Jos Buttler gave Australia one last nightmare to take home from an abject ODI tour of England as the hosts squeaked to a victory that gave them a first-ever 5-0 sweep of a series between the two nations. Befitting the confidence gulf between the teams, Australia made the best possible start to both innings and squandered their advantage each time. England made the worst possible start in both innings and found a way to win.
That they did so was largely due to Buttler, in the first innings of his ODI career to traverse more than 100 balls. Billy Stanlake’s pace and hostility had reduced England to 50 for 5 in pursuit of 206 and they were no further than 114 at the fall of the eighth wicket. But so brilliantly did Buttler modulate the chase and so ably did Adil Rashid support him in a stand of 81 that a top edge for England’s No. 10 and a fine catch by Stanlake came as something of a surprise.
Eleven runs were left for Buttler to compile in the company of the last man Jake Ball. First ball after Rashid’s exit, Buttler coshed Marcus Stoinis down the ground for a six and his century. Ball then played out a nervous maiden from Ashton Agar, earning a hearty cheer from the Old Trafford spectators. Buttler and Ball then eked out three singles from Kane Richardson, before England’s gloveman brought the series to a close by punching Stoinis through the covers.
It had not, in all fairness, been an Australian batting performance to merit a win. Numerous batsmen made questionable shotmaking choices, their play against spin was unimproved, and Travis Head continued to make an art-form of squandering sound starts. Given how well Stanlake was to bowl, the top order must have wondered about what difference even another 50 runs might have made.
Stanlake received more than useful support from Agar – who took the new ball – and Richardson, while Nathan Lyon was also able to keep things tight with the ball. Their contributions took the Australians to the brink of their first international win since the Newlands ball tampering scandal, but not close enough to ward off the irrepressible Buttler.
A closer finish was at the very least some faint cause for optimism after a tour that had been more broadly characterised by a domineering England and an increasingly furrowed brow on the face of the touring coach Justin Langer. He will remain frustrated by the profligacy of his batsmen, but at least there was a semblance of hope to be gained from the way Stanlake, in particular, took it upon himself to make an impact. – Cricinfo
