England v Australia: Key Plays
MOMENT OF THE DAY
Jason Roy has had a tricky time of it so far in this tournament, tallying just 18 runs in three innings, but his spectacular boundary catch to dismiss Glenn Maxwell gave him reason for cheer. These efforts, where players catch it and throw it up before stepping outside and then back into the field of play to catch it a second time, have become more common in recent times, but this was special because of just how close Roy was to the rope – some even suggested his trouser leg may have brushed it – and because it was hit hard and flat. It also dismissed one of Australia’s most destructive batsmen, just as he was looking to explode, and put paid to any hopes of a significant late surge.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: AUSTRALIA – TRAVIS HEAD
Travis Head is the youngest player in this Australia side, but you wouldn’t have known it from the maturity he showed today. As more experienced batsmen perished, he put together a composed knock that dragged his side to a competitive total. A feature was his strike rotation and hard running – he brought up 50 off 49 balls despite hitting only four boundaries up to that point. Only when batting with the last man did he let loose, smashing a six in each of the last two overs to give Australia a final boost, and finishing on 71*. This was his first innings at a major ICC tournament, but on this evidence, you can bet it won’t be his last.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: ENGLAND – MARK WOOD
Last October, having just had his ankle operated on for the third time in little over a year, Mark Wood feared his England career may be over. It’s one of the feel-good stories of the tournament to see him troubling the best with his pace. This was his most impressive performance since his return, combining accuracy with lethal speed to finish with figures of 10-1-33-4, including the key wickets of David Warner – with a pearler – and captain Steve Smith.
SHOT OF THE DAY
After the loss of three early wickets, Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes decided offence was the best form of defence, and took the attack to the Australian quicks. Although their partnership included seven sixes, the pick of the shots was Stokes’ very first boundary, an imperious flick through midwicket off Pat Cummins, which set the tone for a match-turning stand. For a player who is renowned for his strength, this was all timing and class.
BALL OF THE DAY
Before Stokes and Morgan took over, England had actually been in a spot of bother, thanks to a superb opening burst from Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. The pick of the deliveries was Hazlewood’s to dismiss Joe Root, ranked No.4 in the ICC ODI Batting Rankings. Root played virtually the perfect forward defensive, but the ball nipped away, kissed the edge, and nestled in keeper Matthew Wade’s gloves, a Test-match-style dismissal.
STAT OF THE DAY
0 - Adil Rashid didn't concede a single four, six, or wide in his 10 overs at Edgbaston. The leg-spinner returned figures of 4-41 and played a key part in halting Australia's death-overs charge.
159 – the partnership between Morgan and Stokes, a fourth-wicket record for England against Australia in ODIs. It represented a remarkable turnaround having joined battle at 35-3, and set England on the path to victory.
SHOCK OF THE DAY
Having looked untroubled and dominant throughout their fourth-wicket stand, Stokes and Morgan were coasting towards victory, with the only question who would reach a hundred first. But with Morgan ball-watching as Stokes rushed through for a single, a brilliant throw from Adam Zampa caught the England captain short, and brought a wicket it seemed might never come.