By Rob Barnett
Contrasting fifties from Gary Ballance and Eoin Morgan aided England’s strong score of 269 for seven on a two-paced MCG pitch in the opening one-day international with Australia.
Ballance, playing in just his second ODI, was watchful for a top-score of 79 while Morgan was typically sprightly in his 50. Together, they added 83 for the fourth wicket to rescue the tourists from 62 for three.
Clint McKay, leading Australia’s attack with Mitchell Johnson rested, shone via 3-44 from 10 overs. He ousted Alastair Cook and Joe Root in the mandatory powerplay, although opening batsman Ian Bell prospered to make 41.
McKay returned to snare Ballance, but Jos Buttler’s cameo 34 not out lifted England, who had chosen to bat first, to a defendable total.
Match Scorecard / Live ball-by-ball commentary
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England Innings
6.41am - END OF INNINGS! ENGLAND 269/7; Buttler 34, Bresnan 16 - Buttler short-arm jabs Coulter-Nile for six as another dozen runs follow in the last over. That’s a decent effort from England, who have scored 86 from the last 10 overs.
England's highest first innings total v Australia this winter! They made 255 in 4th Test here at the MCG.
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) January 12, 2014
6.37am - Bresnan launches Faulkner for a mighty maximum over square-leg in an over worth 12. There's one set of six remaining.
6.33am - Buttler scoops again, this time off Coulter-Nile, and Doherty does well to save four. Tim Bresnan then smashes a full-toss down the ground for four. It’s 245 for seven with two overs to go.
6.21am - WICKET! Ballance c Doherty b McKay 79; Eng 228/7 - Ballance slices McKay towards third man from where Doherty races in and dives but cannot hold on. Having swung four to leg, the left-hander repeats the shot from the start of the over and this time Doherty makes no mistake. That was a fantastically composed knock from Ballance.
6.18am - Ballance smites Faulkner to the midwicket boundary to move into the 70s and Jos Buttler unleashes a trademark scoop just past Haddin for four.
6.09am - WICKET! Stokes b Faulkner 21; Eng 206/6 - A pull gives Stokes four off Faulkner but, repeating the shot at the end of the over, the all-rounder has his bails clipped.
6.05am - Ballance sweeps Watson behind square for for four during a handy over that brings nine. The tourists could do with a few more like that.
5.57am - New man Ben Stokes pulls Coulter-Nile to the midwicket rope as the powerplay costs 24. England are 183 for five with 10 overs to go.
I've watched Stokes in practice over the last couple of days and he has been absolutely hammering the ball in the nets
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) January 12, 2014
5.47am - WICKET! Bopara c Haddin b Coulter-Nile 17; Eng 173/5 - Bopara opens the face for the powerplay’s first four yet, attempting to do the same, then nicks behind to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.
5.34am - England take the batting powerplay, but its first over from Coulter-Nile yields just one. The next, bowled by Faulkner, brings six.
5.30am - FIFTY! Ballance (69b 3x4 0x6) - With Ravi Bopara up and running, Ballance pushes Maxwell for one through cover to bring up a composed half-century in just his second ODI.
5.20am - WICKET! Morgan c Coulter-Nile b Maxwell 50; Eng 145/4 - Morgan attempts a similar shot to his recent four off McKay, but succeeds only in picking out the extra-cover fielder to end a stand of 83.
5.18am - FIFTY! Morgan (46b 5x4 1x6) - Having chipped McKay for four over extra-cover, the left-hander tucks Maxwell for a leg-side single to raise a fine half-century.
Lord Vader has turned up, and the DJ plays the Star Wars theme. The force is with England so far though...(sorry)... 137/3 #AusvEng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 12, 2014
5.11am - McKay returns in place of Faulkner and, after a tight two, Morgan fortuitously inside-edges a four. England are 136 for three from 30 overs. Can they double that score?
5.01am - Morgan raises a fifty partnership with Ballance by striking Faulkner over mid-off for four. In the next over Ballance hits consecutive fours, a drive over mid-on and a cut past point.
Good morning from @mcg. Here is the view from the @bbctms commentary box as England try to set a competitive total pic.twitter.com/YE9ea7uGrP
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) January 12, 2014
4.50am - Shane Watson is on so it’s seam bowling from both ends. Ballance and Morgan, who top-edges Faulkner for four to herald England’s hundred, are going along nicely.
