That’s a very impressive series win for England, their first in a bilateral series in Australia. The next target is a first 5-0 win over Australia in any format, anywhere in the world.
They owe today’s victory to a ridiculous hundred from Jos Buttler, a superb all-round performance from Chris Woakes and the controversial but probably legitimate dismissal of Steve Smith.
The World Cup is 18 months away, and England look worthy favourites. Don’t get carried away. Sod it, do get carried away. Thanks for your company, bye!
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ENGLAND WIN BY 16 RUNS AND TAKE AN UNASSAILABLE 3-0 LEAD!
50 overs: Australia 286-6 (Paine 31, Cummins 1) Chris Woakes finishes the match with the minimum of fuss, and England have won the series with two matches to spare!
WICKET! Australia 284-6 (Stoinis c sub b Woakes 56)
That’s it! Stoinis hooks Woakes to deep square leg, where the substitute Billings takes a fine low catch. Australia need 19 from three balls, and England are going to win a bilateral ODI series in Australia for the first time in their history.
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49.2 overs: Australia 284-5 (need 19 from four balls) Stoinis can only crunch a yorker down the ground for two. Fine bowling.
49.1 overs: Australia 282-5 (need 303 to win) Chris Woakes will bowl the last over. Paine pulls the first delivery for a single, so at least Stoinis is on strike.
49th over: Australia 281-5 (Stoinis 54, Paine 29) Stoinis edges Wood for four to reach an impressive, muscular half-century from 40 balls. It’s another outstanding over from Wood, despite that boundary - nine from it, and he ends with figures of two for 46. Australia need 22 from six balls.
48th over: Australia 273-5 (Stoinis 48, Paine 27) Woakes returns to the attack, and Stoinis picks his first ball up for six over square leg! That was right out of the middle of the sweet spot. It’s the only boundary of the over, but some desperate scampering brings another seven runs. Australia need 30 from 12 balls.
47th over: Australia 260-5 (Stoinis 38, Paine 24) Australia plunder 11 from Rashid’s final over, with Stoinis driving a sweet boundary over extra cover. Rashid ends with fine figures of two for 51, and Australia need 43 from 18 balls.
“I wonder how a team can consistently rack up 300+ in ODI’s, but struggle with the same thing in Tests,” says AB Parker. “Is it just a confidence thing? Same with the bowling, Moeen looked absolutely horrendous in the Tests, and now looks good.”
They’re almost playing a different game. The most ridiculous stat is that their recent conversion rate of fifties to hundreds is better in ODIs than Tests, which is almost impossible.
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46th over: Australia 249-5 (Stoinis 31, Paine 21) Stoinis pulls Wood’s first ball through mid-off for four to give Australia a lift. Wood pulls the over back superbly with only three runs from the last five balls, including consecutive deliveries wide of off stump that Stoinis cannot reach.
45th over: Australia 242-5 (Stoinis 25, Paine 20) Another fine over from Rashid costs only six. Australia have hit just four fours and a six in the last 21 overs. That’s why this game is slipping away.
44th over: Australia 236-5 (Stoinis 23, Paine 16) A brilliant over from Mark Wood, full of variation in length, tightens England’s grip on the match. Australia can only manage five singles, and now they need 67 from six overs.
In other news I’ve just spotted Niall Mullen’s joke (41st over), which whooshed straight over my head the first time. I make no apologies for having tunnel vision during a cricket match; for my commitment to this thing of ours.
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43rd over: Australia 231-5 (Stoinis 21, Paine 13) Paine plays an excellent stroke, flicking Moeen over square leg for four. That aside it’s another good over for England - eight from it, and Moeen ends with figures of 10-0-57-0.
42nd over: Australia 223-5 (Stoinis 19, Paine 7) Stoinis and Paine are taking a few overs to consolidate, while taking as many singles as possible. We know Stoinis can tonk the ball - he hit six sixes in an over three years ago - and he is probably Australia’s last hope of victory. They need 80 from eight overs.
“Rob,” says Martin Crookall. “I haven’t seen Buttler’s catch, but I do have a lot of sympathy for him on the question of whether he thought he’d caught it. I was fielding at first slip years ago (in a very much lower grade of match!) when I took my most blinding catch, a one-handed diving grab to my left. I am, incidentally, right-handed. The point was that the whole thing happened so fast I literally had no idea what happened. I felt a thump against my left palm, felt my body twisting so as not land on my left elbow and ‘came to’ flat on my back, holding the ball above my stomach with everyone crowding round to congratulate me. I only have their word to tell me it was a clean catch: for all I knew, it could have bounced seventeen times before it reached me!”
