by The Professor » Sun Jan 31, 2016 11:04 am
On this day in 2014 Australia's dominance with bat and ball swept England away in the second T20i, sealing a series defeat.
Brad Hodge, playing his first game in six years, did not get to bat but was a contributor with the ball and was involved in two dismissals in the field. He opened the bowling to Michael Lumb, who looked strong before lofting the ball and was caught by Nathan Coulter-Nile. Hales soon followed and the wheels came off.
England could have felt aggrieved with one of their dismissals; Eoin Morgan being dismissed by a run out when his bat was grounded. The third umpire ruled Morgan out; a reprieve after a batsman makes his ground then lifts off the ground only applies to the feet, not the bat.
This was not the most damaging run out for England as, two overs later, Root got run out for 18. Buttler looked like he could push on but was out lbw through a Coulter-Nile dismissal.
England were despondent with the bat and, were it not for a 34 run partnership between Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan, would have fallen below 100. The highest score before that was 22 from Jos Buttler.
The defining partnership for Australia was that of Cameron White and George Bailey who drove Austalia to victory with a partnership of 78. England's bowlers, with the exception of Tim Bresnan, were taken for a ride and ended up with economies over 6 an over.
"It has been said of the unseen army of the dead, on their everlasting march, that when they are passing a rural cricket ground the Englishman falls out of the ranks for a moment to look over the gate and smile."