ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Highlights: Australia Crush England by 111 Runs
After Aaron Finch hit 136 to help Australia score 342/9, Mitchell Marsh runs through England's batting lineup and finishes with five for 33. Catch highlights from the match here.
Australia outclassed England in every department of the game to get their World Cup 2015 campaign off to a solid start. Here are the highlights from the match: (Scorecard | Highlights | Fixtures | Teams | Players | History)
(All about Melbourne venue | Scorecard | New Zealand crush Sri Lanka by 98 runs) (All times in IST)
England next face New Zealand in Wellington while Australia will play Bangladesh. The next battle in the World Cup though would be, perhaps, the biggest of them all. India face Pakistan in a clash of epic proportions. Get all the updates from the build up to the game here.
1650: Finch is the man of the match for his century.
1633: The last wicket falls and Australia complete formalities at MCG. Taylor remains unbeaten on 98 as Anderson is run-out by Maxwell.
1613: Drop! Bailey dives to grab a shot from Taylor but spills it in the end. The batsman is now in his 90s and getting under the Aussie skin.
1611:Taylor is having the time of his life. He has perhaps played every unorthodox shot in the book. With hardly any hopes of a win, he seems to have been given a free license to just have fun. Aussies not enjoying though.
1603: Out! Johnson gets his second and Australia now just one wicket away from a win.
1558: Out! Broad is bowled by Starc and the end is near. Meanwhile on Twitter, jokes on the England team have begun doing the rounds already. "Expect Zimbabwe to fight South Africa harder than England is doing right now," tweeted a fan.
1553: Out! Woakes gives it away! He lobs the ball to Smith and Johnson has a reason to bare the biggest smile seen at MCG today.
1552: Woakes playing a key role in supporting Taylor's innings.
1545: Fifty for Taylor! This is his fifth half-century and it has been a gritty one - a six taking him past the milestone.
1533: Taylor now inches closer to a fifty. Did you know? The batsman's small frame made many in England - including Kevin Pietersen - doubt his ability to play in the national side.
1525: Taylor has moved into his 30s. This is frustrating to the Aussies who have been looking to end the match early.
1515: James Taylor and Woakes trying to mount a resistance but the game is surely slipping away from them.
1501: Out! That's a fifer for Marsh! Buttler falls to an outstanding catch from Steve Smith who dove full length to his left. England 92/6 in 21.2 overs.
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1448: Morgan's ODI knocks since a 121 at SCG vs Australia: 0, 2, 0, 0.
1443: Out! Morgan falls and it is Marsh once again. He now has four wickets. Spare a thought for Morgan though - he now has three ducks in his last four matches.
1430: Eoin Morgan steps in to plug the flurry of wickets.
1423: Out! Marsh on fire and claims two in two. Joe Root (5) makes the long walk back after a woeful shot which went straight up. England 66/4 in 13.5.
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1422: Out! Bell pulls Marsh but finds a running Starc at the boundary - much to his very visible disappointment. That's the 3rd English wicket down.
1418: Reports reveal most fans took as long as half an hour to clear the strict security checks put in place outside MCG today.
1410: All English eyes on Bell. He is batting with Joe Root even as the required run-rate leaps past the 7-an-over mark.
1402: Out! Ballance departs. His 10 runs show that bringing him in place of Bopara wasn't such a great move after all.
1352: Even as Aussie fans hope their 300-plus total stands today, Kiwi fans are already celebrating their first win. New Zealand had scored 331. Captain McCullum has hailed his side for the thumping win vs Sri Lanka.
1345: Bell has stitched 17 runs together. He is an experienced campaigner and needs to do what Finch did right at the top of the Aussie innings. Speaking of Finch, here are the best pics of his innings today.
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1330: Out! Moeen (10) tries to pull Mitchell Starc but fails to clear Bailey on the leg-side. First blow to England as Gary Ballance makes his way out. Ballance replaced Bopara in this match, leaving many surprised.
