World Cup Report Match 2: Australia v England

Scorecard

Eoin Morgan started the day by winning the toss, and surprisingly, unbelievably, sending Australia in to bat. He ended the day with his fourth duck in five ODI innings, punctuated only by an innings of 2, and presiding over a defeat of 111 runs which has only re-confirmed the depths of England's woes in this format of the game, and leaves them struggling to work out how to right the sunken ship.
Early on, it COULD have been so different. Anderson and Broad had the new ball moving enough, and Aaron Finch hit the sixth ball of the match straight to Chris Woakes at forward square, only to see it squeeze through his hands for two runs. he should have been out for a duck, and who was to know how costly that would be. Even then, despite going at seven runs an over, England had brought Australia to peril at 3/70 - Warner clean bowled by Broad, Watson edging behind the very next delivery, and Smith failing to reach double figures before chopping on. Captain Bailey has apparently already resigned himself to being moved aside when Michael Clarke returns next week, but his restorative innings alongside Finch was critical to Australia's chances. He didn't look great, and few shots seemed to hit the middle, but his innings of 55 off 69 runs was invaluable. If he is cast aside next game, having been captain over a winning team all summer, and having played that innings, then our selection panel has a lot to answer for.
After the first half a dozen overs, Finch was good. He still hits the ball too much in the air when it isn't necessary, and he still had some fortune, but his knock of 135 off 128 balls was as good an innings as you could wish for from your opening batsman with his team in trouble. He mightn't be the complete product yet, but he is getting there. Maxwell, Marsh and Haddin played the finishing job to perfection, as England just lost it completely in the final overs, and a score of 9/342 was always going to be too much. The farce of the situation came when Stephen Finn, who had been belted from pillar to post all game, once again flying in the face of those who believe he is a great one day bowler, had his final three deliveries belted by three different batsmen down the throat of three different fieldsmen in the quest for more runs, thus not only securing Finn a five wicket haul (5/71 off ten overs) but an undeserved rubbish hat-trick. Englishmen laughed as they left the field. Sums up their attitude in the current climate.

England's batting again fell apart early, leaving no opportunity to contemplate a victory surge. the destroyer was the mild mannered all rounder Mitch Marsh, who almost doubled his previous tally of wickets from every one of his total one day matches in one innings, taking 5/33 from nine overs. Australia's fielding was magnificent, stopping runs in the field, and the catching, especially that of Brad Haddin and Steve Smith was beyond spectacular.
Just to show that the farce was not over, England had put on 36 for the final wicket, and with James Taylor on 98, this is CricInfo's description of what turned out to be the final ball:

41.5

Hazlewood to Taylor, OUT, full and straight on middle and leg, Taylor looks for a flick and seems to have almost fallen over. Big appeal from the bowler, umpire Dar thinks and then gives it. Taylor immediately reviews it and it appears the ball might be skating down leg. Century still on the cards, it would seem. Funnily though, Aaron Finch had come up and started shaking hands with Taylor thinking the match was done. But wait, Dharmasena was checking for the run-out as the batsmen were looking to sneak a leg bye and it appears Maxwell has found his target to leave Anderson short of his ground. But how can that be considering Dar had given it out lbw and that means the ball should be dead, right? The question is, was he run out before the umpire's finger came up or was it after.... Taylor keeps telling it is dead ball, repeating it over and over, but Australia are already shaking hands and the umpires confirm that Anderson is indeed run out

As it turns out, it should have been a dead ball, and the game should have continued. However, as seems to be a recurring thing with these two umpires, the incorrect decision was made.

Australia has therefore made it through its first match unscathed,and can now look to push forward in their quest for a fifth World Cup crown. England must try and pick up the pieces, and find a way to rejuvenate themselves without the media shadows throwing out names like Cook, Stokes and Pietersen as the reason they are not winning matches.