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Australia beat England by four runs in T20

By Pti

Melbourne, Jan 14 (AFP) Australia finally had somethingto celebrate after recording an unlikely four-run win overEngland in the second Twenty20 international at the MelbourneCricket Ground on Friday.

After Australia battled to 147-7 thanks to an unbeatenhalf-century by second-gamer Aaron Finch, England looked setto cruise to victory when they were 58-0 after six overs, withopener Ian Bell on song.

But England''s quest to extend their record unbeaten T20streak to nine matches, having defeated Australia on the lastball of Wednesday''s game in Adelaide, came unstuck as theirmiddle order failed to deliver.

As was the case in Australia''s lone win during the Ashesseries, in the third Test at the WACA Ground, it was pacemanMitchell Johnson (3-29) who turned the match on its head.

Johnson claimed the vital wicket of Bell (39) when theright-hander dragged a ball onto his stumps in the seventhover to end an opening stand of 60.

The left-hander then followed up by having KevinPietersen caught for one three balls later.

Johnson also removed the dangerous Eoin Morgan for 14,while Shane Watson backed up his brilliant effort inWednesday''s match with a frugal 2-17 from four overs.

With 13 runs needed off the last three balls from BrettLee, young England all-rounder Chris Woakes threatened torepeat his heroics on Wednesday when he lofted the pacemaninto the stands to leave seven needed from two.

But Lee got the job done as Australia snapped a run offive successive losses in T20 internationals.

Man of the match Finch, playing in only his secondinternational, hit 53 not out from 33 balls in a crucialperformance with the bat for the home side.

Australia side got off to a quick start and were 57-1after six overs, but lost 4-17 as Graeme Swann and MichaelYardy wreaked havoc, the two spinners recording identicalfigures of 2-19 from their four overs.

The two sides now meet in a seven-match one-day seriesand Australian captain Cameron White was hopeful the home sidefinally had some momentum.

"It''s going to give us some confidence hopefully," Whitesaid.

England skipper Paul Collingwood said he thought his sidewas going to steal the win when Woakes hit his last-over six.

"When Woakesy hit that six I thought we were going topull something out of the bag," he said. (AFP)

Story first published: Saturday, January 15, 2011, 13:00 [IST]
Other articles published on Jan 15, 2011