England pip Australia to win first ODI

LONDON: David Willey’s unbeaten 35 saw England to a nervous three-wicket victory over Australia at The Oval on Wednesday as the top-ranked side in One-day International cricket returned to winning ways after their shock defeat by Scotland.

England, set just 215 to win, slumped to 38 for three.They were cruising to victory during a stand of 115 between Test captain Joe Root (50) and one-day skipper Eoin Morgan (69) under the floodlights.

However, both batsmen were dismissed as England lost three wickets for 10 runs.But Willey, whose score was his highest for England, ended the match with six overs left when he drove Australia debutant medium-pacer Michael Neser for six.

It was England’s spinners who laid the platform for a much-needed victory following a stunning six-run defeat by non-Test nation Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday.Off-spinner Moeen Ali, the man-of-the-match, took three for 43 in 10 overs and leg-spinner Adil Rashid two for 36 after Australia captain Tim Paine won the toss. Glenn Maxwell (62) and Ashton Agar (40) were the only Australia batsmen to offer much resistance during a sixth-wicket stand of 84.

Australia won toss

Australia

A Finch c Wood b Ali 19

T Head c Bairstow b Willey 5

S Marsh b Ali 24

M Stoinis c Buttler b Rashid 22

*† T Paine c Wood b Ali 12

G Maxwell c Bairstow b Plunkett 62

A Agar lbw b Rashid 40

M Neser c Root b Plunkett 6

A Tye c Buttler b Plunkett 19

K Richardson c Root b Wood 1

B Stanlake not out 0

Extras (w4) 4

Total (all out; 47 overs) 214

Fall: 1-7, 2-47, 3-52, 4-70, 5-90, 6-174, 7-193, 8-197, 9-208, 10-214

Bowling: Wood 8-1-32-1 (1w); Willey 8-0-41-1; Ali 10-1-43-3; Rashid 10-0-36-2 (1w); Root 3-0-20-0 (1w); Plunkett 8-0-42-3 (1w)

England

J Roy b Stanlake 0

J Bairstow c Head b Richardson 28

A Hales lbw b Neser 5

*J Root c Paine b Stanlake 50

E Morgan c Paine b Tye 69

†J Buttler c Richardson b Tye 9

M Ali c sub (Short) b Neser 17

D Willey not out 35

L Plunkett not out 3

Extras (w2) 2

Total (7 wickets; 44 overs) 218

Did not bat: A Rashid, M Wood

Fall: 1-0, 2-23, 3-38, 4-153, 5-163, 6-163, 7-197

Bowling: Stanlake 10-1-44-2; Neser 8-1-46-2; Richardson 9-1-49-1; Tye 10-1-42-2 (2w); Agar 5-0-28-0; Maxwell 2-0-9-0;

Result: England won by 3 wickets

Man of the Match: Moeen Ali (England)

Series: England lead five-match series 1-0

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Rob Bailey (England). TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (South Africa). Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)