Finn finished the supreme batting of Australia as England won – fourth ODI

England 201-2 (Ian Bell 69, Jonathan Trott 64*, Clint McKay 2-29) beat Australia 200-9 (David Hussey 70, Michael Clarke 43, Steven Finn 4-37) by 8 wickets.

Steven Finn crushed the top order batting of Australia and put them in the corner as Ian Bell and Steven Finn smashed fifties while England won the game easily.

Australia managed 200 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the metered 50 overs and England got past the target by smashing 201 runs with eight wickets in hand and 2.1 overs to spare.

Steven Finn - Lethal bowling spell of 4-37
Steven Finn – Lethal bowling spell of 4-37

Steven Finn (England) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his lethal bowling spell of 4-37 runs.

The fourth One Day International of the series was held on Saturday, July 7, 2012, at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street.

Earlier, the English captain, Alastair Cook won the toss, offered the batting to Australia and the innings was opened by their regular pair Shane Watson and David Warner. They demonstrated a subdued innings, were reluctant even taking the singles and managed just six runs in the first five overs. The undue pressure resulted in the disaster and they lost David Warner on the first ball of the next over off Steven Finn. The miseries were added on the very next ball when the newcomer, Peter Forrest was declared leg before wicket without opening his account.

The hat trick of Finn was averted by the Australian skipper, Michael Clarke who tried to consolidate the innings with Watson. Clarke got a life at eight when Eoin Morgan dropped a dolly catch at point off Tim Bresnan. Watson opened up in the 14th over and collected 13 runs with one six and one four as the first fifty of the innings was completed in the 17th over.

The third wicket was lost at 57 as the smooth going Shane Watson was clean bowled by Bresnan for 28. The Aussies were reeling at 4-68 in 21.4 overs when David Hussey joined in with Clarke and they crept to 96 when the stumps of Michael Clarke were uprooted by Finn for 43 off 85 balls with 4 fours. Matthew Wade departed at the same total when Brett Lee took guards in the centre and started off with a four.

The run rate was speeded up as Hussey was the most aggressive of the two who added 13 runs in the 45th over and completed his fifty as well. Lee lifted James Anderson for a six on the first ball of the next over but was caught at long on by Stuart Broad for 27 runs. The seventh wicket partnership contributed 60 runs and the late order batsmen did not offer much resistance.

David Hussey was the 9th batsman who went back to the pavilion for 70 off 73 deliveries with 9 fours as Australia scored 200 runs with one wicket in hand at the end of the 50th over.

Steven Finn was the most successful batsman with four wickets, James Anderson and Tim Bresnan held two each as Ravi Bopara claimed one wicket.

England initiated the innings with Alastair Cook and Ian Bell and they picked just one run in the first two overs. Cook dispatched 11 runs in the next over with two fours and Bell got back to his rhythm in the eighth over with the same result. Cook was dropped by Clint McKay off his own bowling on the second ball of the 11th over at 13 and the first fifty of the innings was posted in the 14th over.

The openers gave a solid beginning of 70 runs in 16.3 overs when Alastair Cook was gone for 29. Jonathan Trott walked in next, the flow of runs was continued by the duo and Bell attained his fifty on the fifth ball of the 23rd over. Trott was more severe on the bowlers and sent the ball reeling out of the rope at the regular intervals.

The second wicket association accumulated 66 runs in 16 overs when Ian Bell chopped the last ball of the 33rd over on his stumps after scoring 69 runs off 94 balls with 9 fours. Ravi Bopara was the next batsman in who opened his account with a single on the sixth ball and Jonathan Trott achieved his fifty in the 41st over. Bopara utilized the loose balls by sending them to the boundary and got two fours in the 46th over.

Michael Clarke used eight bowlers to stop the flow of runs and get the breakthrough but he remained unsuccessful. The target was met in 47.5 overs by scoring 201 runs for the loss of just two wickets. Jonathan Trott was unbeaten for 64 off 102 balls with 4 fours whereas Ravi Bopara held his end with 33 off 47 deliveries containing 3 fours.

Clint McKay was the only successful bowler for Australia who got the both wickets which fell in the English innings.

England won the fourth ODI comprehensively by a huge margin of eight wickets and won the five match series 3-0. The fifth and final match will be played on July 10, 2012, at Old Trafford, Manchester.


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