England v Australia 4th ODI preview: England eager to take the momentum forward

Headingley

England v Australia 4th ODI preview: England eager to take the momentum forward: Finally and much to the delight of English fans, the hosts executed their skills to perfection to win the do or die encounter at Manchester and stay alive in the series. After having looked lacklustre and dismal in the first 2 games England put up a thoroughly clinical performance in the 3^rd ODI and beat the Aussies for the first time in their last 12 meets.

The 93-run win on Tuesday was fashioned by James Taylor, who made a fabulous century to lay the platform before Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, the spin twins, came into their own on a dry surface. Australian batsmen looked fish out of water against the spinners and failed to show any resistance. The visitors will want to seal the series in Headingley while England, having secured a morale boosting victory will make every effort to not let that happen.

England:

With six half-centuries in his last eight innings, the skipper Eoin Morgan has led from the front. He shared a crucial century partnership with Taylor in the last match which eventually ensured a 300 run score on the board. While Jason Roy and Hales have given good starts, none of them has yet played a big one.

England are without doubt missing Root, and the sudden dip in Jos Buttler’s form hasn’t helped either. Their spinners were excellent in the last game, however, the form of the pace bowling group, remains a worry, with England conceding two 300 plus scores. They might have chased some big scores against New Zealand in the last series, but the current Australian attack will surely not allow them that liberty. Steven Finn’s efforts with the new ball would come as a relief for Morgan and Trevor Bayliss, the coach.

Australia:

Australia have had to tinker with its squad in the wake of injuries to several members of its touring party, who have been on the road for a while now. David Warner’s thumb injury paved the way for Aaron Finch’s inclusion, and the Victorian responded with a half-century. Joe Burns, the other opener, has also shown signs that indicate he’s ready to step up and become a regular member. But the rest of the batsmen were guilty of ordinary shot selection at Old Trafford as they made the English tweakers look next to unplayable. Smith, Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh might have failed in the last game but they are a dangerous proposition on most days. Matthew Wade has made most of the opportunities he has got. The bowling has been good but Mitchell Starc hasn’t quite been at his lethal best.

Darren Lehmann won’t be eagerly concerned with the defeat in the last ODI as he knows what the World Champions are capable of. How England with their new-found confidence match up to an Australian side determined to finish the summer on a high after the Ashes disappointment, will decide which way the contest goes.

Probable XI-

England: Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Moeen Ali, Eoin Morgan (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Steven Finn, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, Chris Woakes,

Australia: Aaron Finch, Steve Smith (c), Glenn Maxwell, George Bailey, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Agar, Joe Burns, James Pattinson.