Violent thunderstorms erupted

Rain brought a premature end to England’s chase of a challenging Australia target in a one-day cricket international on Tuesday.

As evening fell over this Midlands city, violent thunderstorms erupted as England prepared to chase 261 after an incident-packed Australia innings.

England faced only six overs, reaching 37 for one before rain returned for the third time to end the tri-series match. Floodlights for the evening match had to be lowered because of the danger from lightning.

Andrew Strauss smashed veteran bowler Glenn McGrath for four fours in one over when England batted, but McGrath had him caught by Jason Gillespie for 25 from what turned out to be the last ball of the match.

Australia’s innings, played in glorious sunshine on a two-paced track, had it all: A belligerent 74 in 75 balls from allrounder Andrew Symonds, a clash between opener Matthew Hayden and English fielders that nearly turned violent, and a bizarre run out. The teams had already qualified ahead of Bangladesh for Saturday’s NatWest series final at Lord’s but there was still plenty of bite to the game.

Early on, Simon Jones hurled the ball at Hayden from about 20 yards. Jones apologized immediately but a furious Hayden shouted at the bowler and then argued with fielders Strauss and Paul Collingwood, with whom he appeared to collide.

Jones had already dismissed opener Adam Gilchrist for 19, then after the flareup he trapped Hayden leg before wicket for 14. At 46-2, Symonds and Ricky Ponting steadied the innings with a 49-run partnership before the captain became one of five catches by wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, off the bowling of Andrew Flintoff. Symonds was dropped for the first two matches of the triangular tournament for a breach of curfew.

He returned last week with a match-winning 73 against England, and came to Australia’s rescue again on Tuesday, settling himself in before smashing two sixes and six fours.

But he lost his wicket in bizarre fashion.

With teammate Michael Hussey sprinting for a second run, Symonds stood his ground. Hussey dived for the crease as Collingwood’s 40-yard throw scored a direct hit on the stumps. Hussey was out of his ground and started to walk, thinking he had been run out, but the umpires called him back to tell him he was still in as Symonds had been standing a yard away from the stumps and was out.

Hussey and Symonds put on an invaluable 101 runs to take the score to 224-5 with seven overs left.

But Australia squandered the foundation, with five wickets falling for 30 runs, and only 37 runs added after Symonds left to finish on 261-9.

Geraint Jones pocketed three more catches to dismiss Hussey, Michael Clarke and Brad Hogg, but not before Hussey scored 45 from 42 balls.

Darren Gough (3-70) accounted for the tail-enders, and Steve Harmison (2-38) finished with the best bowling figures. Australia meets Bangladesh in the last preliminary match on Thursday at Canterbury.

Australia 1st innings
A. Gilchrist c G. Jones b S. Jones 19
M. Hayden lbw b S. Jones 14
R. Ponting c G. Jones b Flintoff 34
D. Martyn c Pietersen b Harmison 36
A. Symonds run out 74
M. Hussey c G. Jones b Harmison 45
M. Clarke c G. Jones b Gough 3
B. Hogg c G. Jones b Gough 2
B. Lee not out 21
J. Gillespie c Pietersen b Gough 1
G. McGrath not out 2
Extras (b-1 lb-4 nb-1 w-4) 10
Total (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 261
Fall of wickets: 1-34 2-46 3-95 4-123 5-223 6-234 7-236 8-242 9-254
Bowling
Gough 9 - 0 - 70 - 3 (nb-1)
S. Jones 10 - 2 - 53 - 2 (w-1)
Harmison 10 - 1 - 38 - 2 (w-1)
Flintoff 10 - 0 - 38 - 1
Giles 10 - 1 - 44 - 0 (w-2)
Vaughan 1 - 0 - 13 - 0

England 1st innings (D/L Target: 200 off 33)
M. Trescothick not out 11
A. Strauss c Gillespie b McGrath 25
Extras (nb-1) 1
Total (for 1 wickets, 6 overs) 37
Fall of wickets: 1-37
Did not bat: M. Vaughan, A. Flintoff, K. Pietersen, P. Collingwood, G.
Jones, A. Giles, D. Gough, S. Harmison, S. Jones
Bowling
Lee 3 - 0 - 13 - 0
McGrath 3 - 0 - 24 - 1 (nb-1)