(Reuters) – Steven Smith maintained his purple patch to hit a brilliant unbeaten 102 to secure Australia’s three-wicket victory against England in a high-scoring tri-series match at Hobart yesterday.
Brad Haddin also chipped in with a quickfire 42 off 29 balls as the hosts chased down the daunting 304-run target with one ball to spare to pick up their third consecutive win and reach the final of the tournament, also featuring India.
Ian Bell’s career-best 141 had powered England to 303-8 but they were left to rue their inability to score freely during the closing stages, which Australia used superbly to claim victory.
Stand-in captain Smith, who scored four centuries against India during their recent 2-0 test series win, continued his rich vein of form to complete another ton on his one-day international captaincy debut, his third in the 50-over format.
Shaun Marsh (45), who replaced the injured David Warner, and Aaron Finch (32) gave Australia the ideal platform for the chase with a brisk opening stand of 76.
England fast bowler Steven Finn, who took five wickets on Tuesday to destroy India, dismissed Marsh and Cameron White (0) in three deliveries leaving it to Smith to resurrect Australia from 92-3.
The 25-year-old Smith looked unperturbed, adding 69 with Glenn Maxwell (37) for the fourth wicket and another 55 with James Faulkner (35) for the fifth to take Australia closer.
Smith, who hit six fours and a six, and Haddin then batted sensibly during their 81-run stand and took the attack to the bowlers once the victory was in sight.
Earlier, put in to bat by Australia, Bell and Moeen Ali (46) added 113 for the opening wicket to give England a flying start.
An aggressive Bell, who hit 15 fours and one six in his 125-ball innings, appeared in good touch and took a firm step towards securing the opener’s role for the Feb. 19-March 29 World Cup ahead of Alex Hales.
He timed the ball sweetly, reaching his half-century in 42 balls and then the three-figure mark in 92 balls with a pulled single off paceman Pat Cummins.
Cummins was punished by Moeen early on when the left-hander pulled the bowler for three consecutive sixes.
Bell also added 121 for the third wicket with Joe Root (69) but medium pacer Gurinder Sandhu pulled things back for Australia by dismissing the centurion and England captain Eoin Morgan for a golden duck in three balls.
England lost six wickets in the last nine overs, including three in the last three deliveries of their innings.
SCOREBOARD
England Innings
M. Ali c sub b Faulkner 46
I. Bell c Starc b Sandhu 141
J. Taylor c Faulkner b Henriques 5
J. Root c Finch b Cummins 69
E. Morgan c Haddin b Sandhu 0
J. Buttler run out (Haddin, Haddin) 25
R. Bopara b Starc 7
C. Woakes run out (Haddin, Haddin) 0
S. Broad not out 0
Extras (b-1 lb-4 w-5) 10
Total (for 8 wickets, 50 overs) 303
Fall of wickets: 1-113 M. Ali,2-132 J. Taylor,3-253 I. Bell,4-254 E. Morgan,5-275 J. Root,6-303 R. Bopara,7-303 J. Buttler,8-303 C. Woakes Did not bat: J. Anderson, S. Finn Bowling M. Starc 10 – 0 – 60 – 1(w-1) P. Cummins 10 – 0 – 74 – 1(w-1) G. Sandhu 10 – 0 – 49 – 2 G. Maxwell 3 – 0 – 22 – 0 J. Faulkner 10 – 0 – 59 – 1(w-3) M. Henriques 7 – 0 – 34 – 1
Australia Innings
A. Finch b Ali 32
S. Marsh c Bell b Finn 45
S. Smith not out 102
C. White lbw b Finn 0
G. Maxwell c Root b Ali 37
J. Faulkner c Bell b Woakes 35
B. Haddin c Bell b Woakes 42
M. Henriques run out (Taylor) 4 M. Starc not out 1
Extras (lb-3 w-3) 6
Total (for 7 wickets, 49.5 overs) 304
Fall of wickets: 1-76 A. Finch,2-92 S. Marsh,3-92 C. White,4-161 G. Maxwell,5-216 J. Faulkner,6-297 B. Haddin,7-302 M. Henriques Did not bat: P. Cummins, G. Sandhu Bowling C. Woakes 9.5 – 0 – 58 – 2(w-1) J. Anderson 10 – 0 – 56 – 0(w-1) S. Broad 9 – 0 – 61 – 0 M. Ali 10 – 0 – 50 – 2(w-1) S. Finn 10 – 0 – 65 – 2 R. Bopara 1 – 0 – 11 – 0 Referees Umpire: Marais Erasmus Umpire: Simon Fry TV umpire: John Ward Match referee: Andy Pycroft Result: Australia won by 3 wickets
