JAMIE’S A DON IN A MILLION
Morgan urges his ODI big-hitters to carry on swinging despite their worst ever start to a match
JAMIE DONALDSON kept all challengers at bay to retain his lead after round two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Donaldson added a 69 to his opening 62 to set the clubhouse target at 13 under par.
That gave the 42-year-old Welshman a one-shot lead over China’s Li Haotong (66), with South Africa’s Branden Grace a shot further back following a 65 before bad light Adelaide, Australia beat England by three wickets ENGLAND INNINGS J Roy c Smith b Hazlewood ........... 0 J Bairstow c Paine b Hazlewood...0 A Hales b Cummins ........................ 3 J Root c Hazlewood b Cummins ...0 E Morgan c Paine b Cummins ...... 33 J Buttler c Paine b Hazlewood ...... 0 M Ali c Head b Tye ........................ 33 C Woakes c Sub b Tye .................. 78 A Rashid c Paine b Cummins ......... 7 T Curran c Marsh b Tye ................ 35 M Wood not out .............................. 2 Extras b1 w4 ............................. 5 Total (44.5 overs) .................. 196 Fall: 1-0; 2-4; 3-4; 4-6; 5-8; 6-61; 7-112; 8-120; 9-180 Bowling: Hazlewood 10-0-39-3; Cummins 10-2-24-4; Marsh 5-1-24-0; Tye 7.5-0-33-3; Head 2-0-9-0; Zampa 7-0-42-0; Stoinis 3-0-24-0;
AUSTRALIA INNINGS D Warner c Buttler b Woakes ........ 13 T Head c Morgan b Wood ............. 96 C White lbw b Curran ..................... 3 S Smith c Root b Rashid ................ 4 M Marsh c & b Rashid .................. 32 M Stoinis c Roy b Rashid .............. 14 T Paine not out ............................ 25 P Cummins run out ........................ 3 A Tye not out .................................. 3 Extras w3 nb1 ........................... 4 Total 7 wkts (37 overs) ........ 197 Fall: 1-25; 2-48; 3-70; 4-112; 5-136; 6-180; 7-185 Bowling: Woakes 7-0-36-1; Wood 9-0-58-1; Curran 2-1-10-1; M Ali 8-0-41-0; Rashid 10-0-49-3; Root 1-0-3-0 brought a halt to a second round delayed by earlier fog.
Rory McIlroy made a flying start to his round with three birdies in the first five holes before dropping his first shot of the week on the eighth.
McIlroy, who marked his first competitive start since October with a tie for third in Abu Dhabi last week, was three off the lead at 10 under par when his second round was halted with seven holes to play.