By Rob Barnett
Australia struck regular blows to keep England to 243 for nine in the third one-day international, which the tourists must avoid defeat in to keep the series alive.
Alastair Cook and Ian Bell offered a swift start amid a 50-run opening stand, Bell falling via a brilliant David Warner direct-hit. More impressive fielding followed when Michael Clarke pulled off a stunning catch at square-leg to oust Ben Stokes, who was promoted to number three.
Eoin Morgan dominated a fifty partnership with Ravi Bopara before falling for 54 amid a flurry of wickets, although Tim Bresnan’s unbeaten 41 offered late impetus. Chris Jordan built on that by snaring Aaron Finch in the mandatory powerplay, but Warner raised a fifty and combined with Shaun Marsh for a half-century alliance.
Cook had won his third straight toss in the one-day series and for a third time chose to bat first. He announced two changes to the England team with Stuart Broad and James Tredwell replacing Joe Root and Boyd Rankin. Australia showed three alterations: James Pattinson, Xavier Doherty and Dan Christian were in for Clint McKay, Mitchell Johnson and the injured George Bailey.
Match Scorecard / Live ball-by-ball commentary
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Australia Innings
8.56am - Warner slog-sweeps Tredwell for six and hits the reintroduced Broad over mid-off for four. Australia advance to 117 for one from 20 overs.
8.44am - FIFTY! Warner (56b 5x4 1x6) - Warner reaches a personal milestone just before he and Marsh share a half-century alliance that the opening batsman has dominated. With Tredwell and Bopara bowling in tandem, Australia reach three figures.
8.35am - Following a cheap Tredwell over, Shaun Marsh pulls Bresnan for his first four. He then uses his feet well to clip Tredwell past mid-on for four to make it 88 for one from 15 overs.
8.21am - Warner pulls, cuts and glances Bresnan for fours in the last over of the mandatory powerplay, which costs 67. James Tredwell is then introduced and starts with a reasonable set of six.
8.08am - WICKET! Finch c Bopara c Jordan 22; Aus 43/1 - After an inside edge saves Finch from being lbw to Jordan and a cut four, the batsman powerfully picks out Bopara at extra-cover. Warner then greets Tim Bresnan with a straight six and is lucky to top-edge a pull to safety, taking Australia to 50.
7.55am - Finch and Warner rotate the strike during Jordan and Warner’s second overs. Finch then drives Jordan hard down the ground for a straight four and Warner pulls Broad to the midwicket rope.
7.44am - Stuart Broad, back in the side after being rested, strays on to Finch’s pads and is clipped for four. Warner then crunches four more through extra-cover.
7.36am - CHANCE! - Chris Jordan opens the bowling to Aaron Finch, who misjudges a single to cover that would have seen David Warner gone with a direct hit from Ravi Bopara.
England Innings
Watch highlights of England's innings at the SCG
6.40am - END OF INNINGS! England 243/9; Bresnan 41, Tredwell 2 - Bresnan hoists Christian for two consecutive sixes to midwicket in a productive final over, but do the tourists have enough? Stay here to find out.
6.34am - WICKET! Jordan c Finch b Faulkner 10; Eng 225/9 - Chris Jordan top-edges a hook and Finch comes in from deep-square leg to pouch the catch.
6.24am - Bresnan gets his third four, clipping Coulter-Nile through midwicket. England reach 215 for eight with three overs to go.
6.15am - WICKET! Broad c Haddin b Coulter-Nile 1; Eng 198/8 - Stuart Broad top-edges a pull and Haddin holds a regulation catch. Later in the over Bresnan executes the shot Broad attempted to move England past 200.
6.10am - WICKET! Buttler b Christian 4; Eng 195/7 - Jos Buttler plays on to Christian, who is mainly bowling medium-pace off-cutters, as England lose their third wicket in five overs.
6.02am - WICKET! Morgan c & b Christian 54; Eng 186/6 - Morgan loops a leading edge towards the bowler, who dives full-length to claim a catch just above the turf. The batsman stands his ground and the umpires refer the decision, which goes in Australia’s favour. Tim Bresnan ends the over with a driven four.
BREAKING: England win first ODI by seven wickets and lead Women's Ashes series 8-0 on pts. Aus must win all 5 remaining games to win series
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 19, 2014
5.55am - FIFTY! Morgan (54b 4x4 2x6) - The left-hander reverse-sweeps Maxwell to the rope, bringing up an assured half-century. This follows scores of 50 and 106 in the series.
5.52am - WICKET! Bopara c Haddin b Faulkner 21; Eng 177/5 - From the last ball of the powerplay, which cost 33, Bopara opens the face and edges through to Haddin, who holds a diving, right-handed catch.
5.46am - Two quieter powerplay overs follow either side of drinks, but Morgan then lifts Coulter-Nile over midwicket for a maximum to herald a fifty partnership.
5.31am - Morgan pulls Christian for another boundary, this time in front of midwicket, before the batting powerplay is forced at the end of the 35th over. Morgan soon smites Faulkner for six over extra-cover to raise the 150.
5.15am - Ravi Bopara opens his account off Christian as the tourists move to 124 for four from 30 overs. In the seamer’s next over Morgan pulls him behind square for four.
