New Delhi: Josh Hazlewood bowled brilliantly for 3/26 which stifled England’s pursuit of a target of 295 from the outset, removing opener Jason Roy and Test skipper Joe Root for single figure scores as the hosts limped to 22-2 off the first 10 overs.
After guiding Australia to a 19-run win over England in the first ODI, pacer Josh Hazlewood exuded confidence and said he was very happy with his performance against England’s top order. Bairstow (84) and Sam Billings (118 off 109 balls) put on 103 for the fifth wicket, but their partnership ended when Hazlewood got across to his right in cow corner to take a catch on the dive to remove Bairstow. Billings pushed through for a defiant and innovative hundred but ran out of time in the face of some solid bowling under the lights, eventually losing his wicket off the final ball of the match. England finished on 275/9.
“I think it’s right up there for me. I’ve got a couple of five-fers in one-day cricket over the years but against this line-up, this top order, to bowl that well on this wicket, I was very happy with how they were coming out,” cricket.com.au quoted Hazlewood as saying.
Hazlewood’s new-ball exhibition, and why no quick in the world has been as effective in stopping this rampant England ODI side | @AdamBurnett09 #ENGvAUS https://t.co/bibTIr5HL2 pic.twitter.com/WylYF7uEqY
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 12, 2020
“England’s top order has probably been the form top order of the last three or four years so it’s a good measure of where you’re at,” he added.
Hazlewood was adjudged the player of the match for his spectacular bowling performance. The right-handed bowler credited accuracy and length for his scintillating spell with the new ball.
“Right up there for me” – Hear from player-of-the-match Josh Hazlewood after the Aussies’ opening ODI win in Manchester: https://t.co/9qtKq7sugo https://t.co/TeW0D33zGw
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 11, 2020
“The length I hit was really good, I didn’t try to do too much at all – it was just about being accurate and the wicket was probably nipping around a little bit and doing enough,” Hazlewood said.
“I looked at the way they bowled a little bit. It did a bit early on so we were expecting the new ball to not really swing much – it was quite windy – so it was just about hitting the wicket hard, getting a bit of variable (movement) up and down, as well as sideways,” he added.
AUSTRALIA WIN!
The first #ENGvAUS ODI goes the way of the visitors, winning by 19 runs.
SCORECARD: https://t.co/eZO4G0lRLC pic.twitter.com/me1MO5Iwn4
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 11, 2020
With this win, the visitors have gained a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series and have also registered their first points in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.
The two teams will next lock horns in the second ODI on Sunday, September 13 at the same venue.
