25 overs England 112 for 3 (Prior 9*, Shah 0*) v Australia
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The theme of England's one-day series continued as Andrew Strauss again led from the front before falling for 63 as Australia came back well at Lord's. The home side have to win to retain a chance in the series and Strauss posted his second half-century in a row only to fall to Nathan Hauritz as England reached the half way mark on 112 for 3.
The pattern of England's efforts in this series has been uncanny - and not in a good way. Strauss dominated the scoring at The Rose Bowl, before he fell for 63 off 72 balls, and it was an almost identical situation here as he reached a 48-ball half century having won his fourth toss of the series. However, with Hauritz doing an impressive job in stifling the scoring rate - he had already removed Ravi Bopara - Strauss felt the need to try and increase the tempo but only managed a thick outside edge to short third man.
Strauss had opened the innings alongside a new partner with Joe Denly returning to the team after recovering from the knee injury he picked up courtesy of Owais Shah's football tackle before the first ODI. Adil Rashid and Stuart Broad were also recalled, while Ricky Ponting returned from his ten-day break to lead Australia.
Denly scored his first runs against Australia (following a first-ball duck in the Twenty20 at Old Trafford) with a neat clip through square leg off his first ball and he had the luxury of a free hit off against Brett Lee which flew over second slip. However, Lee soon had his revenge when a hint of outswing found Denly's outside edge as he pushed outside off stump, and Cameron White held on at first slip.
At the other end Strauss, as he has done throughout the summer, looked in complete control and had already taken three fours in four balls off a wayward Nathan Bracken. He played with impressive intent, stepping out to Mitchell Johnson, although he had one awkward moment against Lee when he got into a tangle against a short ball and gloved the delivery just wide of a diving Tim Paine.
Bopara, demoted to No. 3 with Denly's recall, collected his first boundary with a glance to fine leg and also drove Hauritz sweetly through the covers. However, Hauritz's introduction had slowed England's progress and he made the breakthrough in his third over when Bopara was struck in line with off stump while sweeping. It was an attempt at being cute from Bopara when the safe option would have been to play straight down the ground. His 26 was another unfulfilled start, the story of England's series. This has a feeling of déjà vu.
England 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Joe Denly, 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Matt Prior (wk), 5 Owais Shah, 6 Eoin Morgan, 7 Luke Wright, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Tim Bresnan, 11 Ryan Sidebottom
Australia 1 Shane Watson, 2 Tim Paine (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Callum Ferguson, 6 Mike Hussey, 7 Cameron White, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Nathan Hauritz, 11 Nathan Bracken