Watch the highlights of Australia vs England 4th Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1987 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 4th ODI match played between England and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 22nd January 1987.
Allan Lamb hit 18 off final-over of the match as England pulled off a unbelievable three-wicket victory over Australia, despite a Dirk Wellham's brilliant 97 in a last-over thriller of the fourth match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
Australia scored 233-8 in 50 overs with top scorer by Dirk Wellham cracked a 97 off 144-balls - who fell three-run short of his century - including five boundaries.
Geoff Marsh hit 47 off 67-balls - who fell three-run short of his half-century - including 2-fours and Dean Jones hammered a 34 off 23-balls included 2-fours & a six with strike rate of 147.82.
England best bowler by John Emburey picked up 3-wickets for 42-runs in 9-overs, Graham Dilley, Phil Edmonds both took 2-wickets and one for Phil DeFreitas.
England chased 234-7 in 49.5 overs with top scorer by Allan Lamb hit a unbeaten 77 off 102-balls including 3-fours & a six.
David Gower scored 50 off 66-balls including two boundaries, Chris Broad cracked a 45 off 58-balls included 4-fours and Ian Botham hit 27 off 30-balls with 2-fours.
Australia best bowler by Simon O'Donnell picked up 3-wickets for 39-runs in 8-overs, Steve Waugh, Peter Taylor and Bruce Reid each took one-wickets.
This match reported by Peter West (Third Party Reference from The Daily Telegraph)
ALLAN LAMB struck 18 off the first five balls of the final over to steer England to a palpitating and, at the climax, improbable win over Australia by three wickets.
It was an important victory, too, since it put England on top of the preliminary table in the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup. They play West Indies, who have a game in hand, in Adelaide on Saturday.
I doubt if many English supporters among a host of 36,463 under the Sydney floodlights gave much for their team's chance when, with three wickets in hand-but Lamb still there they needed 25 off the last two overs.
Even less, for sure, when Lamb and DeFreitas managed only seven from the penaltimate over, leaving 18 required off the last, bowled by Reid, the fastest and most accurate member of Australia's attack.
With quite remarkable aplomb Lamb took two off the first ball, four to square leg off the next, and an enormous six to midwicket off the third.
Crucial overthrow
Six wanted now, off the last three balls-a different picture altogether. He then took a single into the covers, and there was certainly only one run in the stroke until an overthrow crucially got him back down at the receiving end.
One more ball was all that an inspired Lamb required; he clattered it straight to the square leg boundary. Following a performance like that, there could be only one man of the match.
His 77 not out was made from 102 balls. Remarkably he received 99 of them before striking his first four, in that memorable over.
England had done much of the hard work in daylight, when limiting the Australian innings. after a prosperous start and middle, to 233 for eight wickets. Border had won the toss.
At that point they had no business to lose the match on a pitch as flat and easy paced as any they have encountered on this tour.
Nor had they - although Athey was soon out, caught behind - after Broad had launched their reply by making 46 out of 51 with a flow of graceful strokes.
Broad has had a great tour and no doubt pressures are telling on everybody towards the end of it. But it has to be said that he played some frivolous shots towards the end of his innings, and got out to the sort you might regularly see of a Sunday afternoon.
That made it harder for those who followed. But Gower and Lamb put their heads down and, pacing their effort shrewdly, made 86 for the third wicket off the next 20 overs.
At that stage it was a satisfactory rate of progress even though Gower, off a fine stroke not quite kept down, fell to a good catch at extra cover.
Gatting, pressing too soon, heaved at O'Donnell and was bowled. That brought in Botham with England needing 75 off the last 10 overs.
Forty-three were added in the next seven before Botham, his progress watchful, was bowled by Waugh. Emburey, coming in next as a man for all occasions, was run out by Waugh's direct hit on the stumps from the covers. Richards was caught at extra.
It probably did not matter too much that Waugh put down DeFreitas, off Reid, in the 48th over. By then there was only one man in charge.
The Australian innings, standing at one point on 189 for two, had threatened to set England a more demanding target. England's bowlers were thankful to be rid of the dangerous Jones for a modest 34 but, no doubt, were wondering how Border would control matters during a final charge.
They must have been even more gratified, therefore, to see Border depart for only 13. nicely taken by Dilley, from Emburcy's bowling, at long off.
It was a good catch. Dilley had time to contemplate that not long before he had missed a running catch by the sight screen when the ball went through his hands.
Edmonds was the luckless bowler then, the batsman being Wellham, who had gone in first and was sixth out for 97 made off 145 balls.
The success of New South Wales's captain on his own terrain was much to the liking of his supporters. Yet the fact was that, after Border had been dismissed, Wellham was no better able to raise the tempo than a much more weary Athey had been against Australia in Brisbanc last Sunday.
All credit to England's out-cricket and they way Gatting handled it. But Australia's batting in the last 10 overs, producing only 43 runs, was uninspired and even immature. O'Donnell, with a swollen eye, was unable to bat.
:
