Plays of the day from the opening match of Group A between Australia and England
George Dobell at the MCG14-Feb-2015Dismissal of the day
James Taylor suffered an agonising end to his innings. Poised on the brink of an excellent maiden international century, but left with only the No. 11, James Anderson, for company, he was given out leg before to Josh Hazlewood for 98. While he reviewed the decision successfully – Hawk-Eye suggested the ball would have missed leg stump – it was all to no avail: more replays showed that Anderson, backing up desperately, did not reach the striker’s end before Glenn Maxwell threw down the stumps with a direct hit. So Taylor had been given out, reprieved and left stranded all from the same delivery. Afterwards, the ICC confirmed that the dismissal should not have stood, with the ball considered dead after Aleem Dar’s original decision was made.Change of the day
It appeared that England had a settled line-up. It appeared that, through the tri-series and the warm-up games ahead of this tournament, they were going to play Ravi Bopara at No. 6 as a batsman who finishes and a bowler who can contribute if required. It appeared they had invested in allowing players to familiarise themselves with their specific positions and roles. But, at the last minute, they had a change of plan and Bopara made way for Gary Ballance, who had not played a List A game since September 2 and was not in the ODI tour party when England toured Sri Lanka just before Christmas. And, as England decided to bat Ballance at No. 3 it meant moving James Taylor. In 10 of his 11 ODI innings he had batted at No. 3 (the other was at No. 5) but now, in perhaps the biggest game of his career to date, he was asked to fulfil the finishing role.Celebration of the day
The moment Aaron Finch flicked the ball to the leg-side boundary to bring up his century, he punched the air and gave an enormous leap of pure joy. This century clearly meant a great deal to him. As well it might: not only was he playing on his home ground, but it made him the fourth Australian to score a century on World Cup debut. Trevor Chappell, Geoff Marsh (whose son, Mitchell, also took a World Cup debut five-for in this game) and Andrew Symonds are the others.Finn-ish of the day
With 2 for 71 from 9.3 overs, it seemed Steven Finn was destined to leave the MCG with unremarkable figures. That changed in his last three deliveries – also the last deliveries of the Australia innings – when he claimed an unusual hat-trick and finished with the second five-wicket haul of his ODI career. They were hardly taken in the style traditional for a fast bowler, though. Two were due to outstanding boundary catches, one by Stuart Broad at third man and the other Joe Root at long-off, while the third came when Mitchell Johnson thrashed a slower ball to mid-off. The damage had long been done, though, and it may be a haul Finn recalls with little pleasure.Drop of the day
England were desperate for early wickets. They knew that the best way to contain a batting line-up with a man at No. 10 – Mitchell Starc – who has scored 99 in a Test, was to strike with the new ball and force Australia into a more cautious approach. So when Finch mistimed the fifth ball of the match, deceived by Anderson’s inswing, and offered a catch to midwicket it seemed England had made the perfect start. But Chris Woakes, nerves having made his limbs stiff and his hands hard, was slow to move to the ball and instead of claiming the catch, let the ball burst through his hands. The ball was above his head and hit reasonably hard but, by international standards, it was not an especially difficult catch. It was a mistake that Finch punished severely.Miss of the day
Beating Australia at the MCG is always tough. But if you drop both openers within the first five overs, it becomes desperately tough. The second drop – and in truth, Moeen Ali hardly laid a hand on the chance – came when David Warner drove ferociously at Anderson, but was unable to keep the ball on the ground. Moeen, diving to his left at mid-off, seemed slow to react and barely made contact as the ball sped to the boundary. Anderson, who could have had both openers out inside his first three overs, had the look of a man who could drink hot blood.Catch of the day
Australia’s fielding effort was not without its blemishes, with Finch dropping Taylor on 20, but they also took some very smart catches to back up their superiority with the bat. Brad Haddin’s diving effort to claim a toe-end edge of Eoin Morgan was notable but the pick of the lot was Steven Smith’s screamer to send Jos Buttler back. Mitchell Marsh had pitched the ball up outside off and Buttler struck a powerful drive that was on the rise as it went to Smith’s left, standing at extra cover. Smith seemed to have anticipated the stroke, however. and leapt to take the catch with both hands. Australia were not letting this one go.
