Impressive England thrash Australia to level ODI series

Fourth ODI, Lord’s

England 312-5 (39 overs): Brook 87 (58), Duckett 63 (62), Livingstone 62* (27)

Australia 126 (24.4 overs): Head 34 (23); Potts 4-38, Carse 3-36

England won by 186 runs; series level at 2-2

Scorecard

England showed their firepower with bat and ball as they levelled the one-day international series with a 186-run thrashing of Australia in a rain-shortened match at Lord’s.

Stand-in captain Harry Brook scored a magnificent 87 from 58 balls, while Ben Duckett also made a half-century before Liam Livingstone’s blistering unbeaten 62 from 27 balls took the home side to a formidable 312-5 from 39 overs.

Livingstone hit seven sixes, with four of them coming as he took 28 off the last over of the innings from Mitchell Starc.

That late onslaught gave Livingstone a 25-ball fifty, the fastest in an ODI at Lord’s, while England’s 12 maximums is a new record in an ODI at the home of cricket.

Australia made a fast start in the chase but three wickets in four overs, including both openers, halted the momentum and England seized control.

The tourists crumbled from 68-0 to 126 all out in 24.4 overs, with Matthew Potts excellent in taking 4-38.

Brydon Carse had bowled Travis Head to get things started and the 29-year-old fast bowler ended with figures of 3-36, while Jofra Archer claimed 2-33.

It was left to Adil Rashid to wrap things up as England claimed their second largest ODI victory by runs over Australia.

After losing the first two matches of the series, this new-look England side have battled back to force a decider in Bristol on Sunday.

Following up his maiden ODI hundred in Durham, Brook played as if this was a continuation of that innings.

The good work of Duckett and Phil Salt to battle through the powerplay in very tricky conditions, after a delay of more than two hours because of rain, helped lay the foundations and Brook built on them supremely.

His effortless power and immaculate timing were on show from early on, with his assuredness and control at the crease a constant throughout his innings.

Australia thought they had got him caught behind down the leg side off Starc after a rare misjudgement but the decision was overturned when replays showed the ball bounced before reaching wicketkeeper Josh Inglis – prompting a chorus of boos from the home crowd.

From there, Brook hardly made a misstep and when he did depart 13 shy of another ton, there was almost more surprise than disappointment around the ground.

Adam Zampa eventually dismissed him but it was a tough day for Australia’s premier spinner.

Duckett launched him over the ropes in his first over then Jamie Smith and Brook followed suit as Zampa was prevented from settling.

Smith had been on the offensive from ball one as England tried to press on and although he and Brook fell in quick succession, Livingstone ensured there was no respite for Australia.

The all-rounder had already clubbed Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood and Starc into the stands but it was his brutal takedown of the latter to finish the innings – hammering two straight sixes and clobbering two more leg side – that put a real spring in the hosts’ step going into the interval.

Australia came out swinging to start their innings, with Head and Mitchell Marsh quick to put the England seamers under pressure.

They raced to 66-0 at the end of the eight-over powerplay but Carse bowled Head in the next over and, with the white-ball nipping around under lights, the wickets began to tumble.

Potts had Steve Smith caught behind, Archer knocked over Marsh with a beauty and Carse did for Inglis before uprooting Marnus Labuschagne’s off stump.

It was a superb response from the England pace attack, who were clinical after working themselves into a position of strength.

Brook kept his seamers going and, when Archer removed Glenn Maxwell, they were into the Australian bowlers.

The home side were relentless in their hunt for wickets and faced little resistance from the tourists.

The teams now head to Bristol with a buoyant England hoping to complete the turnaround from 2-0 down.

England captain and player of the match Harry Brook, speaking to Test Match Special: “That’s a pretty compete performance. we are happy with the way we went about the game and it’s nice to come out victorious.

“I am glad to be somewhere near my best. It’s nice to be out there and contributing to the side.”

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh: “We were a bit off. Fair play to England, they put us under pressure with the bat. They outplayed us.

“It’s going to be a great experience in Bristol. We would have liked to have wrapped up the series, but England have come back really strongly.”

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook on TMS: “England have fought back really well in this series and here they’ve been superb.”