4.42am - Following James Faulkner’s introduction in place of Maxwell, Morgan - who has been typically busy from the off - launches Doherty for a straight six.
4.36am - Eoin Morgan announces himself with a crisp cover-driven four off Maxwell. Ballance then cuts Doherty for his first boundary. The tourists reach 75 for three from 20 overs.
4.26am - WICKET! Bell b Doherty 41; Eng 62/3 - After Ballance survives an lbw shout from Maxwell because the ball was sliding down leg, Bell attempts to repeat his earlier maximum but fails to connect and is cleaned up by Doherty. That’s a shame as Bell was going well.
4.18am - Bell deftly reverse-sweeps Doherty for four and sweetly slog-sweeps Maxwell for a big six. England are 57 for two, of which Bell has 39, from 15 overs.
It's like Fleet Street out there...spin from both ends as Doherty comes on #ausveng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 12, 2014
4.09am - Michael Clarke makes a double bowling change, introducing spin from both ends with Glenn Maxwell and Xavier Doherty. Ballance, playing in his second ODI, gets his first format runs by driving Maxwell for three behind point.
4am - Bell, who is now partnered by Gary Ballance, laces a drive back at Coulter-Nile whose ankle inadvertently prevents a certain four. At the end of the over England are 28 for two from the mandatory powerplay.
3.49am - WICKET! Root lbw McKay 3; Eng 21/2 - Root is hit on the front pad by a full and straight McKay delivery. There were two sounds so the batsman reviews, but it turns out the double-noise was the ball striking both pads so Root has to go. ‘Snicko’, which is not being used in this series, latterly suggests a faint inside-edge. England have no review left in this innings.
3.44am - McKay and Coulter-Nile continue to keep it tight, getting some swing to occasionally beat the bat.
3.36am - Immediately after Root opens his account with one to leg, Bell firmly drives Coulter-Nile down the ground for the game’s first four.
3.28am - Nathan Coulter-Nile begins with a wide before Ian Bell cover-drives him for three and Joe Root faces his first two deliveries. McKay is fortunate to concede just one from the next over.
3.21am - WICKET! Cook c Haddin b McKay 4; Eng 4/1 - On a sunny day in Melbourne Clint McKay starts with an lbw shout against Alastair Cook, who cuts the next ball for four but soon nibbles at one outside off stump and edges behind.
Pre-Play News
3.10am - While waiting for the action to start in 10 minutes, why not take a trip down memory lane and read about England recovering from an Ashes whitewash in 2007 to win a triangular one-day series featuring Australia and New Zealand? Liam Plunkett spoke exclusively to ecb.co.uk about his memories of the triumph.
Cook: "Jordan has worked extremely hard over the last few years, & is an exciting talent...pitch looks very good."#AusvEng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 12, 2014
Eng: Cook (c), Bell, Root, Ballance, Morgan, Bopara, Buttler, Stokes, Bresnan, Jordan, Rankin #ausveng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 12, 2014
2.50am - ENGLAND WIN THE TOSS & BAT! - Cook, who lost the first four Ashes tosses, has now won two in a row. He opts to set a target and names the above team that does not include a specialist spinner. Australia have two slow bowlers, Doherty and Maxwell, at their disposal. Clarke said he would have liked to bat first.
Cook heads out for the toss... pic.twitter.com/QSQYEQNbHv
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 12, 2014
2.40am - In 10 minutes England captain Alastair Cook will reveal his team, which won’t include Stuart Broad who is being rested for the first two ODIs. Australia skipper Michael Clarke named his side yesterday as follows: Clarke (captain), David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty.
Cook, Bell and Buttler line up for cordon practice. Team news and the toss not far away. pic.twitter.com/6CHcNNDr2F
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 12, 2014
2.30am - Hello and welcome to ecb.co.uk’s live text commentary on the first of five one-day internationals between Australia and England, particularly if you are awake in the early hours. The toss at the MCG is set to take place in 20 minutes with play starting half an hour later.
Cook leads the team talk in the pre-match huddle. Spirits are good. pic.twitter.com/p5xwvKflUA
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 12, 2014