41st over: Australia 217-5 (Stoinis 17, Paine 3) England have a screw, and they’re not afraid to turn it. They have held their nerve really well tonight and now they are in control of the match. Moeen’s ninth over goes for only four runs.
“I genuinely don’t see the problem,” says Niall Mullen. “It’s a good system. The on field call was out & there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn that decision. It was probably 52% not out vs 48% out and you can’t really make massive decisions based on those numbers can you?”
I suppose the argument is that an on-field decision involves more guesswork than an off-field decision. But there are problems with that too, as mentioned in the 38th over.
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40th over: Australia 213-5 (Stoinis 15, Paine 1) Chris Woakes on, Moeen off. Morgan loves juggling his bowlers at this stage of an innings. Just three singles from the over, which makes it four from the last two and a target of 90 from the last 10 overs.
“Did the Buttler catch carry?” writes Scott Oliver. “Did it flick the grass but not hit the ground? Is the grass part of the ground? Is the ground a fractal surface rather than a plane? I wrote this for Cricinfo last year, which presents the issues with this and other of cricket’s areas (like the dodgily painted crease lines which did for Moeen in Brisbane).”
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39th over: Australia 210-5 (Stoinis 13, Paine 0) Australia have lost five wickets tonight, four of them to Wood and Rashid. They are the gems of this bowling attack. Pace and mystery spin are fundamental to the success of this one-day side.
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WICKET! Australia 210-5 (Marsh c Hales b Rashid 55)
Adil Rashid takes another vital wicket. Marsh heaves a short ball straight to long on, where Hales crouches to take a calm catch. It was a really good innings from Marsh, 55 from 66 balls, but his dismissal leaves Australia on the brink of a series defeat.
38th over: Australia 209-4 (Marsh 55, Stoinis 12) Moeen replaces Wood, who has three overs remaining to bowl at the death. Australia work him for five singles.
“Why do they ask the on-field umpire for a soft decision?” writes Anoush Jay Sansom. “If they’re going upstairs then it means they don’t know. The result is a situation where everyone can see it almost definitely wasn’t out, yet because it isn’t 100% definite then it’s given out. Ridiculous.”
Yes, I take your point. The only problem is that if you don’t give a soft signal, 95 per cent of low catches will be given not out even if 50 per cent of them are actually out.
37th over: Australia 204-4 (Marsh 53, Stoinis 9) Marsh drives Rashid for four to reach a classy, mature fifty from 60 balls - and then Stoinis swipes Rashid down the ground for six. Shot! That was only his second scoring stroke.
“If you look at the staggering amount of the ball that wasn’t inside the glove as Buttler completed that ‘catch’ it’s pretty obvious it shouldn’t have been given,” says Tony Hastings. “It would defy physics for none of that ball to be touching the ground, given the bounce it got.”
I think you underestimate a keeper’s ability to get their fingers under the ball, though - full disclosure!!! - I was crap at physics at school. The key was the soft signal – once that was given out it was going to be difficult to change the decision. It certainly wasn’t a Greg Dyer/Steve Waugh moment.
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36th over: Australia 192-4 (Marsh 48, Stoinis 2) Marsh cuts Wood to deep point, where a hideous misfield from Bairstow turns one run into four. This is still too close to call. Australia need 111 from 14 overs.
“Hi Rob,” says Bernard Hughes. “It seems like the orthodoxy has become that the ball has carried in these tight decisions, and that pre-TV we just went on the fielder’s word. But perhaps for all that time the fielder has been mistaken and generations of batsmen were given out unjustly?”
I do agree that sometimes you don’t know whether it’s a clean catch – whatever the rights and wrongs of that Smith dismissal, I’m 99.94 per cent certain that Buttler wasn’t cheating. It’s pretty complicated, especially as even the camera can lie when it comes to low catches.
35th over: Australia 184-4 (Marsh 41, Stoinis 2) Rashid returns to the attack and rushes through another good over. He still hasn’t conceded a boundary. The required rate is now almost eight an over.
“I would have thought it was obvious,” says Gary Naylor. “Eoin Morgan should continue to captain England in white ball cricket and captain Ireland in Tests.”
34th over: Australia 181-4 (Marsh 40, Stoinis 0) I feel sorry for the third umpire Kumar Dharmasena, who couldn’t really win there. My instinct is that it wasn’t out, but equally I think Dharmasena made the right decision in accordance with the protocol.
