All-round Maxwell powers Australia to emphatic title victory

Perth: Glenn Maxwell produced a stellar all-round performance and Mitchell Johnson returned to terrorise England as Australia clinched the one-day tri-series with an emphatic 112-run victory over their Ashes rivals on Sunday.

Barely two weeks before the World Cup, the hosts proved their batting depth to recover from 60-4 and post 278-8 with Maxwell (95) and Mitchell Marsh (60) rebuilding the innings before James Faulkner`s late assault.

A rejuvenated Johnson, rested in the group games, then mowed down England top order on a bouncy WACA track, dismissing James Taylor, Moeen Ali and captain Eoin Morgan, who left a ball and watched in horror as it pegged back his off-stump.

Maxwell followed up his batting heroics with bowling figures of 4-46 to go with the sharp catch he took to send back Taylor as England collapsed for 166 in 39.1 overs.

Ravi Bopara top scored for the visitors but his 33 runs were of little significance in an abject batting collapse.

Put into bat, Australia were reeling at 60 for four in the 18th over but Maxwell found an able ally in Marsh and the duo added 141 runs in 23.2 overs to prop up the innings.

The hosts lost opener Aaron Finch even before they could open their account and David Warner became James Anderson`s second victim in the seventh over.

In-form Steve Smith, however, batted confidently until off-spinner Ali exhibited his newly-developed habit of claiming crucial breakthroughs.

Smith returned having contributed 40 of Australia`s 60 runs at that stage but the Maxwell-Marsh partnership allayed the fears of a batting capitulation with some aggressive cricket.

Maxwell displayed his wide array of shots -- both conventional and cheeky -- in a belligerent knock, bringing up his ninth fifty with a reverse paddle that raced to the boundary.

The right-hander hit four boundaries in a Chris Woakes over before falling to Stuart Broad in the next, while Marsh was run out soon after, paying the price for a late decision to go for a second run.

This was the third time Maxwell had fallen in the 90s but Faulkner continued the assault on the English bowlers by smashing four sixes, three in the same Woakes over and the other from the final delivery to bring up his fifty in just 24 balls.

Woakes bled 89 runs in his wicketless 10 overs, while Stuart Broad claimed 3-55.                             



                          

Australia have been outstanding in the entire series. They are gathering steam ahead of the World Cup. Warner and Smith got tons, Finch, Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh spent some quality time in the middle. Michael Clarke scored a few runs in a domestic game. The only concern with the bat is the form of Bailey, who might have to make way once Clarke returns. The bowling was already looking strong, but with the return of Johnson it just got bolstered. Starc was superb with the new ball, Cummins bowled with a lot of pace and Hazlewood was tight in his line and lengths. Maxwell and Doherty provide the spin options. All-in-all Australia look the side to beat in the World Cup.

India eyeing England scalp to seal final berth

An under-fire India will be hoping to get their act together in the virtual semifinal against a better-placed England in the final league match of the cricket tri-series on Friday.
Lucky to share two points with Australia (who are already in the finals) in the washed off game in Sydney, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will not only try to address its bowling worries but also try to pull up its batting socks.
Failing to register a win in the league stage so far, the Indian bowlers were unable to defend their 267 runs in their first match, while the team was shot for 153 in the second game against England.
All eyes were on Rohit Sharma's fitness after the opener failed to take part in the last two ODIs post a fluent 138 in the team's opener against the hosts but the team management is not looking to risk his strained hamstring so close to the World Cup.

                                 

After undergoing a fitness test at WACA yesterday, Rohit batted in the nets for a while today and did look comfortable. But surprisingly he is still unavailable for selection for this upcoming match.
Ajinkya Rahane has shown flexibility with the think-tank still tinkering with the team's batting order as Ambati Rayudu looks uncomfortable at the number three position.
Shikhar Dhawan's batting form has also contributed to India's dismal showing in the ODIs as the left-handed opener has just managed 11 runs in three matches to give the team a big reason to worry before the World Cup.
Dhawan enjoyed a brilliant outing in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England, scoring back-to-back hundreds that helped him accumulate 363 runs in just five matches at an average of 90.75. He won the man-of-the-tournament award back then, but ever since it has been downhill.
The rest of the cast has also not been consistent and Virat Kohli is still trying to find his groove at the No.4 spot that the Indian think-tank seems to be settling him into.
Even after getting stick from the Australian batsmen in the Test matches and the Indian critics, the bowlers still continue to leak runs without picking many wickets.
With Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami still trying to find the right length all through the Australian summer, spinners Akshar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin find little help from the fast-paced tracks.
Ishant though is expected to be given a run-in again after missing out due to the weather in Sydney.
A bowling all-rounder is what India have been searching for and if Stuart Binny -- who scored a valiant 44 and picked up the only wicket to fall in a losing cause against England -- can deliver, then the Men in Blue will fancy their chances against Eoin Morgan and company.
England though also have had a patchy run in this tournament so far but have certainly looked much better than India on the field. Getting a bonus point against Dhoni and company in the nine-wicket win in Brisbane has been their high-point so far as they lost both their ODIs against arch-rivals Australia.
With five points from three games, England certainly have the upper hand in the knockout game but WACA is always a different ball game for any visiting side.
Their bowling led by James Anderson has made the right noises before the 50-over showpiece event but the batting form of most of their top stars has been inconsistent.
Opener Ian Bell though tops the run-scorers list in this series so far, with 229 runs from three matches - a ton and a half-century. All-rounder Moeen Ali provides England with not only a good opening batting option but also gives them the vital breakthroughs with his wily off-spinners.
So going by the performances so far, England do start as favourites in the upcoming clash but India have a golden chance to reverse the trend this weekend and re-start their World Cup campaign on a more positive note.