Durham [UK]: Following his side’s win over Australia, England stand-in skipper Harry Brook said that the pitch got better to bat on towards the end of Australian innings and vowed to keep the group positive as the series stays alive.
Brook’s maiden ODI ton and all-rounder Will Jacks’ hitting with the Yorkshire star was the highlight of the day as England secured a four-run win over Australia in a rain-curtailed third ODI at Chester Le-Street to keep the five-match ODI series alive by 2-1.
Following the match, Brook, happy with his maiden ODI ton, said as quoted by Cricbuzz, “We started off really nice with the ball, and with the bat, me and Jacks tried to stay out there as long as possible and build that partnership. I definitely thought the pitch got better towards the end of Australia’s innings. It is nice to get the first one (talking about his maiden ODI hundred) off the board and hopefully many more to come. We are going to keep on doing what we said we were going to do and keep the group positive, which will hold us in good stead.”
England looked on the back foot, being given a target of 305 for victory and falling to 11/2 early in the chase, before a partnership of 156 between Brook and Will Jacks (84 in 82 balls, with nine fours and a six) swung the tide in the hosts’ favour. Following Jacks’ dismissal, Liam Livingstone joined Brook and scored a quickfire 33* in 20 balls with two boundaries and three sixes, which helped hosts move ahead of the DLS par score once rain intervened in the chase.
Cameron Green (2/45) and Mitchell Starc (2/63) were among the wicket takers for Australia.
Earlier, after winning the toss, England opted to field first and had reduced Australia to 47/2 before an 84-run stand between Steve Smith (60 in 82 balls, with five fours) and Green (42 in 49 balls, with four boundaries) helped bring some stability. While Australia was reduced to 172/5 at one point, a 54-run partnership between Alex Carey (77* in 65 balls, with seven fours and a six) and Glenn Maxwell (30 in 25 balls, with five fours) and a quickfire cameo of 44 in 26 balls from Aaron Hardie, consisting of three fours and two sixes, took Australia to 304/7 in their 50 overs.
Jofra Archer (2/67) was the pick of the bowlers for England. Brydon Carse, Jacob Bethell, Livingstone and Jacks got a scalp each.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 winners had the chance to extend their ODI winning streak to 15, what would have been two matches clear as the second-best winning streak in the men’s format, with their stretch beginning at last year’s major tournament.
Australia’s 2003 group holds the record with 21 matches on the bounce, in a run that included Cricket World Cup glory in the same year. It’s their compatriots on the women’s side who also have bragging rights, with 26 back-to-back wins between 2018 and 2021. A victory would have also meant Australia nudged India off top spot on the ICC ODI Men’s Team Rankings, though defeat means they sit three ratings points back from top spot (118 ratings points).