England's Liam Plunkett (right) is congratulated by teammate Ian Bell (left) after dismissing Australia's Glenn McGrath (not pictured) during their one-day international cricket match in Sydney yesterday. - ReutersSYDNEY (Reuters):
England ended a run of nine straight losses to Australia with a stunning 92-run win over the world champions in a tri-series one-day international yesterday.
Irish-born batsman Ed Joyce belted 107 and Ian Bell made 51 to help England make an imposing total of 292 for seven from their 50 overs, just a week after they bowled out for 110.
Australia could only manage 200 in reply, bowled out in the 39th over after Matthew Hayden top scored with 51 and Andrew Symonds made 39 before retiring hurt with a bicep injury.
England's surprise win, which followed five straight defeats in the Ashes Test series, losing a one-off Twenty/20 matches, then three one-dayers to Australia, suddenly opens up the prospect of them reaching the finals if they can win the last game against New Zealand next week.
"It's taken a while to come," England captain Andrew Flintoff said at the post-match presentation.
"We had a point to prove. We wanted to beat Australia and if we didn't do it tonight that might have been our last chance."
Australia's defeat was their first in any form of the game since the preliminary rounds of last year's Champions Trophy in India, but they only had themselves to blame.
The loss of captain Ricky Ponting before the toss did not help but they were sloppy in the field, dropping several catches and bowling 19 wides. Their chances of winning ended when Symonds retired hurt.
Stand-in Australia skipper Adam Gilchrist said: "We were out there to play and we were up for it, but we just couldn't execute the way we wanted to and sustain any real pressure with the ball.
"Good overs were followed by expensive overs, and with the bat we just didn't get the partnerships going.
"But it's not all doom and gloom for us....this just highlights that we've still got a lot to work on and improve."
