Decades Tournament - England 1950s v Australia 2020s

 

England 1950s booked their place in the Decades tournament Semi Finals with a brilliant fightback victory against the 2020s Australians at Headingley.

Aussie skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first on a lively Headingley track.  They made decent first use of the pitch with Marnus Labuschagne top scoring with a brilliant 152.  Trueman and leg spinner Ken Barrington took 4 wickets apiece.

England then crumbled to 137 all out.  Barrington top scored with 67 as England lost their last 6 wickets for 6 runs.  Cummins and Starc both took 4 wickets each to give Australia a commanding first innings lead.

England needed a miracle and it came in the form of 'Typhoon' Frank Tyson.  He bowled with express pace and tore through the Australian middle order.  The Aussies were bowled out in just 32 overs for 137.  Only Labuschagne put up any resistance, making 62 not out.

England needed 308 to win but the lively fast paced nature of the pitch was beginning to settle down.  England batted very well, negating most of the demons remaining in the wicket.  Colin Cowdrey and Ted Dexter both made 70s and 68 from Peter May helped see England to a brilliant win on the 4th afternoon.

Marnus Labuschagne will take some comfort from the man of the match award but Australia will feel that they let this one slip away.

England now move on to the Semi Final where they will face the 2010 South Africans.

England 1950s: TW Graveney; MC Cowdrey; PBH May [c]; KF Barrington; ER Dexter; JM Parks [w]; JC Laker; FS Trueman; JB Statham; FH Tyson; R Appleyard

Australia 2020s: DA Warner; Usman Khawaja; SPD Smith; M Labuschagne; TM Head; MR Marsh; AT Carey [w]; MA Starc; NM Lyon; PJ Cummins [c]; JR Hazlewood

Australia 2020s 1st Innings 305-10 (90.3 Ov)

M Labuschagne 152, SPD Smith 48, AT Carey 44, FS Trueman 4-32, KF Barrington 4-66, JB Statham 2-28

England 1950s 1st Innings 137-10 (46.4 Ov)

KF Barrington 67, JM Parks 34, PJ Cummins 4-15, MA Starc 4-34, NM Lyon 2-36

Australia 2020s 2nd Innings 140-10 (31.5 Ov)

M Labuschagne 62*, DA Warner 32, FH Tyson 5-60, JB Statham 4-37

England 1950s 2nd Innings 310-6 (83.4 Ov)

MC Cowdrey 78, ER Dexter 70, PBH May 68, JR Hazlewood 2-31, NM Lyon 2-89

England 1950s won by 4 wickets

Man of the Match: M Labuschagne