MELBOURNE – Australia ended England’s record eight-match winning streak on Friday with a four-run victory in the second Twenty20 international which was again decided on the final ball. Paceman Chris Woakes,
who scored the winning runs in the first match, gave the tourists hope of another last-gasp victory when he smashed a huge six off Brett Lee over long-on.
England needed seven runs off the final two balls, but Woakes and Tim Bresnan could add only a single each to leave England on 143 for six in reply to Australia’s 147 for seven. Man-of-the match Aaron Finch took a catch and smashed an unbeaten 53 from 33 balls for Australia for his maiden half-century. Finch’s innings helped Australia recover after spinners Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy took three wickets in three overs to leave the hosts reeling at 80-5.
England appeared set to romp to their target when Ian Bell smashed 11 off the first over and England reached 60 without loss. Bell was bowled for 39, attempting to charge paceman Mitchell Johnson.
Johnson removed Kevin Pietersen three balls later for one, when the England number three smashed the ball straight to cover where Cameron White dived for a sharp low catch.
David Warner took two catches off the bowling of Shane Watson to remove captain Paul Collingwood removed for six and opener Steve Davies for 29. Shaun Tait dismissed Luke Wright for 18, with Steve Smith taking a sharp catch at mid-off. Johnson finished with 3-29 after removing dangerman Eoin Morgan for 14 in the 18th over. Australia’s openers made a brisk start, piling on 37 runs in the first four overs before Watson hit a Chris Woakes ball straight to Morgan at deep square-leg and was out for 17.
Off-spinner Swann then dismissed Tim Paine 21 with his fifth delivery, the batsman skying a catch to short mid-wicket where Collingwood juggled the ball once before securing the catch. Warner was out for 30, caught by Pietersen on the boundary when attempting to loft a delivery from left-arm spinner Yardy down the ground. Swann trapped Australia captain Cameron White lbw for a duck in the next over and Yardy induced David Hussey (8) to slap a poor shot straight to Woakes at deep mid-wicket to make it three in three overs.
Ajmal Shahzad took Smith’s wicket for 13, the all-rounder hitting to Collingwood at short cover, while Steve O’Keefe was bowled by Tim Bresnan for one in the last over in a clumsy attempt to scoop behind the wicket.
