Skipper Stewart goes early
England captain Alec Stewart was the first wicket to fall after winning the
toss and batting against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
England are 1/16 after five overs, with Knight not out on 7 and Mark
Ealham off to a great start hitting a boundary of the second ball he faced
to be not out 4.
Stewart's innings was streaky, as he survived an lbw shout in Adam Dale's
second over and also played and missed on a couple of occasions
Both teams have made changes with England's Nasser Hussain coming in for Mark
Alleyne and a fit again Darren Lehmann returning for Greg Blewett
England lose early wickets
England despite losing quick wickets are scoring at over five runs per over
in the Carlton & United Series match against Australia at the MCG.
After 15 overs, England are 3/81, with Alec Stewart caught behind for 8,
Mark Ealham bowled for 21 and Nick Knight to a fine Mark Waugh catch
at short cover off Shane Warne for 27.
The Australian skipper came to the bowling crease in the 14th over and
with his third delivery had Knight brilliantly captured at short cover, as
he attempted to drive.
Currently Nasser Hussain in on 15 with new batsman Graeme Hick on 2.
Hick goes but England consolidate
Despite the loss of Graham Hick, England have progressed nicely at the
conclusion of 25 overs at the MCG. They are currently 4/111
with Nasser Hussain not out 28 and Neil Fairbrother not out 15.
Graeme Hick fell to the bowling of Damien Fleming in the 17th over for just
three, but since then England, after winning the toss have consolidated
their innings.
The singles have immediately flowed in this fifth wicket stand as Fairbrother
has immediately turned the strike over nicely to his partner Hussain.
For Australia Glenn McGrath has bowled expensively but has picked up two
wickets, with Shane Warne and Fleming getting one apiece.
A crowd of around 50,000 spectators is in enjoying the summer conditions
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with more expected in the cooler evening
when the Australians chase the English target
Hussain holds England together battling at the MCG
A resolute innings by Nasser Hussain is holding England's batting intact in
the Carlton and United Series match at the MCG.
After 32 overs England after winning the toss are 6/140 , with Hussain not out
43 and Robert Croft on 1. Glenn McGrath although expensive has picked up three
wickets at a cost of 45 from eight overs.
After collecting the wickets of Stewart (8) and Ealham (21), McGrath picked
up the wicket of Adam Hollioake caught behind for 13.
While England are still scoring at a run rate close to five an over, they
are in danger of being dismissed well before the end of their fifty overs.
England struggle to bat out their overs
England are working hard to bat their overs out at the MCG. After 40 overs
they are 8/170 with Darren Gough on 15 and Dean Headley on 8.
Glenn McGrath finished with 4/54 from his ten overs while Shane Warne was
the best of the bowlers finishing with 1/44 from his ten.
Nasser Hussain top scored with 47 before he pulled McGrath to Warne at
mid wicket, and great fielding by Brendan Julian has seen the removal of
Robert Croft as he defended McGrath backward of square leg, and was picked
off by Brendan Julian who fired the ball into the bowlers end to McGrath
who removed the bails.
On this good wicket one would feel England would need at least 230 to make
this match a competitive one
England disappoint at the MCG
England's batsmen for the second time against Australia in the Carlton
and United Series have struggled to put together a competitive score
to chase.
England were bowled out in just 43.2 overs for 178, with Glenn McGrath being
the destroyer taking the wickets of Stewart (8), Ealham (21), Hollioake (13)
and top scorer Nasser Hussain (47) caught at mid wicket by skipper Shane
Warne. McGrath finished with 4/54 from his ten overs and Shane Warne bowled
well taking 1/44 off his ten. Michael Bevan mopped up the tail picking up
two for nine for 3.2 overs.
England appeared set for a good score despite the early loss of Stewart and
Ealham, but in the 14th over over the dismissal of Nick Knight (27) to Warne
well caught at short cover by Mark Waugh made England 3/77 and
signalled the start of a steady stream of wickets as the Australian's got on
top
Funnily enough, at the conclusion of the England innings, a power failure
hit the MCG, so it will be interesting to see if back up power can allow
the lights to be turned on tonight during Australia's run chase
Mullally knocks over Gilchrist
Allan Mullally has picked up the vital wicket of in form opener Adam
Gilchrist in the tenth over of the Australian innings
Gilchrist was bowled off his pads for 21 at 1/44 in reply to England's
disappointing score of 178 all out.
After a suffering from a nervy start Gilchrist settled down to strike
three consecutive fours in Gough's fourth over after a period of circumspect
batting from the Australians.
His partner Mark Waugh has played well so far for his 22 not out but he
had the good fortune to survive a chance to Graham Hick at
second slip off Darren Gough from the first ball of the innings. Hick
had to dive to his right to take the edge, but sadly for England the chance
went down.
