broad 9
S Watson c Cook b Bresnan 24
P Hughes lbw b Root 30
G Bailey c Root b Tredwell 55
A Voges b Bresnan 15
M Marsh c Morgan b Anderson 5
M Wade c Buttler b Anderson 1
J Faulkner not out 54
M Johnson c Morgan b Bopara 8
M Starc b Anderson 5
C McKay not out 7
Extras: (lb-6, w-1, nb-1) 8
Total: (9 wkts; 50 overs) 221
FOW: 1-17, 2-47, 3-94, 4-127, 5-134, 6-136, 7-151, 8-175, 9-190
Bowling: Anderson 10-0-30-3, Broad 10-2-35-1, Bresnan 10-1-45-2, Tredwell 10-1-51-1, Root 5-0-20-1, Bopara 5-0-34-1
Earlier, Bell’s partnership of 111 with Jonathan Trott, who made 43, was the backbone of the English innings as Bopara (46 no, 3×4, 1×6) struck a few meaty blows in the end.
During his 115-ball innings, Man-of-the-Match Bell hit seven boundaries and seldom did he play a rash stroke.
