Tag: Australia vs England ODI series

MELBOURNE: Australian openers David Warner and Travis Head scored magnificent centuries to power their side to thrash England by a hefty 221 runs in the third ODI to complete the clean sweep.

Australia, batting first on the invitation of England captain Jos Buttler amassed a mammoth 355/5 in their quota of 50 overs at the back of brilliant centuries from Head and Warner.

The openers provided a solid start to their side as they stitched 269 for the first wicket as both scored centuries.

England pacer Olly Stone then made twin strikes in the 39th over to hand England much-needed breakthroughs as he removed both Warner and Head.

Head, who was the core aggressor of the astounding opening stand fell after top-scoring for Australia as he accumulated 152 runs for 130 deliveries, laced with 16 boundaries and four sixes.

Warner, on the other hand, scored an anchoring 106 off 102 balls with the help of eight boundaries and two sixes.

Following their dismissals, the Australian middle order added 86 runs to the total in the remaining 11 overs with Mitchell Marsh being the notable run-getter among them as he scored a quick 30 off 16 deliveries.

Despite a bad day for the English bowlers, Stone was the pick for England as bagged four wickets but was expensive, while Liam Dawson managed to make one scalp.

England then had to chase a DLS-adjusted target of 364 runs in 48 overs after rain interruption and failed miserably in pursuit as they bundled out for a mere 142 in the 32nd over.

Hard-hitting opener Jason Roy showcased grit with his cautious 48-ball 33, while the rest of the batters failed to sparkle in the massive run chase.

Besides Roy, only James Vince was the other notable run-getter with his 45-ball 22.

Adam Zampa led the Australian bowling attack with 4/31, while Sean Abbott and Pat Cummins bagged two wickets each.

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SYDNEY: Australia wrapped up the three-match one-day international series with a comprehensive 72-run win over England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Chasing 281 to level the series after Australia won the first match in Adelaide on Thursday, England appeared well on track as Sam Billings and James Vince shared a 122-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

But once Vince was trapped lbw by stand-in Australian captain Josh Hazlewood for 60, the English imploded, losing 4-13 to virtually hand the Australians the match.

On a tricky wicket at the SCG, Steve Smith continued the form he showed in Australia’s six-wicket win in Adelaide with a hard-fought 94 to help Australia to 280-8.

The target always looked difficult on a surface that was playing slow with the occasional bad bounce.

And England got the worst possible start to the run chase when Jason Roy tickled Mitchell Starc’s second delivery down the leg side to keeper Alex Carey.

Three balls later Starc got the key wicket of Dawid Malan with an almost unplayable ball that pitched on leg stump then swung back to take the top of off, leaving England staggering at two wickets for no runs.

Phil Salt and Vince kept playing with the aggression that the England white-ball teams are renowned for, and took the score to 34 after five overs.

But Salt tried one big shot too many, stepping away to try and smash Hazlewood over cover only to miss the ball and see it cannon into his stumps.

Any hopes Australia may have had of crashing through the England batting lineup were dashed by Vince and Billings.

The two mixed caution with aggression as they took the score to 156 before Vince was trapped by Hazlewood as he tried to hoist the Australian skipper over the square leg boundary.

England captain Moeen Ali came in and smashed leg spinner Adam Zampa for a four and a six, then missed a top spinner and was bowled.

At 168-5 after 28.3 overs, Australia were back in control and they tightened their grip one run later when Zampa bowled Billings for 71.

England wickets kept tumbling as Starc (4-47), Hazlewood (2-33) and Zampa (4-45) wrapped up the English tail.

Earlier, Smith’s 94 from 114 balls anchored the Australian innings after Hazlewood won the toss and decided to bat.

Hazlewood was brought into the side for captain Pat Cummins, who was rested with an eye to the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.

The pitch initially offered little help for the seamers but it deteriorated as the innings progressed.

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ADELAIDE: A superb Dawid Malan century was in vain as Australia cruised to a six-wicket win over England in their first one-day international at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

Malan hit a stylish 134 as England made 287-9, but it never looked enough on a flat batting track that offered nothing for the bowlers.

Australia were largely untroubled as they reached the target with 3.1 overs remaining.

“It was a fantastic performance, a team performance,” Australian captain Pat Cummins said.

“We came in here really fresh and keen to get back into it.”

The Australian openers had made light work of the England attack and were in control from the outset as both David Warner and Travis Head launched an all-out assault.

They brought up the century partnership in just 88 balls, with only Olly Stone able to contain the two left-handers.

Neither looked in any danger until Head pulled a short ball from Chris Jordan straight to Phil Salt at deep square leg to fall for 69.

Warner appeared headed for his first century in almost three years until, on 86, he pulled David Willey in the air and was well caught by Sam Billings at deep backward square.

But Steve Smith, who finished not out 80, was untroubled as he guided Australia home despite losing Marnus Labuschagne for four and Alex Carey for 21 along the way.

“We’ve got plenty of Test cricket coming up, to see Smithy play like this was really pleasing,” Cummins said.

Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl, and England were soon in trouble at 20-2 after four overs before Malan strode to the crease.

When he departed, they were 259-8 with the next highest score Jos Buttler’s 29.

The England captain, who four days ago lifted the Twenty20 World Cup trophy at the MCG, said he wasn’t concerned at the result.

“It’s all about the character we showed,” he said.

“We wanted to play with intent. Dawid Malan played a fantastic innings and to get to that score from the position we were in was brilliant.”

Malan’s 134, his second ODI century after the 125 he scored against the Netherlands in June, came off 128 deliveries, including 12 fours and four sixes.

Cummins, playing his first match as captain following Aaron Finch’s retirement, would have been delighted by Australia’s start to the innings.

They tied down the English opening pair with some tight line and length bowling, then made a double breakthrough.

Cummins had Phil Salt caught at second slip by Smith on the last ball of the fourth over, and two balls later Mitchell Starc bowled the recalled Jason Roy with a beautiful delivery that swung back late.

The Australian captain then put his side on top when James Vince edged to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

At 31-3 England were struggling but Malan stayed calm, starting slowly and then picking up the pace as the shine went off the ball.

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