Cricket: Aussies get one hand on the trophy

LONDON - Australia and England played out a tie in the final of the triangular one-day cricket series at Lord's today.

England tailender Ashley Giles needed to score three runs from Glenn McGrath's final delivery of the match, and he and Steve Harmison were able to scamper through for an edged two to level the scores as Brett Lee misfielded at third man.

England finished on 9-196 in reply to Australia's 196 all out.

The result will stand, meaning there will be no rematch tomorrow after the 21st tie in one-day international cricket.

England twice fought back from beaten positions to post a moral victory of sorts.

From 5-33 and then 8-162, England kept its nerve as Giles (20 not out) and Darren Gough (12) put on a stand of 32 to ensure the match went down to the last delivery.

With 10 runs needed off McGrath's final over, Gough hit a couple of twos and was then run out off the penultimate delivery.

McGrath (3-27) and Lee (2-36) had earlier looked to have done enough by destroying England's top order and claiming 5-22 in 36 balls between them.

But England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones (71) and Paul Collingwood (53) saw off the pacemen and put on 116 to get their side back in the match.

As the match ebbed and flowed, Collingwood and Jones were dismissed in successive overs, but Giles and Gough made a late charge.

The tie was just the second between Australia and England in 82 one-day internationals.

On another day where England took the fight up to Australia, fast bowlers Harmison and Andrew Flintoff issued another Ashes warning by claiming three wickets each to help bowl out the world champions for 196.

Harmison took 3-27 and Flintoff 3-23 and the pair started England's first fightback of the day after Australian openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden posted 50 in the seventh over of the match.

Such was England's control afterwards from then on, Australia took 20 overs to score its second 50 of the innings, and at one stage did not score for 28 successive deliveries.

But Mike Hussey hit a cool 62 not out to lead Australia to what initially looked a moderate total, but one that later proved to be quite sufficient.

Both sides now have four days to prepare for the first clash of the three-match one-day series, to be played at Headingley on Thursday.


Scoreboard


Australia innings


A. Gilchrist c Pietersen b Flintoff 27
M. Hayden c Giles b Gough 17
R. Ponting c G. Jones b Harmison 7
D. Martyn c G. Jones b Harmison 11
A. Symonds c Strauss b Collingwood 29
M. Clarke lbw b S. Jones 2
M. Hussey not out 62
B. Hogg c G. Jones b Harmison 16
B. Lee c G. Jones b Flintoff 3
J. Gillespie c G. Jones b Flintoff 0
G. McGrath c Collingwood b Gough 0


Extras (b-4 lb-5 nb-6 w-7) 22
Total (all out, 48.5 overs) 196


Fall of wickets: 1-50 2-54 3-71 4-90 5-93 6-147 7-169 8-179 9-179 10-196


Bowling


Gough 6.5 - 1 - 36 - 2 (nb-1 w-2)
S. Jones 8 - 2 - 45 - 1 (w-1)
Flintoff 8 - 2 - 23 - 3 (nb-1 w-1)
Harmison 10 - 2 - 27 - 3 (nb-1 w-3)
Collingwood 8 - 0 - 26 - 1
Giles 8 - 0 - 30 - 0


England innings


M. Trescothick c Ponting b McGrath 6
A. Strauss b Lee 2
M. Vaughan b McGrath 0
K. Pietersen c Gilchrist b Lee 6
A. Flintoff c Hayden b McGrath 8
P. Collingwood run out 53
G. Jones lbw b Hogg 71
A. Giles not out 20
S. Jones b Hussey 1
D. Gough run out 12
S. Harmison not out 0

Extras (b-2 lb-10 nb-2 w-3) 17
Total (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 196


Fall of wickets: 1-11 2-13 3-19 4-19 5-33 6-149 7-161 8-162 9-194


Bowling


Lee 10 - 1 - 36 - 2 (nb-1 w-1)
McGrath 10 - 4 - 27 - 3 (nb-1)
Gillespie 10 - 1 - 42 - 0 (w-1)
Symonds 10 - 2 - 23 - 0
Hogg 6 - 0 - 25 - 1
Hussey 4 - 0 - 31 - 1 (w-1)

Result: Match Tied


- AAP