As he did in the Ashes, Shane Watson saved his best for the final match of the one-day series, as his 143 off 107 balls guided Australia to an imposing 298 at the Ageas Bowl, although Ben Stokes’ five-wicket haul kept the target within England’s range. Watson and Michael Clarke, who overcame his troublesome back, which had made him doubtful for the match, added 163 for the fourth wicket after Australia had found themselves in early trouble.
It appeared a rain break in the 10th over might derail the visitor’s innings when, on resumption, Stokes struck twice in consecutive balls to leave Australia 48 for 3. But England’s inexperienced attack – even more so in than the other matches of this series due to Steven Finn being ruled out with a side strain – could not keep up the pressure as Clarke and Watson feasted on some wayward bowling during their rapid partnership. However, there would be an impressive fightback in last 20 overs.
Watson reached his eighth one-day hundred from 87 balls in a muscular display of hitting and later latched on to Joe Root’s sixth over, which cost 28 including three, massive leg-side sixes. He was threatening his best score against England – an unbeaten 161 at the MCG in 2011 – but edged behind to give Stokes his fourth wicket.
That became five when Mitchell Johnson lobbed his second ball back to the bowler, leaving the tail to try and bat out the overs. They failed to do even that, for the second match in a row, as Boyd Rankin removed Clint McKay with the first ball of the final over to complete a collapse of 7 for 87 in 18 overs.
Finn’s place in the line-up had gone to Chris Jordan, the Sussex pace bowler, as he earned his maiden ODI cap having been with the squad throughout the series. England had been forced into another last-minute change when Jonathan Trott went down with a back spasm meaning Luke Wright also played his first game of the series.
Jordan soon caught the eye with his speed – nudging 90mph – and although he was twice driven by Aaron Finch in his first over, in his second he beat Phillip Hughes for pace and the left-hander, who had replaced the injured Shaun Marsh, top-edged to midwicket. Jordan finished with an impressive 3 for 51 and a priceless learning experience.
Finch, who plundered a world-record 156 on this ground in last month’s Twenty20, began positively but Australia did not restart well after a half-hour rain delay. Finch slashed at Stokes and provided a catch to backward pointing without giving himself a sighter and Stokes, who bounced out Marsh in Cardiff, then sent down a well-directed short ball at Matthew Wade after he had been promoted to No. 4.
Clarke was not convincing at the start of his innings as England went after him with the short ball, testing out that fragile back, but consistency was lacking to allow both him and Watson plenty of scoring opportunities. Watson was particularly powerful as he picked off Stokes through the leg side and the same bowler was also straight-driven for six by Clarke.
Further sixes followed for Watson, who was in the bullying form he showed at The Oval, off Ravi Bopara and James Tredwell, during another concerted effort to attack the spinner, whose four overs cost 38 – 17 of those coming off his second. Bopara, usually reliable in the middle overs, drifted too often on to leg stump and England’s attack was looking a little threadbare.
At 30 overs, Australia were 202 for 3 and a total well above 350 was on the cards, the previous 10 overs having brought 93 runs. Clarke had opted to take the batting Powerplay in the 29th but did not see out the restrictions when he clubbed to mid-off against Jordan five balls after being dropped in the same position by Rankin, although it was a chance that travelled at a rate of knots.
England chipped away during the next 10 overs; George Bailey dragged his back foot out of the crease, Adam Voges edged Stokes behind and Bopara’s last three overs cost just nine. Watson looked set to give the innings a powerful finish but, although he couldn’t continue his plunder to the end and the innings plodded tamely to a close, it will still be a tough ask for England’s batting line-up.
