4th ODI: Australia vs England - As it happened...

Zee Media Bureau/Chaitan Papnai

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Australian Innings:

Over 47.4|| Score 259

With the wicket of Pattinson England sealed the fourth ODI of the series by 57 runs. And with that they managed to win the first match of the series, in fact of the tour. Stokes was certainly the pick among the bowlers for the winning team, as he scalped four wickets in his nine overs, when they came to defend the formidable total of 316 runs.

JL Pattinson c Buttler b Bresnan 4 (9b)

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Over 4|| Score 247/9

Now it's just a formality for England to win the first game of the series, as Australia have lost two more wickets in the form of Johnson and Christian. Australia still need seventy more runs to win the match but they have just one wicket in hand.

DT Christian c Ballance b Broad 23 (19b)

MG Johnson b Stokes 6 (8b)

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Over 42 || Score 231/7

In last twelve overs the game has changed drastically in favour of the tourists. Immediately after Finch scored his second century of the series in the 31st over, he lost his partner in Steve Smith, who nicked Braod's swinging delivery and gave a simple catch to Buttler. After that Australia lost the next three wickets in quick successions. First, Finch and then Maxwell and Faulkner got out within a few overs. Australia still needed 86 runs in 48 balls to seal the game but they just have three more wickets left.

P Faulkner c Buttler b Stokes 2 (11b)

GJ Maxwell c Buttler b Stokes 26 (26b)

AJ Finch c Broad b Bresnan 108 (111b)

SPD Smith c Buttler b Broad 19 (16b)

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Over 30 || Score 160/3

While chasing the mammoth total of 316, Australia haven't lost the track so far. Opener Finch is still at the crease and playing a responsible knock. He has reached to nineties. But in between, Australia have lost two more wickets in the form of Wade and Bailey. Where Wade gave his wicket to Bopara after scoring 23 runs, skipper Bailey failed to play a captains knock and got out off Buttler after gave the contribution of mere eleven runs. At the moment Steve Smith is at the crease along with Finch.

GJ Bailey c Buttler b Stokes 11 (15b)

MS Wade c Cook b Bopara 23 (42b)

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Over 15 || Score 74/1

Though the opener -- Finch -- smacked Bresnan for a huge six in the 12th over, in last five overs England bowlers have somehow managed to stop Finch from scoring freely. That six was the only big shot Australian's have scored in the last five overs. Tredwell and Bresnan are bowling well in tandem.

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Over 10 || Score 56/1

Marsh Out. Bresnan gave the visitors their first breakthrough in the form of Shaun Marsh. Marsh tried to place the ball towards fine leg but only managed to get the outside edge and Bell took a sharp catch at slip. Matthew Wade has come to the middle after the fall of first wicket to join Finch. Meanwhile, in the ninth over Australia have crossed the mark of fifty runs.

SE Marsh c Bell b Bresnan 15 (17b)

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Over 5 || Score 40/0

Australia have got off to a flying start. Both the openers -- Shaun Marsh and Aaron Finch – are middling the ball since the first over. Swashbuckling opener Finch is in more aggressive mood if compared with his partner. He has already scored five boundaries and has reached to 25, whereas, Marsh on the other end is waiting for the loose balls to punish them. In the first five overs they have scored forty runs at a brisk pace.

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England Innings:

Over 50 || Score 316/8

Whirlwind knock by Buttler helped the visitors to put up a formidable total of 316 runs in front of Australia. Buttler scored 71 runs in mere 52 balls, with the help of six boundaries and four sixes. He gave the bowlers a run for their money and smashed them all over the park. In the last over, Faulkner took two wickets back-to-back deliveries and set up a hat-trick. But couldn't manage to get it as Broad collected a boundary of that ball. England batsmen have done their job pretty well, now its time for their bowlers to stop the opponents to chase the mammoth total.

TT Bresnan c Johnson b Faulkner 2 (12m 4b)

JC Buttler c Johnson b Faulkner 71 (52m 43b)

EJG Morgan c Christian b Faulkner 33 (66m 33b)

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Over 45 || Score 258/5

England lost another wicket of short ball when Bopara tried to pull Coulter-Nile but failed to connect it well and Doherty took a simple catch at mid-wicket. He got out after scoring just three runs. J Buttler is the next man in for England. Both the batsmen have started loosing up and are scoring boundaries every now and then. Now in the last five overs where tourists will look to reach the make of 300, Australia will be looking to restrict them under 270 runs.

