England crash to Watson and Johnson after solid start
Australian pacemen Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson shared six wickets as England collapsed to 169 after a promising start in their crucial Champions Trophy match.
England looked like setting a stiff target when Andrew Strauss (56) and Ian Bell (43) put on 83 for the opening wicket with their responsible knocks on a slow track.
Ten wickets then fell for a meagre 86 runs, with Watson finishing with 3-16 off seven disciplined overs and left-arm fast bowler Johnson with 3-40 in only his eighth one-day international.
Veteran fast bowler Glenn McGrath began unimpressively when he conceded 27 runs in his opening four overs, but came back strongly to grab 2-36 off nine overs.
Wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist brilliantly supported his pacemen with five catches, including his 350th in one-day internationals.
Paul Collingwood (22 not out) and last-man James Anderson (15) were the other batsmen to reach double-figures in a dismal England batting performance.
England were under tremendous pressure to stay alive in the competition, having already lost their first match to India in a four-team Group A. Australia also needed a win after losing to the West Indies in their opener.
The top two sides advance to the semi-finals.
Watson provided the breakthrough with his second ball when he had make-shift opener Bell caught by Michael Hussey in the cover. His dismissal was the beginning of the end of England's innings.
England suffered a twin setback when free-stroking batsmen Kevin Pietersen (one) and Andrew Flintoff (four) fell in quick succession to leave their team wobbling at 110-3.
Johnson had Pietersen caught by Gilchrist, while skipper Flintoff was caught pulling by Hussey at deep mid-wicket just a ball after being struck on the helmet by Watson.
Flintoff batted at two different positions in as many games, but had yet to click. He fell for a seven-ball duck against India while batting at number three. He batted at number four against Australia but lasted only 15 balls.
Australia kept striking at regular intervals to eventually neutralise England's early advantage given by left-handed Strauss and Bell, who batted sensibily.
Bell, dropped on 23 by Damien Martyn off McGrath, hit seven fours in his 60-ball knock while Strauss struck six fours in his 12th half-century before being caught behind off spinner Andrew Symonds.
England:
| A. Strauss | c Gilchrist b Symonds | 56 |
| I. Bell | c Hussey b Watson | 43 |
| K. Pietersen | c Gilchrist b Johnson | 1 |
| A. Flintoff | c Hussey b Watson | 4 |
| M. Yardy | c Gilchrist b Watson | 4 |
| P. Collingwood | not out | 22 |
| J. Dalrymple | c Ponting b Johnson | 3 |
| C. Read | c Gilchrist b McGrath | 0 |
| S. Mahmood | c and b Bracken | 8 |
| S. Harmison | c Gilchrist b Johnson | 1 |
| J. Anderson | b McGrath | 15 |
| Extras | (lb3, nb6, w3) | 12 |
| Total | 169 |
Fall of wickets: 1-83 (Bell), 2-84 (Pietersen), 3-110 (Flintoff), 4-115 (Strauss), 5-125 (Yardy), 6-135 (Dalrymple), 7-136 (Read), 8-150 (Mahmood), 9-151 (Harmison).
| Bowling: | Lee | 9-3-25-0 (nb2, w1) |
| Bracken | 8-0-38-1 (w1) | |
| McGrath | 9-1-36-2 (nb1) | |
| Johnson | 10-0-40-3 (nb1, w1) | |
| Watson | 7-0-16-3 (nb2) | |
| Symonds | 2-0-11-1 | |
| Overs: | 45 |
Toss:
Umpires: Steve Bucknor (WIS) and Billy Bowden (NZL)
TV umpire: Darly Harper (AUS)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
AFP