KP24: "Selection???? Dropping Bopara & putting Taylor at 6??? Are you joking???!!!! FFS! " See reaction at: http://t.co/pJmuaH4Fxz
- Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) February 14, 2015
1320:Mooen and Bell help themselves to a couple of fours. The boundaries would calm their nerves even as local fans get behind the bowling unit.
1310: Fireworks welcome England openers to the middle. The team will need batting explosions to script a win here. Can Mooen Ali and Ian Bell provide a platform?
1300: Finn wasn't obviously too elated about his three from three. The Aussies were going for the slog and so, no surprises with the wickets.
England once again showed no plan at the end of an innings with their bowling, surely try a Yorker & didn't it cost them, Aust made 342 !!!
- Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 14, 2015
1248: HAT-TRICK! Finn does it, he claims three in three to bring cheer to the Barmy Army in the stands. Meanwhile, Aussies still have 342/9 to take pride in. Can England batsmen chase it down?
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1244: Out! Haddin looks to clear the infield but fails. Nothing else he could have done in the final over.
1238: Australia 334/6 with one over left. The way Maxwell and Haddin have batted, 350 shouldn't surprise anyone.
1234: Explosions on the field but it is not Maxwell. Haddin lashes out against Broad and Anderson and slams delightful shots to the fence. Partnership is now 50 off 21 with eight deliveries left.
1226:Australia bring up 300 in 46.1 overs. Maxwell is batting with Haddin.
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1224: Maxwell completes his fifty with a fearsome shot to the leg-side boundary. His 10th fifty comes off just 30 deliveries.
1219: Out! Marsh slices a delivery outside the off-stump and pays the price. He finds Joe Root off Finn's bowling which means he won't be able to add to his 20-ball 23.
1209: Maxwell slaps two consecutive boundaries as MCG once again erupts in celebrations.
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1204: Target in the region of 280s or well into 300s? With Maxwell in the middle, anything is possible.
1158: Michael Clarke has been at the boundary rope with some of his teammates. Never has a captain been seen so happy at not being in the middle. And why not? Australia 240/5 in 41 overs and looking to make the most of the final few overs.
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1149: Out! Bailey's turn to be absolutely livid. He chops one back to the stumps and his fight ends on 55. So, that's two new men in the middle now as the Barmy Army in the stands smells a possible comeback.
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1144: Did you know? Finch's 135 is the second-highest against England in a World Cup match. Viv Richards had slammed 138* in the 1979 final.
1141: Out! Great news for England as Finch is left livid after a run-out. He falls for 135. Bad news for England! In walks Glenn Maxwell.
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1139:Bailey's turn to raise his bat as he helps himself to his 15th ODI fifty.
1137:England need a breakthrough as Finch race his way to 133 off 126.
1132: Finch brings up Australia's 200 in quick time. He is looking quite unstoppable.
1119: England looking just a bit desperate now as the Aussie batsmen close in on the 200-run mark.
1112: Bailey has given great support to his partner at the other end. He has not taken many risks but has still raced his way into the 40s.
1106: Century! Finch gets his seventh ODI ton in his World Cup debut match. What an innings and what great determination to make the most of his lifeline.
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1047: If Australia vs England is a rivalry, India vs Pakistan on the cricket pitch is an outright battle. The two teams will play each other on Sunday. (Related read: Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers connect over cricket)
1044: Finch gets the first six of the match. He takes on Anderson and slams him down the ground. Australia building momentum and are 123/3 in the 23rd. Over at Christchurch, Sri Lanka in shambles with the score on 207/7. Target set by Kiwis was 332.
1040: England bring in Moeen Ali and he bowls a well-controlled first over. Are the Three Lions prepared for the inevitable onslaught? That's the question doing the rounds.
1027: Australia complete 100 in the 18th over.
1014: Finch is in the company of Bailey and the two are on the rebuilding path.
1003: Finch continues to play to his own tunes and dances his way to his 7th ODI fifty. It took him just 42 deliveries. Meanwhile in Christchurch, Sri Lanka have lost five wickets chasing New Zealand's 331.
