England v Australia, 4th NatWest ODI, Cardiff Buttler leads England home to level series

England v Australia, 4th NatWest ODI, Cardiff

Buttler leads England home to level series

 Jos Buttler played an outstanding innings to lead England home and level the NatWest series in Cardiff. He remained cool to make unbeaten 65 and steer his side to the target of 228. England were up against it after Clint McKay's hat-trick in his second over. He ripped out Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root to leave England 8 for 3. But Eoin Morgan and Michael Carberry steadied the chase and Buttler finished the job.

England were shocked early in their run chase by a hat-trick from Clint McKay, the fifth by an Australia bowler in ODIs, to leave them with an uphill task to square the series.

In his second over, the third of the innings, McKay took the 33rd hat-trick in ODI history when he removed Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root. From 8 for 3, England managed to recover their composure but it was hard work for Eoin Morgan and a nervous Michael Carberry.

While most attention was focused on what Mitchell Johnson would deliver (he later pushed the speedgun near 94mph) the early drama came from the other end. McKay, a key part of Australia's one-day side but a bowler who rarely gets the acclaim, began by trapping Pietersen lbw as he aimed to flick through the leg side.

Trott, who has struggled in the latter half of this season, then edged a drive at a wide delivery to collect his second first-ball duck of the series before a similar stroke by Root, although to a delivery closer to off stump, took a thinner edge low to Shane Watson at first slip.

Carberry watched it all from the non-striker's end but was soon in the firing line of Johnson as the left-armer crashed a searing short delivery into his gloves at 93.6mph - the ball looped in the air but fell between three fielders. It was mighty hard work for Carberry as Australia's pacemen all maintained their accuracy, although there was momentary relief when he shimmied forward and drove James Faulkner through the off side then produced a rasping square cut off McKay early in his second spell.

Morgan has found form late in the season and was more assured, although was still cut in half when McKay nipped one back between his bat and pad. Australia burned their review against him, when he had 8, for a caught-behind appeal which replays showed was nowhere near the outside edge. After a considerable period of reconnaissance - which was desperately needed by England - Morgan began to open up with three boundaries in five balls off McKay's eighth over. 

Right, that's it. I've had enough. I've defended Ravi Bopara in ODIs before but that pathetic innings is the last straw. Not only has he just proved himself to be one of the laziest and most dopey runners between the wickets in international history, he spent most of that torture giving catching practice to the distastrous wicket keeper Matthew Wade. Can someone please tell Bopara that he isn't Ian Bell? He cannot play the guide down to third man. He just cannot do it. Nasser Hussain had it exactly right: "This is abysmal batting by Bopara". He just wasted deliveries and put pressure on Carberry and Buttler.

And he keeps getting out the same way as he always has done. Big papier-mache pads planted in front of the stumps, feet rooted to the crease, ball smacks them head on, lbw. Horrid stuff. We must get rid of him now. The fact that he has never scored Test runs against quality opposition should tell us something about his temperament.