Watson, Ponting hit centuries to carry Australia to final (Lead)
October 3rd, 2009 - 4:07 am ICT by IANSCenturion, Oct 3 (IANS) Unbeaten centuries from opener Shane Watson and skipper Ricky Ponting kept defending champions Australia in contention to retain the title after they knocked out England from the Champions Trophy with nine wickets in the semi-final at the SuperSport Park here Friday.
Chasing a target of 258, Watson (136 not out) and Ricky Ponting (111 not out) were in complete control of the game as Australia romped home in 41.5 overs.
England were bowled out for 257 runs in 47.4 overs after captain Andrew Strauss opted to bat.
Watson and Ponting mocked the English bowling and shared an unbroken stand of 252 for the second wicket and surpassed many records enroute to the win. Australia will now play the winner of the match between Pakistan and New Zealand in the final.
Both Ponting and Watson were in complete command of the innings after opening batsman Tim Paine departed early in the second over.
Ponting scored his 28th ODI century during his 115 balls innings, while Man of the match Watson with his 136 not out from 132 balls scored his highest and third century in 89 games.
Earlier in the day, a defiant 107-run seventh-wicket stand between Luke Wright (48) and Tim Bresnan (80) pulled out England after they were in total disarray at 101 for six. Joe Denly (36) and Paul Collingwood (34) also played crucial knocks.
Peter Siddle picked up three for 55, while Brett Lee and Shane Watson bagged two wickets each.
- Australia declare at 505/8, BP XI tottering at 143/6 - Sep 26, 2010
- England a sniff away from retaining Ashes at MCG - Dec 28, 2010
- Bangalore Test poised to be another India-Australia humdinger - Oct 12, 2010
- England close to claiming "bragging rights" after win against Australia in Cardiff ODI - Jun 25, 2010
- Australia beat England by four runs to win in Melbourne Twenty20 - Jan 14, 2011
- England set 258-run target for Australia - Oct 02, 2009
- Scoreboard: Australia vs. England, semi-final, Champions Trophy - Oct 03, 2009
- Nielsen urges Ponting to strike form against India - Mar 22, 2011
- Can India end Australia's dominance in World Cup? (Preview) - Mar 23, 2011
- Dravid scores century, India falter again (Lead) - Aug 22, 2011
- Australia too good for New Zealand (Lead) - Feb 25, 2011
- England bowlers decimate Australia on day one of Adelaide Ashes Test - Dec 03, 2010
- Australia in Champions Trophy final - Oct 03, 2009
- Ponting, Clarke double centuries put Australia in command (Roundup) - Jan 25, 2012
- Cook, Kieswetter power England to victory in second ODI (Third Lead) - Sep 07, 2011
Tags: andrew strauss, bresnan, brett lee, centuries, centurion, champions trophy, collingwood, complete control, contention, match, nine wickets, odi, ponting, ricky, shane watson, siddle, target, tim paine, total disarray, wicket
