England wunderkind Harry Brook notched up his third successive fifty and scored the most runs as captain in a bilateral ODI series against Australia – 312 – but those dazzling efforts were beset by Travis Head’s all-round show as the visitors secured a series win in a rain-hit decider in Bristol. At 165 for 2 in 20.4 overs when rain intervened, Australia left the field 49 runs ahead as per DLS calculations.
That was the eventual margin of the victory as the rain didn’t relent for there to be any further action. However, you are guaranteed to miss no action if you are prompt in booking tickets.
With dark clouds looming over the County Ground even through the first innings, Matthew Short and Head gave a sparkling start to keep Australia ahead of the par-score. Head demolished Will Jacks in the sixth over with two fours and two sixes. By the end of the PowerPlay, Australia were cruising along at an eye-popping 103 for 1. Even as Steve Smith took his time to get going, Short carried on in an aggresive vein to bring up his maiden half-century – off 23 balls – with a six.
Potts had Short caught behind in the 13th over but Australia were sitting pretty in terms of the asking rate calculations. Four balls into the 21st over, showers forced the players indoors. After about an hour’s wait, Australia were awarded the game – and the series – on the virtue of DLS.
Earlier in the winner-takes-all joust, Ben Duckett was the torchbearer of England’s hopes of completing a dramatic come-from-behind series win as he crafted his second ODI century. Brook kept him company in an important third-wicket stand of 132 runs but Australia’s spinners changed the complexion of the game midway through the innings. England lost their way from 202 for 2 in the 25th over to end up at 276 for 9 in the 44th, with most batters departing while aiming to clear the straight boundary.
Adil Rashid battled on in the last-wicket stand with Olly Stone to drag England past the 300-run mark but in the end it proved insufficient. Even though they had conceded the ascendancy in the defence England will consider themselves a tad unlucky as rain robbed them of a chance to come back in the game, just like Australia did with the ball in the first innings of this see-sawing contest.
Brief Scores: England 309 in 49.2 overs (Ben Duckett 107, Harry Brook 72; Travis Head 4-28, Glenn Maxwell 2-49, Adam Zampa 2-74) lost to Australia 165/2 in 20.4 overs (Matthew Short 58, Steven Smith 36*; Matthew Potts 1-49) by 49 runs (by the virtue of Duckworth Lewis Method)