4th ODI England v Australia: Buttler delivers as England win despite McKay hat-trick

Jos Buttler made an unbeaten half-century as England shrugged off Clint McKay's hat-trick to win the fourth one-day international against Australia by three wickets on Saturday to set up a series decider on Monday.

Buttler guided England, chasing 228 for victory, home in Cardiff with three balls to spare after hitting 65 including a six off Mitchell Johnson in the final over.

The five-match series is tied at 1-1 after the first and third games were washed out by rain.

England were reeling at eight for three after fast bowler McKay dismissed Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root in the third over.

Pietersen was trapped lbw for five, Trott edged a catch to Aaron Finch at second slip and Root nicked a full-length delivery to Shane Watson at first slip as McKay became only the fifth Australian to take a hat-trick in one-day internationals.

England recovered with opener Michael Carberry and captain Eoin Morgan sharing a stand of 104.

Morgan was bowled for 53 and when Carberry, who had progressed to 63, his maiden ODI half-century, became debutant Nathan Coulter-Nile's first ODI victim, England still had work to do.

Ravi Bopara fell cheaply, allowing Ben Stokes (25) to join Buttler and the pair added 75 to take the hosts to the brink of victory.

Australia's 227 all out owed much to George Bailey's fluent 87 off 91 balls.

England fast bowler Steven Finn removed Aaron Finch in the first over and Watson made only six before nicking a catch to wicketkeeper Buttler off Boyd Rankin.

Shaun Marsh (25) and captain Michael Clarke (22) also fell cheaply but Bailey received solid support from Adam Voges (30) and Matthew Wade (36) in testing batting conditions.

Bailey, who hit three sixes and five fours, was eyeing a century when he edged Rankin to Buttler and spinner James Tredwell took three wickets as Australia were bowled out in the 49th over.

ENGLAND INNINGS

England pulled off a thrilling three-wicket in the fourth one-day international against Australia in Cardiff to level the series on Saturday.

Chasing a target of 228, England were home with three balls to spare thanks to a fluent unbeaten 65 off 48 balls by Jos Buttler.

Ben Stokes chipped in with an invaluable 25 during a breezy seventh wicket stand of 75 with Buttler who hit the winning runs smashing a six and a boundary in the last over from Johnson.

England were on the ropes at three down for just eight runs after a sensational hat-trick by Clint McKay who removed Pietersen, Trott and Root in successive balls in the third over of the innings.

Skipper Eoin Morgan (53) and Carberry (63) rebuilt the innings with a dogged stand of 104 for the fourth wicket.

McKay finished with excellent figures of 10-3-39-4.

Following a dot ball, Buttler smacks Johnson down the ground for a boundary as England win by three wickets and three balls to spare and level the series 1-1.

Buttler clobbers the first ball of the last over from Johnson for a massive six to tie the scores.

England need seven off the last over with Buttler on strike and Johnson bowling. Eng 221-7 in 49 overs.

McKay returns to bowl Stoke and revive Australia's faint hopes of victory. Eng 219-7 in 48.1 overs need 9 from 11 balls.

Ben Stokes b McKay 25 (29b 3x4 0x6)

Stokes pulls Johnson to midwicket for a boundary. Eng 219-6 in 48 overs need 9 from 12 balls.

Buttler hits his second ODI half century. Eng 210-6 in 47 overs need 18 from 18 balls.

Buttler hammers a straight six off Faulkner. Eng 205-6 in 46 overs need 23 from 24 balls.

Buttler and Stokes bring up their 50 partnership. Eng 196-6 in 45 overs need 32 from 30 balls.

England need a run a ball being 192-6 in 44 overs need 36 from 36 balls.

Buttler edges Watson to the third man fence in consecutive deliveries. Eng 189-6 in 43 overs need 39 from 42 balls.

Stokes flicks Johnson to the fine leg fence. Eng 175-6 in 42 overs needing 53 from 48 balls.

Buttler cracks Faulkner straight down the ground for a boundary. Eng 167-6 in 41 overs needing 61 from 54 balls.

Stokes gets a boundary off Johnson with the ball falling just short of Finch at third man. Eng 159-6 in 40 overs needing 69 for 60 balls.

Faulkner removes Bopara trapping him leg before as England slump to 144-6

Ravi Bopara lbw b Faulkner 7 (19b 0x4 0x6)

Buttler survives after being adjudged lbw off Watson with the decision being successfully overtuned after a review. Eng 139-5 in 37 overs.

Buttler hits his first boundary with a lovely cover drive off Coulter-Nile. Eng 133-5 in 36 overs.

Coulter-Nile takes his maiden wicket bowling Carberry round his legs as Australia tighten their grip on the match. Aus 126-5

Michael Carberry b Coulter-Nile 63 (95b 7x4 0x6)

Wade has dropped a regulation catch off Bopara on nought off Watson. Eng 120-4 in 33 overs.

Carberry cuts Coulter-Nile over gully for another boundary. Eng 117-4 in 32 overs.

Just when England appeared to have rebuilt their innings with a century stand, Watson brings Australia right back into the match with a key wicket of Morgan. Eng 112-4 in 31 overs.

Watson strikes as Morgan chops the ball onto his stumps. Eng 112-4

Eoin Morgan b Watson 53 (92b 7x4 0x6)

Morgan drives Watson through the covers for a boundary to complete his 19th ODI half century.

Carberry completes his maiden ODI half century with a single off Watson which also brings up the 100-partnership for the unfinished fourth wicket with Morgan.

Carberry smashes a boundary off Coulter-Nile and gets his half century with a single.

Carberry pulls Johnson through backward square leg for a boundary. Eng 89-3 in 26 overs.

Morgan finally goes over the top nearly hitting a six to long-off off Watson. Eng 50-3 in 19 overs.

