Weather ends England’s efforts to square series with Australia
ENGLAND’S hopes of levelling the one-day international series with Australia were washed away yesterday, after their clash at Edgbaston was abandoned due to persistent rainfall.
It was the second time in this series a match had been abandoned due to the weather with no play possible in the first ODI in Leeds.
The hosts, fielding an unchanged XI from the team that lost by 88 runs at Old Trafford on Sunday, were asked to bat first after losing the toss and made a stuttering start.
Opener Michael Carberry (one) was inexplicably run out in the first over after some mis-communication with Kevin Pietersen, who opted to push for a single while the Hampshire batsman stood flat-footed at the other end.
And Pietersen (six) was next to go with the score on 26 after pulling a Mitchell Johnson (1-20) delivery to George Bailey at square leg.
Jonathan Trott steadied matters hitting 28 off 41 balls, before Joe Root (12) was out caught and bowled by Adam Voges (1-3).
However, with England in a precarious position on 59-3 at the start of Voges second over, and the 16th of the morning, the rain fell and did not disappear.
The match was eventually called off shortly after 7pm, leaving Australia 1-0 up in the series with two matches to play. The next is at Cardiff on Saturday.