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WICKET! Australia 181-4 (Smith c Buttler b Wood 45)
Steve Smith is given out in controversial fashion. Mark Wood was brought back because England needed a wicket, and he delivered it with the last ball of the over. Smith edged a drive to the right of Buttler, who seemed to take a superb low catch as the ball died on him. It went upstairs, with the soft signal given as out - and in the end that was crucial. As ever in these situations, the footage was inconclusive; on balance it looked like the ball may have brushed the ground as Buttler tried to get his fingers under it. But because the soft signal was out, the third umpire decided there was not enough evidence to overturn the decision. He must have looked at it 15 or 20 times.
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33rd over: Australia 178-3 (Smith 45, Marsh 37) Mitchell Marsh has played with soft hands and common sense, two things not always associated with his batting. We are getting to the stage where Australia will have to produce the long handle, though - and it’s Smith who does so first by slog-sweeping Moeen for the first bounday of his innings.
32nd over: Australia 169-3 (Smith 40, Marsh 33) Root’s last over (probably) goes for only three runs. England are starting to squeeze the Aussies, who haven’t scored a boundary for eight overs.
31st over: Australia 166-3 (Smith 39, Marsh 31) Marsh is gated by a huge off-break from Moeen that bounces over the stumps and through Buttler for three byes. Six from the over.
30th over: Australia 160-3 (Smith 37, Marsh 30) Root returns in place of Woakes. He needs to bowl two more overs to complete his night’s work; the first of those is milked for four singles. Australia need 143 from 120 balls. I still have no idea who’s winning.
29th over: Australia 156-3 (Smith 35, Marsh 27) Smith has 35 from 52 balls, with no boundaries. His plan is to take the game deep and let his competitive instinct take over. Australia need 147 from 21 overs.
28th over: Australia 151-3 (Smith 32, Marsh 27) “Your comment in over 21, about Morgan captaining the Test team, is something I’ve thought about,” says Tom Van der Gucht. “He appears a better reader of the game (judging effectively when to stick or twist), seems to get the best out of his players and has a definite vision for what how he wants the team to play. Selecting Root as captain seemed a similar knee-jerk choice to selecting Cook: they were our best player at the time and there seemed no other alternative in the side despite having virtually no experience of being a captain.”
It’s a computer-game idea, I think. There are just too many risks, not least adding enormously to his workload ahead of the 2019 World Cup. I do agree that he is an extremely good captain, though, and in an ideal world Root would follow the example of Sachin Tendulkar by giving up the captaincy to concentrate on being the team’s best player.
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27th over: Australia 148-3 (Smith 31, Marsh 24) Moeen replaces Rashid. Smith turns a big-spinning delivery round the corner for a single. I think Buttler got something on that, though it would have been a near miraculous catch. Four from the over. This is turning into a terrific game. I still have no idea who’s winning.
26th over: Australia 144-3 (Smith 29, Marsh 22) A change of pace, with Woakes replacing the expensive Root. A good over costs three, which leaves Australia needing 159 from 24 overs. It’s deliciously tight.
“Is Plunkett still on the field?” asks Mario. “And if not, who replaced him?”
No, Sam Billings has replaced him.
25th over: Australia 141-3 (Smith 27, Marsh 20) Rashid is bowling a very good spell. He hasn’t conceded a boundary and has claimed the huge wicket of Finch. At the halfway point of his spell, his figures are 5-0-19-1.
24th over: Australia 136-3 (Smith 26, Marsh 15) Mitchell Marsh forces Root through extra cover for a fine first boundary, and then clips a second through square leg. Root has gone for 53 from 6.4 overs.
23rd over: Australia 125-3 (Smith 26, Marsh 6) In normal circumstances Australia would be comfortable with needing 177 from 27 overs, but their chances of victory are reduced by the slow pitch and their longish tail.
22nd over: Australia 123-3 (Smith 25, Marsh 5) Root, who might have been taken out of the attack had Finch still been at the crease, hurries through a boundaryless over.
“Rob,” says John Starbuck. “As a fairly Grumpy Old man myself I wouldn’t like to see this proposal, as it stands, for an all-format competition. The furthest I’d go is that you would have to restrict all the combatants to a squad of no more than 16 players apiece and only one captain each. That would retain sufficient meaning for an Ashes series and perhaps stem the drift towards single-format specialisms.”
Is that not a good thing?
21st over: Australia 117-3 (Smith 22, Marsh 2) I wonder how different Adil Rashid’s Test career would have been had he been captained by Eoin Morgan. He has become irreplaceable in the one-day side.
