5-wicket blow to Australia saves England from whit
5-wicket blow to Australia saves England from whitewash
CHESTER-LE-STREET: Graeme Swann''s maiden ODI five-wicket haul ensured England avoided the humiliation of becoming the first side to lose a one-day series 7-0 with a four-wicket win over Australia on Sunday.
World champions Australia still clinched the series 6-1, but surrendered their recently-regained status as the leading one-day side.
The Riverside win did little to paper over the cracks in England''s line-up as Andrew Strauss''s side head for South Africa and the Champions Trophy which starts on Tuesday.
Although James Anderson and debutant Graham Onions set the tone with some disciplined new-ball bowling, in complete contrast to the visitors'' ragged efforts, Swann proved the match-winner on an unusually spin-friendly pitch.
Yet despite bowling Australia out for 176, the lowest score of the series and posting a 106-run opening stand, England managed to make a meal of chasing the total, losing four wickets in five overs and six in all.
Swann took the key wicket of Australia captain Ricky Ponting to set himself on the way to career-best figures of 5-28 and precipitate an Australian collapse from 96-2 to 176 all out.
Ponting came to the crease in the first over after Shane Watson''s four-ball duck and instantly looked in imperious form, punching Anderson through the covers for four while contributing 41 to a 59-run stand with Michael Clarke.
But Swann produced a wicket maiden from his first over to dismiss the left-hander for 53 and start the collapse.
Ponting mistimed a drive to Paul Collingwood at mid-on, the first of three wickets in 24 balls.
Clarke was run out by Eoin Morgan''s throw from short fine leg and Cameron White played onto a ball which turned into him.
James Hopes played across the line and spooned a return catch to Swann and Mitchell Johnson tried to turn him to leg and was caught by Anderson to complete Swann''s haul. Only Mike Hussey offered any further resistance, the highlight of his 54-ball 49 a towering six into the top tier of the County Durham Stand before he was last out after 17 balls of batting powerplay.
England were 73 runs short of victory before Strauss reverse-swept to Ben Hilfenhaus on 47 to give Australia their first wicket and were further helped by some dreadful bowling from the visitors, who conceded 21 extras.
Joe Denly completed only his second ODI 50 (his first came against Ireland) in typical style, hitting eight fours.
But he became Ponting''s third run-out victim in four days and was quickly followed by Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah and Matt Prior, all of whom would have benefitted from time at the crease after poor series and with the challenge of the Champions Trophy just around the corner.
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