Again Gough has had to suffer from dropped catches, with the count now
nearing double figures on the tour so far.
All available tickets at the MCG have been sold, with a crowd figure of
over 80,000 anticipated.
Australia looking in good shape at the MCG
Australia's fine batting form in Sydney on Wednesday has continued on
to the MCG as they chase England's inadequate 178.
After twenty overs, Australia are 1/98 with Mark Waugh on 46 and Ricky
Ponting on 29,with the pair now having added over 50 for the second wicket
off just 58 deliveries.
Apart from being dropped first ball at second slip by Graham Hick,
Waugh survived a close run out call when attempting two runs to long leg,
with Darren Gough firing in a return to Alec Stewart, which if it
were slightly closer to the top of the stumps would have resulted in the
fall of the Australian's wicket. Umpire Darrel Hair called for the
assistance of the third umpire who found that Waugh had got home by the
barest of margins.
Ricky Ponting has looked in good touch striking the ball well from the word
go and looks set to send Australia well on its way to victory, to move his
side to the top of Carlton & United Series table.
Waugh and Ponting bring up half centuries
Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting have both brought up half centuries as
Australia cruise towards victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against
England. The pair have just brought up the hundred partnership off just
123 balls, in an impressive display.
Waugh brought his half ton up off 62 balls with 6 fours and Ponting
did likewise off 57 balls with 5 fours as Australia were 1/144 after 30
overs, with Waugh on 66 and Ponting unbeaten on 54, Australia just
need 35 off 20 overs with nine wickets in hand.
England's bowling has been lacking this evening in front of a big crowd
numbering some 80,000 people.
If as expected from this situation Australia win they will find themselves
at the top of the Carlton and United Series ladder with two wins from
three matches, their net run rate putting them ahead of England who are
also on two victories from three matches.
Sadly, play was held up for some minutes during the 29th over as a
good amount of debris was removed from the ground which had been thrown
there by part of the crowd in the Great Southern Stand. Australian skipper
Shane Warne was requested by Alec Stewart to come on to the ground to
ask the crowd to refrain from throwing any further rubbish onto the
ground. This poor showing by what would seem to be a minority of the crowd
at the MCG, does nothing to enhance the reputation of cricketing crowds
in Australia
Australia win with plenty to spare
Australia have surged to the top of the 1998-99 Carlton and United Series
table with a comprehensive nine wicket victory over England at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Man of the match Mark Waugh finished with an impressive 83 and Ricky
Ponting with 75 as the pair added an unbeaten 138 in 30 overs to steer
Australia to a comfortable win with more than ten overs to spare.
England after winning the toss and batting surrendered their advantage by
losing early wickets and made 178, just taking up 43.2 overs of their alloted
50. The rot started in the fifth over when Alec Stewart (8) edged McGrath
to Gilchrist and precisely four overs later, Mark Ealham after batting
beligerently for 21 off 19 balls with three fours and a six, moved to the
off side to try and hit McGrath to long leg, but missed and was bowled.
For a time Knight and Hussain steadied proceedings until the introduction
of Warne in the 14th over saw Knight drive to Mark Waugh at short cover
where he was brilliantly caught for 27 and it was 3/77.
Graeme Hick followed shortly after caught behind by Gilchrist off Fleming
for just three and from there on it was only the resistance of Nasser
Hussain (47 off 62 balls) that got England to a score any where near
200.
Neil Fairbrother was brilliantly caught by Michael Bevan at a deepish mid
off for 15 to make it 5/112 in the 26th over and Hussain fell in the 35th
over and the innings was virtually wrecked as England had declined to 8/145.
A useful partnership of 27 for the ninth wicket developed between Darren
Gough and Dean Headley, but England were well short of a decent total, not
to forget that they committed the cardinal sin of not batting their
mandatory fifty overs out.
For Australia Glenn McGrath was the most successful bowler with 4/54 from ten
overs, but it was Shane Warne (1/44 off ten) and Damien Fleming (1/13 off seven)
who were the pick of the bowlers. Michael Bevan picked up the last two
wickets, that of Gough and Headley.
England could have got off to a great start in the field had Graeme Hick
held a chance at second slip from the first ball of the innings off the
edge of Mark Waugh's bat from the bowling of Darren Gough.
The Australian opening stand grew to 44 in the tenth before Mullally got
the breakthrough, bowling Adam Gilchrist through the gate for 21.
From that point the Australian second wicket pair batted splendidly and
there is no doubt they will look forward to the next clash against
England, at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Man of the Match: ME Waugh
Official Crowd: 82,299
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