Clouds starting to roll over the SCG...there's 30% chance of rain depending on which website you look at! #AusvEng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
5.07am - WICKET! Ballance c Christian b Coulter-Nile 26; Eng 121/4 - Ballance cuts uppishly and picks out Dan Christian, who bowled the previous over, at deep point.
5.01am - Doherty completes fine figures of 10-2-28-1. England must score more heavily off the other bowlers.
4.53am - Pattinson and Doherty keep England in check as the tourists reach 97 for three from half their overs. Ballance takes the score to three figures by cutting Pattinson to the rope before Eoin Morgan pulls a free-hit for four to end the over.
4.43am - WICKET! Stokes c Clarke b Doherty 15; Eng 91/3 - Michael Clarke clings on to a stunning catch at backward square-leg. Stokes swept and the fielder stuck out his right hand to pluck the ball just above the ground in a wicket-maiden.
4.40am - REVIEW! - Maxwell strikes Stokes, who has 14 to his name, on the front pad. The left-hander, who got a big stride in, successfully reviews with the ball going over the stumps.
4.37am - Ballance breaks the shackles by lifting Doherty down the ground for four, the first boundary in nine overs.
4.25am - Doherty puts pressure on new man Gary Ballance with the day’s first maiden. Maxwell then turns one sharply past the outside edge of Stokes, who is struggling to score. Ballance gets going from his 10th delivery with a single to midwicket off Doherty.
4.16am - WICKET! Bell run out 29 (Warner); Eng 70/2 - After two quiet overs, Bell comes back for a second off Doherty and David Warner, running in from the rope, removes the opening batsman with a direct hit. Keeper Brad Haddin did well to leave the ball.
4.03am - A tight Pattinson over sees the compulsory powerplay yield 53. It’s then spin at both ends in Doherty and Maxwell. Bell top-edges a reverse-sweep safely for four off the latter.
Stokes is wearing a black armband in memory of his Uncle, who recently passed away. #AusvEng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
3.56am - WICKET! Cook c Maxwell b Coulter-Nile 35; Eng 50/1 - Bell is dropped on 14 by Aaron Finch at short point but later in the over, with England’s fifty up, Cook drives off the back foot to cover where Glenn Maxwell takes a good low catch to his right. Ben Stokes is the new man.
3.51am - REVIEW! - After a tight over from Coulter-Nile, spinner Xavier Doherty is introduced and Cook flicks and pulls his first two deliveries for four. Next up Cook is given out for 35 on the back foot but he successfully reviews with the ball bouncing over off stump.
3.41am - CHANCE! - Bell flicks Pattinson just past Coulter-Nile at short fine-leg for four, the ball bouncing just the the fielder’s left for a tough chance. Bell top-edges the next delivery high but safely over the wicketkeeper for four.
3.34am - Cook makes a flying start with square-driven fours from the first two balls of Pattinson’s second over, the first one aerial. He then emphatically pulls Nathan Coulter-Nile, who has replaced Faulkner, for six.
3.28am - James Pattinson starts with an over costing three runs, all of which go to Cook. The captain and Ian Bell on-drive fours off Faulkner in the next.
3.20am - We are under way with James Faulkner, Australia’s hero at Brisbane on Friday, bowling to Alastair Cook, who edges the sole run of the over to third man.
Pre-Play News
3.14am - While waiting for the action to start in a few minutes, why not read England batting coach Graham Thorpe’s reflections on Friday’s extraordinary ODI in Brisbane?
3.06am - England have passed Morgan fit and have gone with an extra bowler than in the first two games. Bailey is absent for Australia through injury. It’s a fine day in Sydney and the pitch looks good.
Cook: "We did a lot of things right and we have to continue that form with the bat..."#AusvEngpic.twitter.com/6KwUpuaYoe
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
2.52am - ENGLAND WIN THE TOSS & BAT! - Alastair Cook makes it three correct calls from three in this series and for a third time opts to bat first. Cook announces two changes with Broad and James Tredwell replacing Joe Root and Boyd Rankin. Australia show three alterations: James Pattinson, Xavier Doherty and Dan Christian are in for Clint McKay, George Bailey and Mitchell Johnson.
Eng team: Cook (c), Bell, Ballance, Morgan, Bopara, Buttler, Stokes, Bresnan, Broad, Jordan, Tredwell
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
Cook heads up the steps to get the team list...news from the coin toss coming shortly #AusvEngpic.twitter.com/erjyZRkV7K
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
2.40am - The toss is coming up in 10 minutes. England are expected to welcome back Stuart Broad, who was rested for the first two games. They will make a call on the fitness of Eoin Morgan, who suffered a calf problem in Friday’s match at Brisbane.
England are out at the SCG warming up. @josbuttler in good spirits and form after his 49 at the Gabba #ausvengpic.twitter.com/m0A4wcgsrJ
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
2.30am - Hello and welcome to ecb.co.uk’s live text commentary on the third one-day international between Australia and England, which is taking place in Sydney. The tourists, 2-0 down, must avoid defeat to keep the series alive.
Well I can reveal it is the legend @BumbleCricket - incredible scenes #AusvEngpic.twitter.com/b6x59sO5SI
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
Just walked into the media area at the SCG....guess who...?! #ausvengpic.twitter.com/UGh3KsuYti
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014