"Karma hits back" - Twitter reacts as England get humbled by Australia in the first ODI
Days after their famous T20 World Cup 2022 win against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, England were put to the sword by Australia at Adelaide Oval.
The Adelaide Oval happens to be the same stadium where England battered India in the semi-finals of the recently concluded tournament, with a 10-wicket win.
The world champions were always on the backfoot since losing the toss prior to the contest and now face a 1-0 deficit in the three-match series.
Pat Cummins, leading Australia in ODIs for the first time since being appointed as captain following Aaron Finch's retirement, had a good outing leading his troops.
He dealt the first blow by dismissing Phil Salt in the fourth over. England soon found themselves reeling at 66-4 and required a masterclass from Dawid Malan to rescue them.
The left-handed batter almost single-handedly steered England to a competitive total of 287-9 with his highest ODI score of 134, which included 12 fours and four sixes.
England, who were without the services of their first-string bowlers like Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, and Ben Stokes, turned up flat with the ball. David Warner and Travis Head stitched up a magnificent 147-run opening partnership which set things up for the middle order to chase the total down.
England fans sympathized with the team's performance, which came only four days after their T20 World Cup triumph, but were also dejected with the display on offer. Here are some of the reactions on the social media platform:
Karma hits back :)
#AUSvsENG @englandcricket
@englandcricket No one cares. Let Jos get back to bed
@englandcricket https://t.co/dMr2GWEsty
@englandcricket One pointless game down two to go. https://t.co/Gy5mm9RBGy
@englandcricket Well done Australia! https://t.co/PXqKncaT9O
@CricCrazyJohns Fluke champion beaten by Aussie
@CricCrazyJohns Real cricket is back..
Fluke format T20 is over.
@englandcricket Nice of England to give Roy, Billings and Vince a benefit series.
@englandcricket Hardly matters in the long run except for Roy's continuing struggles.
Definitely need a new opener for the World Cup, right?
@TheBarmyArmy World champions 😂😂😂😂 that joke lasted a whole 4 days
@TheBarmyArmy Owned double world champions
@TheBarmyArmy England cricket back to Normalcy in Australia.
@TheBarmyArmy Enjoy that Mickey Mouse World Cup win. Everyone knows australia would’ve won if it wasn’t for the wash out
@TheBarmyArmy Smith owns England..
@TheBarmyArmy World Champions unable to defend 270+ 😬 https://t.co/ItH0E084OQ
@TheBarmyArmy Making the movie '4 days of fame '
Warner, Head, and Smith all record fifties as Australia finish the chase off with over three overs to spare
Travis Head settled seamlessly at the top of the order after being promoted once again following Aaron Finch's retirement. The left-handed opening pair scored sublime fifties as the England bowlers had no answer on a rather flat track in Adelaide.
The onus was shifted to Steve Smith in the second half of the chase once the opening partnership was broken. Warner missed out on his ton by 14 runs when he was dismissed by David Willey.
The hosts faced a slight stutter during the run chase with the quick dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey. However, Steve Smith, who has been rather subdued due to the focus being on T20Is as of late, stepped up with an unbeaten 80 off 78 deliveries to help the Aussies cross the line in the end.
Who will win the ODI series between Australia and England? Let us know what you think.