McGrath helps Aussies salvage tie

In the most dramatic of fashion, England salvaged a tie in the final over of the NatWest final against Australia at Lords early this morning.

It was one of the most thrilling matches of the decade, with tail ender Ashley Giles managed two runs off a Glenn McGrath ball to leave the match in a stalemate and for both teams to share the trophy.

England finished with 9/196 off 50 overs, with Australia in the first innings using up 48.5 overs to accumulate the same score.

McGrath really showed his worth to Australian cricket today, ending up with handy figures of 3/27 off 10 overs plus a run out of the dangerous Darren Gough in the final over. The experience the lanky New South Welshman provides his side had the old enemy reeling at 5/33 in the tenth over.

Yet England fought back well by Paul Collingwood and Geraint Jones firing up with the bat, showing that even the might of McGrath would not be enough to stop their assault. Collingwood (53 off 116 balls) and Jones (71 off 100 balls) preserved against some tight bowling and took England’s total within 47 runs of Australia.

It may have been a different story had McGrath not been there, because Gough had the fire in his belly and the talent of Giles, who scored 20 off 21 balls, may have seen England over the line.

In the end it was not to be, as McGrath kept his deliveries almost dangerously waist high and England’s tail threw its bat at anything that created runs. With 10 runs to score in the final over, England persisted against McGrath’s tactics because it knew they were within striking range.

McGrath made the balls almost impossible to hit, but it was his cool reaction to knocking Gough’s stumps down on the second last ball of the innings that gave Australians hope that the match was theirs. Giles meanwhile did not lose his resolve, and it was by him abusing Australia’s gap behind Adam Gilchrist that shored the match up in no mans land.

The day did not start out well for Australia, as England sent their opponents into bat on a rather damp wicket. Nevertheless the Australians hit the crease with all guns blazing, with Gilchrist smacking five fours before the tenth over. That was all before Australia’s vice captain hit up a catch to Kevin Pietersen, who gratefully took the catch and sent Australia’s chief smasher packing. Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn failed to capitalize off strong starts and Andrew Symonds could not continue on with the strong form he displayed this series. Symonds made a sluggish 29 off 71 balls.

England’s bowlers were on fire today and used the conditions to their advantage, dismissing most of Australia’s recognized batsmen from mistimed shots or misconstrued balls that went straight to the keeper. Jones was sensational with the gloves again, taking five catches for the day.

For the bowlers Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison were both lethal at destroying the Australians, Flintoff taking 3/23 off eight overs while Harmison had 3/27 off 10.

Yet as the world champions have proved for the last decade, it takes but one cricketer to stand up and determine the result of a match.

Today that man was Mike Hussey, who top scored for Australia with 62 off 81 balls and finished with figures of 1/31 off four overs. When Australia was in dire straits at 5/93 during the 23th over, Hussey walked to the crease and provided enough stability to create what would be a competitive total for Australia’s bowlers to defend. Hussey also showed tremendous character in England’s final ten overs when he was bowled to the death, and even managed to rattle Simon Jones’s stumps in the 45th over.

While the result was disappointing for both sides, the match really did end in a thrilling fashion.

Full scorecard available here.

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