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Tea England 272 for 5 (Morgan 89*, Trott 54) v Australia
Jonathan Trott's half-century built a solid base for England © Getty Images
Eoin Morgan has had the look of an unsettled man since his return from an inactive spell with Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL. His technique has been under scrutiny, he has been omitted from the Test side, and he has dared to tell the ECB that England's domestic Twenty20 tournament has fallen hopelessly behind the times.
Tell that to Australia. They saw a different Morgan at the start of the five-match NatWest Series, a batsman eager to establish himself as England's outstanding one-day batsman after Kevin Pietersen's premature retirement from limited-overs internationals. He made 89 from 63 balls, rousing an England innings that had begun cautiously after Australia won a good toss under crabby London skies. Australia's task of 273 for victory was demanding but not insurmountable.
More to follow ...
England had their first look at Pat Cummins, one of the most exciting young fast bowlers in the world, but they had to look at him through morning drizzle in arguably the most inconsequential series ever fought out between England and Australia.
They also had their first sight of a wicket for Cummins in England, perhaps the first of many, as the teenager, maintaining a pace around 90mph, had England's captain Alastair Cook caught at the wicket as he drove at a fullish, wide delivery which arced away from him, a timely intervention by Australia after a stable England start.
It was something of a soft departure for Cook, whose first boundary had not come the 11th over, after the Powerplay had departed, but whose opening stand of 74 in 17 overs with Ian Bell had quietly batted England into good shape.
Cook and Bell both touched the 40s at a similar tempo, but it was Cook whose innings was the most orderly. Bell, whose introduction to the opener's role after the retirement of Kevin Pietersen had brought a century against West Indies at West End, had an eventful and not-altogether convincing stay.
He marched off decisively when Brett Lee's lbw appeal was answered in the affirmative, but the Hot Spot cameras these days could probably spot the friction of a fly on a teacup and tv replays as he unstrapped his pads suggested that he had managed the faintest inside edge.
Talk of planning for a World Cup three years hence - an optimistic claim at the best of times - does not remotely disguise the fact that this series has upset the rhythms of the traditional English summer. Australia's presence does not come with the usual level of excitement and Lord's did not reach normal levels of anticipation as morning drizzle took a while to clear.
Lee and McKay both beat Bell's outside edge in their opening over. Bell, on a single, could have been run out by Cummins at mid-on. Bell, on 3, was given out caught at wicket off Clint McKay but the ball came off his trouser pocket and he reviewed it successfully, as stiffening rain brought the second of three stoppages. Bell's first pull against Cummins was a top edge that flew over the cordon for four.
It was an uncertain start, but he survived and England, who had lost the toss, avoided the early tremors that Australia must have felt were within their grasp on a pitch that the groundsman, Mick Hunt, accepted had more moisture in it than would normally be expected at Lord's at the end of June.
Cook's most impressive moments were two back cuts against Shane Watson, but he should have fallen on 28, the ball after Bell's dismissal, when Matthew Wade responded sluggishly to a leg glance that was within his range and tipped it away for a couple of runs.
Jonathan Trott's half-century built a solid base for England © Getty Images
Eoin Morgan has had the look of an unsettled man since his return from an inactive spell with Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL. His technique has been under scrutiny, he has been omitted from the Test side, and he has dared to tell the ECB that England's domestic Twenty20 tournament has fallen hopelessly behind the times.
Tell that to Australia. They saw a different Morgan at the start of the five-match NatWest Series, a batsman eager to establish himself as England's outstanding one-day batsman after Kevin Pietersen's premature retirement from limited-overs internationals. He made 89 from 63 balls, rousing an England innings that had begun cautiously after Australia won a good toss under crabby London skies. Australia's task of 273 for victory was demanding but not insurmountable.
More to follow ...
England had their first look at Pat Cummins, one of the most exciting young fast bowlers in the world, but they had to look at him through morning drizzle in arguably the most inconsequential series ever fought out between England and Australia.
They also had their first sight of a wicket for Cummins in England, perhaps the first of many, as the teenager, maintaining a pace around 90mph, had England's captain Alastair Cook caught at the wicket as he drove at a fullish, wide delivery which arced away from him, a timely intervention by Australia after a stable England start.
It was something of a soft departure for Cook, whose first boundary had not come the 11th over, after the Powerplay had departed, but whose opening stand of 74 in 17 overs with Ian Bell had quietly batted England into good shape.
Cook and Bell both touched the 40s at a similar tempo, but it was Cook whose innings was the most orderly. Bell, whose introduction to the opener's role after the retirement of Kevin Pietersen had brought a century against West Indies at West End, had an eventful and not-altogether convincing stay.
He marched off decisively when Brett Lee's lbw appeal was answered in the affirmative, but the Hot Spot cameras these days could probably spot the friction of a fly on a teacup and tv replays as he unstrapped his pads suggested that he had managed the faintest inside edge.
Talk of planning for a World Cup three years hence - an optimistic claim at the best of times - does not remotely disguise the fact that this series has upset the rhythms of the traditional English summer. Australia's presence does not come with the usual level of excitement and Lord's did not reach normal levels of anticipation as morning drizzle took a while to clear.
Lee and McKay both beat Bell's outside edge in their opening over. Bell, on a single, could have been run out by Cummins at mid-on. Bell, on 3, was given out caught at wicket off Clint McKay but the ball came off his trouser pocket and he reviewed it successfully, as stiffening rain brought the second of three stoppages. Bell's first pull against Cummins was a top edge that flew over the cordon for four.
It was an uncertain start, but he survived and England, who had lost the toss, avoided the early tremors that Australia must have felt were within their grasp on a pitch that the groundsman, Mick Hunt, accepted had more moisture in it than would normally be expected at Lord's at the end of June.
Cook's most impressive moments were two back cuts against Shane Watson, but he should have fallen on 28, the ball after Bell's dismissal, when Matthew Wade responded sluggishly to a leg glance that was within his range and tipped it away for a couple of runs.