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Australia's star batting troika of David Warner, Steve Smith and Travis Head dazzled with half centurion-knock apiece to earn a facile six-wicket victory over the World champion England in the first ODI in Adelaide on Thursday (November 17). Warner took up the mantle with 86 off 84, which was brilliantly complemented by Smith's unbeaten 80 off 78 and Head's 69 off 57 as Australia overhauled England's 288-run target with 19 balls to spare despite Dawid Malan's towering century for the losing cause. England's reign as double white-ball champions began with a hapless defeat.
During the game's later stages when Cameron Green (20 not out off 28 balls) was batting alongside Smith, England captain Jos Buttler came up with a cheeky comment while standing behind the stumps in an attempt to throw the Aussie all-rounder off his game. During the 41st over of the Australian innings bowled by Liam Dawson, Green tried to assert his will but miscued his shot and almost handed a return catch to the bowler.
Reacting to Green's aggression with the bat, Buttler said, "Good to see someone playing a shot, Dawss!!"
Buttler was not done. The very next ball when Green defended the ball, the English captain continued, "Chasing the ink! Chasing the ink, Daws!! Big auction coming up, Daws!!"
Green scored 118 runs in three matches at a stunning strike rate of 214.55 against India. After the world witnessed Green's swashbuckling exploits with the bat, star Australia's all-rounder Mitchell Marsh was unsurprised by his countryman's imperious show with the willow.
The Aussie all-rounder made a name for himself during the T20I series against India earlier in the year. In the absence of Warner, Green opened the batting for the Baggy Greens and scored 118 runs in three matches at a stunning strike rate of 214.55. After the series, another Aussie star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh also underlined that Green will make a ton of money moving forward.
"It’s just the start of his T20 career. The amount of money he’s going to earn over the next 10 years, I’m going to be looking for a couple of free feeds," Marsh said to cricket.com.au.
"People from the outside might be surprised but no one’s surprised (internally). He’s a super talent. He was given a role to go out and be really aggressive.
"Most importantly for me it’s the unselfishness – he’s got incredible skill, but for a young guy who hasn’t got a cemented spot in that team to play fearless cricket, that shows more about him than his actual skill," the all-rounder added.
