Aaron Finch is record-breaking innings saw Australia to a first competitive international win in 200 days as they beat England by 39 runs in the 1st Twenty20 international at Southampton on Thursday.
England, who wrapped up a 3-0 Ashes series win with a draw at The Oval on Sunday, of course lost early wickets when faced with such a colossal chase and completed on 209 for 6 in this day/night fixture. Win saw Australia go 1-0 up in a 2-match series that conclude in Durham on Saturday.
The wicket was flat and it was one of those days. There was no seam or spin so it was nice to get a few early boundaries and I took it on from there. Australia Twenty20 captain George Bailey said the only innings to compare with Finch was West Indies star Chris Gayle who in April scored the fastest century in all professional cricket, off 30 balls; during his 175 not out for the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Pune Warriors in the Twenty20 Indian Premier League.
We knew it was going to be a good wicket and history says it is tough to defend on this pitch but given it's been so long since we had a win we will take it, he added of a match where the teams' combined 457 runs was also a Twenty20 international record. Finch got off the mark, reached his 50, hundred and 150 with sixes.
Indeed his 14 sixes were also a world record for an individual T20 international innings, with Finch also striking 11 fours. Finch century was only the 10th in all T20 internationals, the first by an Australian and the first by any batsman in England.
Finch's surprising innings ended when he was bowled by seamer Jade Dernach who, in the midst of the mayhem, took 3 wickets for 34 runs in 4 overs. In view of the run-spree to come, England, who won the toss, ongoing well when danger man David Warner lost control of his bat as he holed out off Broad for one. From then on, the innings belong to Finch who struck an amazing six over cover on one knee off medium-pacer Ravi Bopara.
Dernbach finally bowled Finch and removed Shane Watson as Australia fell short of Sri Lanka's T20 international record team total of 260 for six against Kenya in Johannesburg in 2007.Australia opening bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazelwood took 4 wickets between them as England slumped to 42 for 4, with their side showing just 2 survivors from The Oval in Broad and Joe Root.
However, it was Root's commendable 90 not out -- his first T20 international innings -- off just 49 balls, including 13 fours and 1 six that prevented a humiliating loss.
Score Details
Australia-248/6
Highest Score
A Finch -156(63 balls)
S Watson -37(16)
England-209/6
J Root -90(49)
R Bopara 45(29)
Men of the match
A Finch
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