Australia vs England, 1st ODI at Melbourne, , Jan 16 2011 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
1st ODI (D/N), Melbourne, January 16, 2011, England tour of Australia
(49.1/50 ov, T:295) 297/4

Australia won by 6 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
161* (150)
shane-watson
New
AUS
Full commentary

Australia win by six wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the one-day series, and Shane Watson has been their hero tonight. What an innings it was from him, one of the best one-day innings in recent memory. It was almost a chanceless knock, perfectly-paced and calm under pressure. There was always the feeling that if Australia could get someone to bat through the innings they'd finish on top. England were aggressive with the bat, but didn't use the last two balls of their innings and how much of a difference could that have made? It's been a riveting summer of cricket between these two teams in the Test matches, and the limited-overs games look like they're going to be just as enthralling. And Australia have a reason to smile at last.

"It was a nice night tonight," says Watson. "It's always nice when things go your way. I was struggling for a while there and started cramping up. It would've been nice if I'd got a big score like this in the Ashes, but this is some consolation. It's nice to go 1-0 up but we're going to have to play some good cricket all through this series to win it."

"An outstanding effort from Shane Watson, one of the great one-day innings," concedes Strauss. "We didn't take early wickets, if we had done we would've been right ahead of the game. They needed someone to anchor the innings and Watson did so. We had a platform to get 310 at least there, but we lost too many wickets too softly. Watson showed how destructive he can be. Losing Anderson and Broad, our two bankers on one-day cricket, you put a lot of the onus on the guys coming in. It's hard to swallow this one, but we'll come back hard in Hobart."

And that is all from your commentary team today. We hope you've enjoyed our coverage, and if you've missed any of the action do have a look at Andrew McGlashan's bulletin. The second game is in Hobart on Friday, see you then!

49.1
6
Shahzad to Watson, SIX runs

Watson roars Australia's victory! What a way to do it, a full toss is cracked baseball-style into the crowd behind long-on!

Shahzad to bowl the last over. Third man, cover sweeper, long-on out. Fine leg up.

end of over 496 runs
AUS: 291/4CRR: 5.93 RRR: 4.00
Shane Watson155 (149b 12x4 3x6)
Cameron White25 (23b 2x4)
Tim Bresnan 10-0-71-2
Ajmal Shahzad 7-0-45-1

Four runs needed from the last over ... this isn't over yet, but one hit will do it

48.6
1
Bresnan to Watson, 1 run

very full, Watson meets it on the full and powers the ball down to long-on

48.5
Bresnan to Watson, no run

perfect yorker from Bresnan, you simply can't put that away and Watson digs it out to midwicket

48.4
1
Bresnan to White, 1 run

another full toss, this time White can't capitalise and picks up just one out to deep square

48.3
Bresnan to White, no run

another great yorker, White digs it out to cover

48.2
4
Bresnan to White, FOUR runs

the attempted yorker slips out as a low full toss, and White lifts it to the wide long-on boundary! Is that the blow that puts Australia definitively ahead?

48.1
Bresnan to White, no run

full, right in the blockhole. White slams down on it but mid-on charges round

Bresnan to bowl the penultimate over. Australia want 10 from 12. Fine leg is on the boundary, mid-off and mid-on up.

end of over 485 runs
AUS: 285/4CRR: 5.93 RRR: 5.00
Shane Watson154 (147b 12x4 3x6)
Cameron White20 (19b 1x4)
Ajmal Shahzad 7-0-45-1
Chris Tremlett 10-0-67-0
47.6
2
Shahzad to Watson, 2 runs

slower ball, full outside off and Watson swings it into the leg side ... it won't be the boundary though, Pietersen sprints across to cut it off

12 from 13 needed. What would a wicket now do?

47.5
Shahzad to Watson, no run

full toss, Watson whips into the leg side but hits Strauss at midwicket

47.4
Shahzad to Watson, no run

pinpoint yorker from Shahzad, and Watson can only dig it out back to the bowler.

47.3
Shahzad to Watson, no run

short, Watson ducks underneath it ... and that's one for the over

47.2
1
Shahzad to White, 1 run

White lays bat on ball, tapping towards mid-off and setting off straight away for a scampered single

Australia are so close now, but is there a final twist?

47.1
2
Shahzad to White, 2 runs

full, fast and swinging. The ball takes the inside half of the bat and rolls out on the leg side, and they're back for the second run

Change in the attack, Shahzad comes back

end of over 4713 runs
AUS: 280/4CRR: 5.95 RRR: 5.00
Cameron White17 (17b 1x4)
Shane Watson152 (143b 12x4 3x6)
Chris Tremlett 10-0-67-0
Tim Bresnan 9-0-65-2
46.6
1
Tremlett to White, 1 run

short yet again, outside off but White hooks across into the leg side

46.5
1
Tremlett to Watson, 1 run

again Watson targets midwicket with the lofted shot, this time he doesn't get the best connection but the ball falls short of the fielder out there

46.4
4
Tremlett to Watson, FOUR runs

full, swiped powerfully out to deep midwicket and there's 150 for Watto! His arms are aloft, the crowd cheer their approval and Australia are closing in on the win now

46.3
1
Tremlett to White, 1 run

the plan may just be misfiring now, White knows it's going to be short every ball and is waiting for it, pulling out to deep square leg

46.2
4
Tremlett to White, FOUR runs

short again, hoicked wildly out to wide long-on, and that's four

46.1
2
Tremlett to White, 2 runs

short, rising on White and he hooks ... the top edge goes miles up, Trott charges in and falls forward, he gets both hands to it but the ball bobbles out!

end of over 4611 runs
AUS: 267/4CRR: 5.80 RRR: 7.00
Shane Watson147 (141b 11x4 3x6)
Cameron White9 (13b)
Tim Bresnan 9-0-65-2
Chris Tremlett 9-0-54-0
45.6
2
Bresnan to Watson, 2 runs

full, straight, clipped and two runs! Good over for Australia

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