SYDNEY : England captain Eoin Morgan made a welcome return to form with a scintillating 121 but his team was skittled out for 234 inside 48 overs by Australia in the opening match of a tri-series also involving India today. Morgan’s seventh ODI century, studded with three sixes and 11 boundaries, stood out in England’s meek capitulation against Australia’s hostile bowlers at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Left-arm paceman Mitchel Starc (4-42) claimed the first two as well as the last two English wickets in an impressive display of seam bowling, while James Faulkner claimed 3-47. Morgan’s decision to bat first backfired as England slumped to 12-3 inside four overs and had their top half blown away by the 16th over.
Morgan and Josh Buttler (28) arrested the slide with a 67-run stand for the sixth wicket and the England captain, who had been woefully out of form, charged down the track to hit left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty for a six to bring up his fifty.
A cover driven four off Faulkner brought up Morgan’s century before he fell to Starc, whose memorable match saw him get two wickets with his first three deliveries and another brace with his final two.
(AGENCIES)
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