RS Bopara c sub (XJ Doherty) b Coulter-Nile 3 (10b)

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Over 37|| Score 207/4

Ballance who came into bat after the fall of Bell's wicket could not manage to contribute much with the bat and got out in the 34th over, when he tried to pull the short ball off Pattinson. Eoin Morgan, one of the most dangerous limited over batsmen in the world, came to the middle after the fall of Ballance's wicket. But after a couple of overs England lost another wicket, as Faulkner picked up his first wicket of the day in the form of Stokes. Faulkner tried a slower one and Stokes couldn't read it well and got the top edge of his bat and Wade took a simple catch behind the wickets. Stokes got out after playing a crucial innings of 70 runs. Meanwhile, the visitors crossed the mark of 200 runs in the 36th over.

BA Stokes c Wade b Faulkner 70 (84b)

GS Ballance c Smith b Pattinson 18 (30b)

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Over 30 || Score 174/2

Finally, Australia got their second breakthrough in the form of Bell, who got out off Dan Christian in the 22nd over, after scoring 55 runs. GS Ballance is next man in for the visitors. Meanwhile, very much like Bell, Stokes also completed his fifty in style by launching Maxwell towards long on boundary for a maximum. He used mere 58 balls to reach the mark with the help of four boundaries and a six. England have maintained a good run rate of above 5.50. And as they have eight wickets in hand they must be thinking of a score around 320.

IR Bell c Faulkner b Christian 55 (52b)

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Over 20|| Score 125/1

'Lucky' Stokes is giving opener Bell a good company in the middle. He has swiftly move to 22 in mere 29 balls with the help of two boundaries. Meanwhile Bell has completed his half-century in style by smashing Coulter-Nile for four in the 20th over. Bell scored 10 boundaries to reach the 50-run mark and used 48 balls. Stokes has been lucky, as was dropped twice. England is looking solid at the moment as they have crossed the mark of 120 runs in mere 20 overs and still have nine wickets in hand.

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Over 15 || Score 106/1

When the England openers were looking dangerous, Bailey handed over the ball to break-through spinner Glenn Maxwell and the bowler didn't disappoint his skipper, as he sent the English skipper Cook back to the pavilion. Cook tried to smash the off-spinner over square-leg but missed the line completely and his bails went for a toss. He got out after scoring 44 runs in mere 43 deliveries. Ben Stokes has joined Bell in the middle after the fall of first wicket.

AN Cook b Maxwell 44 (43b)

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Over 10 || Score 73/0

After spending some time at the crease, now both the openers have started playing their shots quite freely. Both are looking confident and scoring boundaries at will. After collecting two boundaries off Faulkner in the seventh over, Cook smashed Coulter-Nile for three consecutive boundaries in the next. Taking a clue from his partner Bell has also started opening up a bit and collecting boundaries every now and then. Whereas Australia is still looking for their first breakthrough.

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Over 5 || Score 24/0

A decent start by the Tourists as they haven't lost any wicket in the first five overs and even managed to add 24 runs on their board. Both the openers have so far taken calculative risks. Only two boundaries have been conceded by the Australian bowlers, but they haven't managed to scalp a wicket or too.

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Over 1 || Score 3/0

Skipper Alastair Cook and Ian Bell have come to the crease to open the innings for the visitors. Whereas Mitchell Johnson has started the bowling proceedings for the home team. First over was right on the money by the left-arm bowler, though three runs came from it.

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Australia have won the toss and elected to bowl first.

George Bailey expected the pitch to be on the bouncy side. The visitors who have been going through a tough time haven't changed their team.

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England will be battling to avoid another series whitewash in the fourth one-day game against Australia on Friday, and are rallying round their beleaguered captain.

Australia triumphed by seven wickets with 10 overs to spare in the third one-dayer in Sydney on Sunday to sweep the series 3-0, with Alastair Cook admitting for the first time he will reconsider his captaincy after the weekend`s final 50-overs match in Adelaide.

But England spinner James Tredwell says the team that also lost the Ashes 5-0 still has some fight left in it and supports Cook.

"We`ve spoken a lot about pushing back and giving them a bit of their medicine," Tredwell said.

England tormentor Mitchell Johnson, who won the Allan Border Medal for Australia`s player of the year on Monday, takes on the vice-captaincy in Perth and is determined to make it nine and then 10 wins in a row against the old enemy.

"England have destroyed us in the past," the 32-year-old said.

"We`ve been asked if we feel sorry for them, and we`ve all said no because of that reason.

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