England’s stand-in skipper Harry Brook played a captain’s knock – his maiden century in the format – in a successful chase to keep the five-match series against Australia alive. His partnership with Will Jacks (84 off 82) ensured the hosts sat pretty in pursuit of Australia’s 304/7 before rain cut the play short. England eventually won by 46 runs via DLS method.
Continuing the trend established so far in the series, Alex Carey delivered the goods with the bat, setting Australia up for their quest to gain an insurmountable lead.
In reply, Will Jacks and Brook produced a match-defining 156-run stand off 147 deliveries, hitting 22 fours and three sixes between them as they brought England up to speed at 151/2 in 25 overs. Liam Livingstone then supplied an ebullient 33 off 20 that thrust England ahead of the asking rate.
During the course of this 57-run unbroken stand, Brook raised his maiden ODI ton. This pair began to dominate so emphatically that by the time the heavens opened up England were ahead of the par score by 46 runs (at 254/4 in 37.4 overs).
Brief Scores: Australia 304/7 in 50 overs (Alex Carey 77*, Steve Smith 60, Aaron Hardie 44, Cameron Green 42; Jofra Archer 2-67) lost to England 254/4 in 37.4 overs (Harry Brook 110*, Will Jacks 84; Cameron Green 2-45, Mitchell Starc 2-63) by 46 runs (DLS method)