WICKET! Australia 113-3 (Finch LBW b Rashid 62)
Finch misses another sweep at Rashid - but this time he’s given out LBW. He reviews instantly, which hints at a bottom edge onto the pad. Replays show there was no such thing: the ball missed the bat and would have skidded on to hit leg stump. That is superb from Rashid, who continues to take vital wickets during the middle overs.
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20th over: Australia 113-2 (Finch 62, Smith 20) Finch reaches another superb fifty with a majestic stroke, chipping Root to cow corner for six. He flogs the next ball to the same area for six more. England may need a change of pace for a few overs, although they only have two seamers with Plunkett off the field.
“Evening Rob,” says Phil Withall. “Further to Tony Brennan’s emails (15th over), may I suggest that, in addition to the points from the three forms of the game, the playes are also judged on thier deportment, swimwear and how they conduct themselves when asked ‘What are your dreams for the future of the world?’”
19th over: Australia 97-2 (Finch 48, Smith 18) The required rate is creeping towards seven an over. It feels like England are in control of the match, though you can never be sure with players as good as Finch and Smith at the crease. Finch survives a biggish LBW appeal from Rashid after missing a sweep at Rashid. It may have turned too much.
18th over: Australia 94-2 (Finch 47, Smith 16) “Morning Rob, did you see this footage?” says Andy Bradshaw. “After the massive investigation by the self appointed cricket police that is the Australian Press & Aus Cricketing authorities into jimmy Anderson & Faff, I’m sure they’ll be fully investigating Smith applying lip balm/sun cream to the ball there. #PitchforkMob”
If the Ashes result isn’t annulled, we’ll know the ICC isn’t serious about clamping down on the pernicious evil of moist lips.
17th over: Australia 87-2 (Finch 42, Smith 14) Adil Rashid comes into the attack at the drinks break. He’s the leading wickettaker in ODIs since the last World Cup, and an early wicket here would probably give England the series. His first over is played respectfully, with three low-risk singles.
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16th over: Australia 83-2 (Finch 40, Smith 12) Finch chips Root over mid-on, and a misfield from Woakes on the boundary gives him four runs. He is playing very well, and scoring quickly enough that Smith can take his time to get his eye in.
15th over: Australia 76-2 (Finch 34, Smith 11) Finch blasts Moeen over mid-off, stands admiring the stroke and then realises it’s not going to go for four, never mind six. Eventually they run one.
“In the spirit of equality, don’t you think the men’s Ashes should be decided like the women’s?” says Tony Brennan. “The Aussies have two points for the Tests, England will (probably) get two points for the ODIs, so the T20 will be winner-takes-all. Who could object to that?”
14th over: Australia 70-2 (Finch 32, Smith 7) Finch drags Root past short fine leg for three. As ever against England, he looks in good nick - have of his ten ODI centuries have come in this fixture.
13th over: Australia 64-2 (Finch 29, Smith 5) A quiet over from Moeen; four singles from it. Australia need 238 from the last 37 overs.
12th over: Australia 61-2 (Finch 27, Smith 3) Liam Plunkett is leaving the field with a leg injury. It might be his hamstring. That puts a lot of pressure on England, who only have five frontline bowlers in the absence of Ben Stokes. Joe Root will finish Plunkett’s over, and probably bowl the rest of his allocation. England don’t have many other options. Jason Roy and Alex Hales can bowl a bit of filth if necessary.
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11th over: Australia 58-2 (Finch 24, Smith 2) Moeen Ali comes into the attack, and Finch hoicks a slog sweep for six. That’s a terrific shot. Australia will probably need to target at least one bowler if they are to win this game.
“Your fan army has moved to Lima,” says David Murphy. “It’s 3.12am and for this game, just for you, I am absolutely battered and barely able to see my phone.”
Whatever you do, don’t go on Facebook and tell everyone what you really think of them. Whatever you do, don’t do that. Don’t be a hero David.
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10th over: Australia 49-2 (Finch 17, Smith 1) Liam Plunkett replaces Chris Woakes. Nothing happens in his first over. Nothing.
“Good morning Rob,” says Jeremy Bunting. “I’m in the UK this week, particularly for the weather. My American colleagues have, overnight, been urging me to switch the telly off and go to sleep because we have a business deadline to meet today. What followed was the usual ‘debate’ about cricket vs. baseball, which leaves them completely baffled. England vs. Australia more so. ‘Jeremy, switch the TV off, get some sleep and then get back to work. Please.’ They just don’t understand. I’m not watching TV. I’m reading the commentary and my circadian clock was shot decades ago. Oh, those Americans.”
