Sydney - The England cricket team confounded the pundits Friday to score an upset victory over hosts Australia in a tri-nations contest that also includes New Zealand.
'It's taken a while to come,' captain Andrew Flintoff said of a 92-run triumph over the home side in a one-day international in Sydney. 'I thought we played great tonight. It's a great feeling.'
And so it should be: England have been in Australia for 83 days, have played 10 matches against the hosts and this is the first time they have even been competitive.
The cynical would say Australia engineered an England victory by resting star players, including captain Ricky Ponting and paceman Brett Lee.
The Sydney Cricket Ground was just a quarter full when Flintoff won the toss and elected to bat. Spectators booed at his decision, believing that once again the match would be over before the regulation 100 overs were bowled.
Tickets that were being offered at 10 times their cover price at the start of the tour we posted on internet auction site eBay for just five dollars.
The hens' teeth win over Australia gives England an outside chance of a longer respite from the northern hemisphere winter and a stay in Australia for the finals of the tri-nations series.
England are now equal with New Zealand on 9 points while Australia are on 27 and guaranteed a spot in the best-of-three finals matches.
Australia meet New Zealand in Melbourne on Sunday. England and New Zealand clash in the last round-robin match on Tuesday in Brisbane, with the best-of-three finals series starting in Melbourne on February 9.
England scored their highest total of the series, 7-292, led by man-of-the-match Ed Joyce's 107, It was the 28-year-old Irishman's maiden one-day international century. In fact, it was England's first ton in 16 one-day internationals.
Opener Joyce shared a 111-run stand for the second wicket with Ian Bell (51). Glenn McGrath (2-51) and debutant Shaun Tait (2-68) were Australia's only multiple wicket-takers, with 23-year-old Tait conceding nine of Australia's 19 wides.
In reply, Australia performed in what some took as a cruel parody of the England of yore. Adam Gilchrist was out first ball and Brad Hodge followed next over for one.
Michael Clarke (18) became star bowler Liam Plunkett's second victim before Symonds and Hayden added 71 off 50 balls for the fourth wicket.
Within the space of five overs Australia lost Hayden, Mike Hussey (6) and British-born Symonds. England must now beat a feisty New Zealand in their next game to qualify for the finals.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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