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0951: Out! Steve Smith falls. He edges the ball back to his stumps, leaving Waokes in absolute joy. Is the famed Aussie batting in danger? It's 70/3.
0939: Out! Broad on fire as he claims two in two. Shane Watson's World Cup campaign starts on a horrible note and he falls without scoring.
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0937: Out! Warner is dismissed by Broad and England have a reason to celebrate at last.
0930: Finch is looking more menacing with every passing over. The quick outfield is helping his batting style.
0926: Electric atmosphere at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with supporters of both sides making their presence felt.
0916: Finch slams the first boundary of the day. Follows it up with another in the same Stuart Broad over. Giving him a lifeline can be deadly and England are just beginning to find out why.
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0904: Dropped! Finch gets an early lifeline as Chris Woakes drops a regulation catch. Anderson is devastated but the match has to go on, of course.
0900: Aaron Finch and David Warner to open the innings for the hosts. They come out to a rousing reception. James Anderson gets to bowl with the new ball.
0850: England captain Morgan wins the toss at Melbourne and elects to field first. Gary Ballance is in for Ravi Bopara. Aussie captain George Bailey says he would have batted anyway. His team plays Josh Hazlewood in place of Pat Cummins.
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Team in focus: Australia
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If the Australian cricket team had a resume, it would put their four World Cup wins right at the top. While 2011 put a brake on their juggernaut, Aussie once again go into the World Cup as the firm favourites.
In most bets, Aussies are the firm favourites and it is not without credible reason. The team is a fantastic force of players who combine together with consistent - and ruthless - individual brilliance. While playing at home will be an added advantage, the team is a formidable unit in any condition.
While Michael Clarke will miss the first match but is expected to return thereafter, losing him is not likely to stop Aussies from continuing their splendid form. The team vanquishes India in a recent Test series and then cruised to a win in the following tri-nation ODI series which also featured England.
That they beat India and England is putting things much too simply. Australia romped past the winning line each time they stepped out, leaving the opposition in rags.
There is a fine line though between confidence and overconfidence and the hosts would do well to not cross it. Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy cricket at its ruthless best.
Team in focus: England
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What can click for England when the team takes on Australia is that they know what to expect and devise plans around it. Indeed, England have played Australia extensively and in every format.
Aussie conditions too are hardly unfamiliar to the England team - one which has never won the World Cup despite its rich history in the sport. Therefore, expect the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Steve Finn to bounce their way through.
Batting is a bit of a concern though. Captain Eoin Morgan is in good form and has relished batting Down Under. The warm-up matches though have not seen the team light up the sky with many solid shots into the stands.
Yes, England beat West Indies by nine wickets in their first warm-up match. The target though was just 122. In the next match, the team floundered their way to 250 and conceded the match to Pakistan.
Sources close to the team have revealed that heads have turned since and an iffy Ravi Bopara will make way for Alex Hales in the match against Australia. A win requires more than one change and Morgan's team will need all - including prayers - to stun the world No. 1 side.
Players in focus:
When it comes to the Australian team, it is extremely hard to pick just a few power-packed performers. Such is the collective superiority of this side.
From David Warner at the top to Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith in the middle and a Mitchell Johnson swinging his blade wildly towards the end, Aussies can bat the opposition out of the match without breaking a sweat.
If hitting big is not big enough, the team also has bowlers back it all with. With a fierce brand of cricket - including occasional sledging, the Aussie team is like King Leonidis' army with just 11 brave warriors.
England though are hardly incapable and have enough manpower to stitch together a win. The pace trio of Anderson, Broad and Finn are joined by young talent Chris Jordan while spinner Moeen Ali walks a solitary path towards opposition's downfall.
If the likes of Ian Bell, Joe Root and Hales provide a platform to Morgan, the Three Lions can surely roar once again.
Duels in numbers:
Australia have won all of their last five ODIs and convincingly at that. England on the other hand have lost, won, lost, won and lost in their past five rollercoaster matches.
Australians have won nine of 11 ODIs they have played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In contrast, England have lost eight of their 11 matches played here against Australia.
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