9th over: Australia 44-2 (Finch 13, Smith 0) Finch, who is aiming to become the first Australian to make three consecutive ODI hundreds, has been starved of the strike at the start of the innings - he’s faced 16 out of 54 balls. Australia need a big partnership between Finch and Smith because there isn’t that much batting to come.
WICKET! Australia 44-2 (White c Buttler b Wood 17)
And that’s Blockbusters. Wood produces a bit of extra bounce to get rid of White, who edges an optimistic back-foot drive through to Buttler. That was a really good delivery, which burst from the pitch to take the edge.
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8th over: Australia 43-1 (Finch 13, White 17) It’s worth repeating that England have never won a bilateral ODI series in Australia. This is only the fourth such series, and England did win triangular/quadrangular tournaments in 1986-87 (twice) and 2006-07, but it would still be a notable achievement. They will have to work for it because Australia are scrapping hard. White gets four more with a lovely lofted cover drive off Woakes.
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7th over: Australia 37-1 (Finch 12, White 12) England are bowling very straight, a sensible approach on a pitch that is slightly uneven and two-paced. When Wood slips one a little wider, White slaughters it through extra cover for four. Shot! Despite the awkwardness of the pitch, Australia have made a decent start.
6th over: Australia 32-1 (Finch 12, White 7) White repels consecutive deliveries from Woakes that bounce abnormally, the first keeping low and the second kicking from the same length. This is not an easy pitch.
“Morning, Rob. ‘ODIs before Tests is the golden rule,’ somebody wise once claimed,” says Smylers. “If this ODI series had preceded the Ashes, that surely would’ve increased the confidence of England’s Test players, even allowing for the difference in personnel; do you think the scores would’ve been significantly different?”
Not for me Clive. There are times when the white-ball matches have influenced the Test series - the English summers of 1997 and 2005 spring to mind - but I’m not sure they would have made any difference this time.
5th over: Australia 27-1 (Finch 12, White 2) Wood is wided, perhaps harshly, for a bouncer to White. That’s one of only two runs from the over. Before this series White had played only one ODI since the 2011 World Cup, so he is probably feeling plenty of pressure, both real and imaginary.
“Morning Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I was always under the impression that cricket chooses you, not the other way round. I mean, you’d have to be pretty effed up to actually choose to be an England cricket fan. And if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that OBOers are all perfectly well adjusted, normal human beings, right?”
I disagree. This is the life we chose, the life we lead. And there is only one guarantee: none of us will see heaven.
4th over: Australia 25-1 (Finch 12, White 1) The new batsman is Cameron White, promoted from No7 to No3.
WICKET! Australia 24-1 (Warner c Hales b Woakes 8)
That’s what England really, really wanted. The dangerous Warner spoons a back-foot cover drive to the edge of the circle, where Hales crouches to take an easy catch.
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3rd over: Australia 19-0 (Finch 7, Warner 8) A stray delivery from Wood goes for four leg byes. Australia are off to a decent start, though there are already a few signs of low bounce and the ball stopping in the pitch.
2nd over: Australia 12-0 (Finch 4, Warner 8) Chris Woakes, who batted tremendously at the end of the innings, shares the new ball with Wood. Warner looks in the mood to do some damage before the slow bowlers come on; when Woakes drops short, he whirls an emphatic boundary through backward square leg.
“Good morning (it is, isn’t it?),” says John Starbuck. “Part of me wants to see England inflict another crushing defeat on the battered Aussies, but another part wants to see a genuine nail-biting tussle all the way through to Perth. Ah, cricket fans can never be completely satisfied.”
This is the life we chose.
1st over: Australia 5-0 (Finch 1, Warner 4) Mark Wood opens the bowling for England. Warner, beaten by a jaffa first ball, gets going with a supreme cover drive for four.
Before I forget, thank you so much to those who donated in memory of Dan Lucas during the second ODI on Friday - we really appreciate it.
Thanks Jonathan, morning folks. That was a storming finish from England, who battered 76 from the last six overs after being below par for most of the innings. They are favourites to clinch the series on an awkward, slowish pitch, but I don’t think Australia will go quietly.
England 302-6
How to make sense of that? On first viewing England would have expected to score over 300 after being invited to bat first by Steve Smith but midway through a stop-start innings on a two-paced pitch they would have taken 250.
