In a thrilling encounter at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street, England managed to break Australia's 14-match winning streak in ODIs, securing a 46-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in the third ODI of the Australia tour of England 2024.
Australia's Innings: A Competitive Total Despite Early Struggles
Australia, after being put into bat by England captain Harry Brook, who won the toss, faced early challenges due to the overcast conditions and a pitch that had been under covers all day. The Australian top order struggled against the new ball, with Jofra Archer and Matthew Potts causing trouble with their precise bowling. However, Steven Smith and Cameron Green steadied the innings with a patient 84-run partnership for the third wicket.
Despite the loss of Smith and Green, Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell, followed by Aaron Hardie, propelled Australia's score with crucial partnerships. Carey remained unbeaten on 77 from 65 balls, while Hardie contributed a career-best 44 from 26 balls. This late surge helped Australia post a competitive total of 304 for 7 in their 50 overs.
England's Chase: Brook's Maiden ODI Century Proves Decisive
In response, England faced an early onslaught from Mitchell Starc, who removed both openers, Ben Duckett and Phil Salt, within the third over. However, the hosts regained control through a formidable 156-run partnership between Harry Brook and Will Jacks for the third wicket. Brook, who was later named the Player of the Match, scored a career-best 110* from 94 balls, including a rapid acceleration from fifty to his maiden ODI hundred in just 33 deliveries.
Liam Livingstone also played a crucial role, scoring 33* from 20 balls before the rain intervened. When play was halted, England were 254 for 4 in the 38th over, well ahead of the DLS par score, ensuring a 46-run victory.
Impact of Rain and DLS Method
The match was interrupted by rain, which eventually led to its premature end. With no further play possible, the DLS method was applied, confirming England's victory by 46 runs. This win keeps the five-match ODI series alive, with two games remaining.
Post-Match Reactions
Harry Brook expressed his satisfaction with the win, stating, "It's nice to get the first one on the board there," and praised his team for their performance, especially highlighting the partnership with Will Jacks.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh acknowledged England's superiority, saying, "England were too good," and noted the challenges faced by his team due to injuries and illnesses, which led to the inclusion of Cameron Green and Sean Abbott in the lineup.
This victory marks a significant turnaround for England, ending Australia's long-standing winning streak and setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the series. The fourth ODI is scheduled to take place at Lord's on Friday, with the first ball set for 9:30 PM AEST.