McKay bowls a third maiden over to tighten the screws on England. Eng 26-3 in 9 overs

Carberry gets a boundary with an straight on-drive off Johnson. Eng 21-3 in 6 overs

McKay bowls a maiden following his hat-trick over. Eng 16-3 in 5 overs

Morgan cracks Johnson through point for his first boundary. Eng 16-3 in 4 overs.

Sensational start by Australia as McKay claims a hat-trick in his second over sending back Pietersen, Trott and Root in successive balls. Eng 8-3 in 3 overs

McKay claims a hat-trick as Root edges to be caught at first slip by Watson. Eng 8-3

Joe Root c Watson b McKay 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Double trouble for England as Trott is gone for a golden duck edging to Finch at second slip and McKay is on a hat-trick. Eng 8-2

Jonathan Trott c Finch b McKay 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

McKay draws first blood trapping Pietersen plumb in front. Eng 8-1.

Kevin Pietersen lbw b McKay 5 (8b 1x4 0x6)

Pietersen flicks McKay through square leg for the first boundary of the England innings. Eng 6-0 in 1 over.

AUSTRALIA INNINGS

Australia were dismissed for 227 in 48.2 overs despite a belligerent half century from George Bailey (87) in the fourth one-day international against England at Cardiff on Saturday.

Put into bat by Eoin Morgan after Clarke called wrong, England rocked the visitors who lost Finch and Watson by the fourth over to be 11 for two.

Clarke led a brief recover with Marsh before both departed in quick succession as Australia slumped to 57-4 in the 14th over.

Australia fought back thereafter with Bailey figuring in partnerships of 67 for the fifth wicket with Voges (30) and 86 for the sixth with Wade (36).

But England, seeking to level the series, regained the initiative as Australia lost their last five wickets for 18 runs in eight overs.

Bailey knock contained five boundaries and three sixes.

Tredwell claims his third wicket bowling McKay as Australia are all out for 227 in 48.2 overs.

Clint McKay b Tredwell 2 (12b 0x4 0x6)

Coulter-Nile cracks a boundary off Finn who finishes with figures of 2-43. Aus 225-9 in 47 overs.

Rankin strikes as Bailey nicks one behind to become the third victim of Buttler. Aus 218-9.

George Bailey c Buttler b Rankin 87 (91b 5x4 3x6)

Tredwell bowls Johnson through the game as Australia collapse to 218-8.

Mitchell Johnson b Tredwell 4 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Faulkner is run out as Australia slump to 210 for seven.

James Faulkner run out 1 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Carberry takes a superb at backward point to dismiss Wade who drives Tredwell only to get a thick outside edge. Aus 209-6

Mathew Wade c Carberry b Tredwell 36 (40b 3x4 0x6)

Wade hammers Root through the cover for a boundary. Aus 204-5 in 41 overs.

Bailey cracks three boundaries off Stokes in the final batting Powerplay over. Aus 192-5 in 39 overs.

Wade slams a boundary over point off Finn. Aus 177-5 in 38 overs.

Bailey slams Stokes uppishly through point for a boundary. Aus 160-5 in 35 overs.

Wade gets a boundary off Bopara who goes for 11 as drinks come onto the field. Aus 153-5 in 34 overs.

Bailey goes on the offensive hammering a six and a boundary off Tredwell. Aus 142-5 in 33 overs.

Bopara strikes bowling Voges as Australia slump to 124-5.

Adam Voges b Bopara 30 (52b 2x4 0x6)

Bailey smashes another six off Tredwell this time over long-on. Aus 118-4 in 29 overs.

Voges edges Bopara past Buttler for a boundary. Aus 99-4 in 26 overs.

Bailey hits the first six of the match smashing Tredwell into the stands. Aus 92-4 in 25 overs.

Voges hits his first boundary clipping Rankin to long leg. Aus 67-4 in 18 overs.

Stokes bowls a maiden as the first drinks break is taken. Aus 57-4 in 15 overs.

Clarke is adjudged leg before off Finn with Australia being unsuccessful with the decision review with the ball nipping back and replays showing it would have clipped the stumps. Aus 57-4

Michael Clarke lbw b Finn 22 (28b 3x4 0x6)

Clarke hits a boundary off Finn down the ground.

Stokes strikes as Marsh perishes attempting to hook a bouncer only to give an edge behind. Aus 51-3

Shaun Marsh c Buttler b Stokes 25 (40b 5x4 0x6)

Australia step on the gas with Clarke and Marsh getting a boundary apiece off Rankin. Aus 50-2 in 12 overs.

Marsh hits a couple of boundaries off Stokes on either side of the wicket. Aus 41-2 in 11 overs.

Clarke pulls a short ball from Rankin which goes off a top edge to long leg for his first boundary. Aus 27-2 in 8 overs.

Marsh gets his first boundary with a straight drive past Finn. Aus 15-2 in 5 overs.

Rankin strikes as Watson gets an outside going for a drive to be caught behind. Aus 11-2

Shane Watson c Buttler b Rankin 6 (11b 1x4 0x6)

Watson hits the first boundary of the match driving Finn uppishly over point. Aus 11-1 in 3 overs.

Finn bowls a wide first ball and trap Finch leg before with his second delivery. Aus 1-1

Aaron Finch lbw b Finn 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

England have won the toss and elected to bowl first in the 4th one-day interantional against Australia at Cardiff on Saturday.

Australia lead the series 1-0 with two matches being abandoned due to rain.

Australia have made one change with Nathan Coulter-Nile replacing Josh Hazlewood.

PLAYING XI

England: Michael Carberry, Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, James Tredwell, Steven Finn, Boyd Rankin

Australia: Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, George Bailey, Adam Voges, Matthew Wade, James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint McKay
 

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