England win Down Under!
THEY PICK A TEAM WITH PROPER PACE, QUALITY SPIN AND SIX-HITTERS AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENS...
An Ashes tour that has been going south for weeks moved in a different direction yesterday as a change in tempo brought a change in fortunes.
Two months to the day since their previous success, england won a match against Australian opposition.
There will be sterner tests of their credentials ahead than this, but the influx of white- ball specialists led by eoin Morgan served to alter the mood here after the five-day sufferings at the hands of the old enemy.
Victory over a Cricket Australia XI — a misnomer as both teams fielded 12 players — was sealed with 55 balls to spare and was crafted in a manner that pleased Morgan ahead of a five-match series against the reigning world champions.
each of the tour newbies did well — the most positive being Alex hales on his return from an eCB suspension.
hales missed the end of last summer for his presence at the early-hours altercation in Bristol that led to Ben stokes’ arrest, and he will be the subject of an eCB disciplinary hearing once the future of stokes becomes clear.
But, coming in at no 3, following a first-wicket stand of 74 between Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, hales was his old destructive self, savaging Matt Renshaw’s off-spin for two fours and two sixes in an over that cost 21 runs — before falling for a 35-ball 52.
Morgan said: ‘Obviously there was an issue around it and he knows what he did was wrong and certainly I think he’s learnt his lesson coming back into the side.
‘he has been given another chance to prove himself. I thought he stuck to the mantra for the team — which is to be positive and aggressive when the opportunity arises. he certainly did that. I thought he played extremely well.’
Morgan finished the match in a flurry of boundaries, and Jos Buttler was another who enjoyed the quality of the surface to make the hosts’ attack toil.
earlier, MacKenzie harvey — 17-year-old nephew of World Cup winner Ian harvey — showcased the skills that have made him one of Australia’s rising talents.
he hit a 39-ball 50, and it took a canny piece of bowling from Adil Rashid to terminate his fun. spotting his opponent advancing, the Yorkshire leg-spinner threw in a wide googly that provided Buttler with the simplest of stumpings. With Moeen Ali happy again bowling in tandem with his friend Rashid, england’s asking rate was just over five an over.
This all came after Mark Wood produced the most venomous delivery sent down by an england bowler all tour when he seared a bouncer past Renshaw’s chin.
Wood’s figures did him little justice. But the 28-year- old had already had one birthday present in the shape of a Test recall for the tour of new Zealand. ‘I’d like to prove to everyone that I can be that X- factor bowler they want,’ he said. ‘This is a big tour for me to get back to being that bowler I was in the Champions Trophy.’
Meanwhile, Joe Root was in the nets, and england expect a fully fit squad in Melbourne. There will also be respite with the news that Josh hazlewood will rest this weekend and Pat Cummins will follow suit in Brisbane. suddenly, there are reasons for optimism.