Morgan inspires England to win over Australia

Morgan’s stylish innings included 16 fours from 85 balls and steered England to a victory total of 268-6 with four overs remaining, after Australia had reached the 267-7 in its 50 overs.

Craig Kieswetter made 38 and Luke Wright added 36 for the home side, which had been in deep trouble on 97-4. Ryan Harris was the pick of Australia’s bowlers with 3-42.

Earlier Michael Clarke struck an unbeaten 87 to guide Australia to what looked a challenging total on the first of a five-match ODI series.

Clarke’s 97-ball innings included seven fours, while opener Shane Watson (32) and James Hopes (34) also weighed in with decent knocks.

Luke Wright took the prized scalp of captain Ricky Ponting (21) and had bowling figures of 2-34 for England, with James Anderson finishing on 2-43 and Stuart Broad also taking two wickets.

Australia handed a debut to Josh Hazlewood — who at 19 years and 165 days became the youngest Australian to play in a ODI — and they made a bright start, with Watson and fellow opener Tim Paine putting on 52 for the first wicket.

Watson in particular lived dangerously, surviving two lbw appeals and having another let-off when Wright missed a difficult chance at mid-wicket when he slipped to allow a fierce pull from the batsman fly through his hands. Watson’s luck ran out, however, when he was caught and bowled by Broad.

Australia reached 58-1 at the end of the first powerplay, after which Anderson dropped a pull from Paine.

The wicketkeeper departed in the next over when he played Wright’s second ball of the day onto the stumps — and the run rate soon started to slow.

Wright claimed his next wicket 12 balls later, Ponting miscuing a pull and being caught at fine leg by Broad, and Anderson then removed Cameron White (10), who also played on to his stumps.

Australia were in trouble at 98-4, but Clarke and Mike Hussey mounted a recovery by putting on 70 for the fifth wicket, only for Hussey to walk after edging Michael Yardy behind to wicketkeeper Kieswetter for 28.

Clarke reached his 50 from 64 balls, which included five fours and with Hopes, he put on 57 for the sixth wicket.

Hopes’ 38-ball cameo ended when he was caught at short third man by Tim Bresnan off Anderson, but Nathan Hauritz added 22 runs from 17 balls in an entertaining salvo at the end of the innings.

Hauritz was eventually caught by England captain Andrew Strauss off Broad with the penultimate delivery.

The England chase suffered an early setback when Harris had Strauss caught behind for 10 with the first ball of the fourth over.

Kevin Pietersen was lucky to survive after television replays suggested he got the faintest of touches to a delivery from Harris but he then smacked Hazlewood’s first ball through mid-off for four.

England reached 50-1 at the end of the first powerplay and with Pietersen and Kieswetter at the wicket they looked well set.

The momentum shifted when Pietersen was caught at backward point for 29 by Ponting, as he tried to drive a ball from Watson.

Kieswetter hit the first six of the match, when he hooked Hazlewood, but the debutant took his first international wicket when he clean bowled him for 38 — making Kieswetter the third batsmen, after Ponting and Hussey, to get out immediately after a drinks break.

Watson then removed Paul Collingwood, caught by Hopes at mid-off and with England on 97-4 Australia looked the favorite, until Morgan and Wright counter attacked.

Morgan reached his 50 from 45 balls and the duo put on 95 from 92 balls, before Wright was lbw to Harris.

Australia’s last real chance went when Tim Bresnan survived a run out chance by the narrowest possible margin in the 38^th over.

By the time Harris yorked Bresnan for 27, Morgan was on 99 and England needed just five to win.

Yardy glanced the next delivery for a single and Morgan hit the winning runs off the next ball, bringing up his century in the process.