Australia Masters Seal a Thrilling Win with Key Knocks from Dan Christian and Nathan Reardon to Defeat England by 3 Wickets
Chasing a target of 209 runs, Australia's opening pair was a bit unconventional, with Dan Christian partnering Shaun Marsh at the top of the order. Eoin Morgan and Ryan Sidebottom opened the bowling attack for England. Australia got off to a strong start, scoring 25 runs in just 2 overs. The momentum escalated when the openers struck Tim Bresnan for 21 runs in the fourth over. However, Bresnan managed to claim the wicket of Shaun Marsh on the last ball of that over, providing England with their first breakthrough. Despite this, Dan Christian continued to find boundaries with ease, maintaining Australia's momentum.
Nathan Reardon was also promoted up the order for this match, and his role became clear as he quickly adapted to the pace of the game, aggressively attacking the England bowlers. Together, the two batsmen formed a dynamic partnership, adding a rapid 50-run stand and accumulating 75 runs in the first 6 overs.
The hitting spree continued, with Dan Christian being the first to reach his half-century. Just as Australia was building their score, Eoin Morgan introduced spinner Monty Panesar, who dismissed Dan Christian for 61 runs off 28 balls, leaving the score at 104 for 2 in 9.1 overs.
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At this stage, Nathan Reardon was well-settled and continued to regularly find the boundary. He reached his fifty in style, swiftly shifting gears while managing a few dot balls. He received support from Peter Neville, who also played well, striking boundaries under pressure.
With 48 runs needed off the last four overs, Nathan Reardon attacked Darren Maddy, scoring 22 runs in one over, which brought the required run rate down from 12 to below 8 per over. Reardon's aggressive batting continued in the next over until Tim Bresnan dismissed him for a well-made 83 runs off just 39 balls, bringing Australia closer to finishing the chase. He received a huge ovation as he left the field.
With only 7 runs needed off the last 2 overs, Australia lost three quick wickets due to Tim Bresnan, who managed to trap the batters as they went for glory shots. However, with just 2 runs required in the final over, Ryan Sidebottom bowled a wide, leading Australia to a thrilling victory by 3 wickets.
Australia maintained their aggressive approach throughout the chase, except for losing 5 quick wickets in the last 4 overs, which was the only drawback in the innings. Overall, it was an impressive chase at Raipur.
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For England, the defeat adds to their frustrations, as they leave yet another tournament without a victory. This match concluded the league stage of the IMLT20 2025, with India Masters, West Indies Masters, Sri Lanka Masters, and Australia Masters qualifying for the playoffs. For more details, check the IMLT20 2025 points table and play-off schedule to see if your favourite team made it to the playoffs.
More About England vs Australia International Masters League 2025 Match
England Masters vs Australia Masters Live Scorecard
