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Ashes 2002/3 | Australia v England VB Series | Sydney
VB
Series, 2002/03, 1st Match Australia v England Sydney
Cricket Ground (day/night)
13 December 2002 (50-over match)
Toss: England
Result: Australia
won by 7 wickets
Umpires : RE Koertzen (SA) and
SJA Taufel
Match Reports : Scorecard
England continue to be without a win
on this current Ashes tour of Australia, but unlike
the majority of matches played; England looked as
if they had posted a reasonable target.
Hussain won the toss and elected to
bat on a beautiful summer's day in Sydney. Trescothick
and Knight put the last few weeks behind them and
set off at a great pace, often making the Australian
bowlers look ordinary. Trescothick rode his luck and
posted his first half-century in 15 innings on the
tour, a welcome return to form.
McGrath was unlucky not to have the
Somerset player caught first ball after he edged the
ball through the slips. The opening pair put on 101
runs for the first wicket, the partnership broken
when Trescothick (60) attempting to cut Brett Lee,
only managed to find Shane Warne at first slip.
 Knight
held the innings together with a superb undefeated
111 which included six fours and one six. With Irani
lasting only three balls before he became Warne's
only victim, it was left to Hussain and Knight to
put on the only other substantial partnership of the
innings. The pair put on 102 for the third wicket
and after Hussain's dismissal for 52, it was all down
hill for England after that as they scrambled to pass
the 250 mark.
Brett Lee who at one time was on a
hat-trick ended with four wickets and was the pick
of the bowlers, despite Lehmann tying down one end
with three wickets which cost him only 32 runs.
Gilchrist and Hayden in reply, took
the game to England scoring at a phenomenal rate of
over seven runs an over in the first few overs. Gilchrist
rode his luck and hit a magnificent 53 and together
with Hayden who fell two short of a certain century
before he was caught by Trescothick, put on 101 for
the first wicket.
 The
opening partnership laid down a strong foundation
for an Australian onslaught. Ponting played a small
cameo but fell for a disappointing 18 in a partnership
of 60.
It was left to Martyn and Lehmann
to guide Australia home to a comfortable seven wicket
victory with five overs to spare. They narrowly missed
out on the bonus point but nonetheless secured an
important five points in this opening game of the
VB Series.
Blackwell was the pick of the bowlers;
Caddick looked rusty and was expensive as was Irani
despite the later picking up one wicket. Hayden was
rightly given the man of the match award, only time
will tell if England are to win a match on this tour.
They will take some heart from the
first innings display; however their bowling still
looks weak and lacking depth. When seasoned professionals
like andy Caddick and Craig White fail to provide
the goods necessary, it is difficult to expect the
inexperienced bowlers to offer much more.
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