All but Hales in England’s top order made starts without going on to make a significant knock so when Chris Woakes joined Jos Buttler at 189-6 with 12 overs remaining Australia were firmly in the box seat. The 113 run partnership that followed has altered the complexion of this game significantly. Woakes’ ability to find the boundary and then Buttler’s audacious late assault have given their side a total they will feel confident of defending.
Australia didn’t do much wrong. All six bowlers performed admirably and the ground fielding was superb. A couple of dropped catches blotted the copybook but neither proved too costly.
Responsibility for keeping the series alive now falls to a brittle line-up that has unconvinced in recent chases. Find out how this third ODI concludes with Rob Smyth around half-an-hour from now.
50th over: England 302-6 (Buttler 100, Woakes 53) The final over begins with Buttler given out LBW reverse sweeping Starc but an immediate review reveals a massive inside edge. A single brings Woakes on strike and he continues the party atmosphere by flicking a length delivery over mid-on for four and then slapping a shorter ball high over square leg for six. What a game-changing 50 from England’s number 8. As if scripted, he finds a single from the penultimate ball of the over, handing Buttler the chance to complete his century - which he does, with a drive to long-on that’s mistimed enough to nestle between fielders and allow a scampered pair. Incredible batting from Buttler.
49th over: England 288-6 (Buttler 97, Woakes 38) Woakes does his bit first ball, rotating the strike and inviting Buttler to show off his party tricks. He begins by almost running himself out after failing to connect with a scoop but then he settles into his work. First he pulls Cummins majestically over midwicket for six, then steps back in his crease and digs out an attempted yorker for six more over long on. Cummins compensates by dropping short again so Buttler slaps him for four with the most muscular forearms. Struggling for options the bowler goes full, too full, and Woakes slices the free-hit from the resulting no ball over Paine for yet another boundary. What an over for England.
48th over: England 264-6 (Buttler 80, Woakes 37) Buttler going through his repertoire now, pulling Starc’s slower ball bouncer for four, following it up by digging out a middle stump yorker for four back over the bowler’s head. Around that in a curious over there are three dots and a dropped catch with the diving Zampa unable to cling on to a chance diving forward from long-on.
47th over: England 254-6 (Buttler 70, Woakes 37) Now England are motoring! Woakes joins in the six-hitting fun, pulling Cummins hard over the midwicket fence. A single brings Buttler on strike and after he misses a slower bouncer he manipulates two to the offside from outside leg and connects with a fierce pull that streaks to the fielder on the long-on fence. This partnership has taken England to something competitive.
46th over: England 244-6 (Buttler 67, Woakes 30) Another lusty blow from Buttler, this time for six over the bowler’s head, keeps England’s momentum going. It was the highpoint of an over that was dominated by Hazlewood to that point though and should have included the run out of Woakes at the non-striker’s end.
45th over: England 236-6 (Buttler 60, Woakes 29) There’s a couple of the big blows! First a superb ramp from Buttler, taking Cummins from outside off stump and delicately flicking him over the wicket-keeper’s head for four before Woakes shows the maker’s name to one that takes a couple of bounces and crashes into the sightscreen.
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44th over: England 226-6 (Buttler 55, Woakes 25) Hazlewood is the latest Australian to be thrown the ball and he oversees another over of huffing and puffing from England that ends without a boundary. Woakes is doing his bet, scoring at a run a ball but Buttler has so far been unable to land the big blows.
43rd over: England 219-6 (Buttler 53, Woakes 22) Zampa continuing and England again can’t get hold of him, working just four singles and a two. The leggie almost winkles out Woakes too with a terrific loopy wrong’un.
42nd over: England 213-6 (Buttler 51, Woakes 18) Woakes is hogging the strike a bit but he’s doing his best to keep England moving forward, timing Starc beautifully over cover for a boundary.
41st over: England 206-6 (Buttler 51, Woakes 11) Interesting move from Smith who brings Zampa back on just as Buttler looks to be sizing up a late dash. There are no fireworks though as England’s number six is happy to conserve his wicket and bring up a well deserved 50.
Ow Pattenden has joined in by email. “Anyone else notice how Starc does his best Blue Steel towards the stumps whenever he thinks he should’ve had a wicket?” he asks. Looks more like Ferrari to me.
40th over: England 200-6 (Buttler 49, Woakes 7) Starc returns to blow away the tail but Woakes meets fire with fire, timing a beautiful on-drive for four. He does beat Woakes a couple of times later in the over but Buttler keeps the scoreboard ticking over and indicates he’s going to try to farm the strike for the sprint home.
39th over: England 192-6 (Buttler 46 Woakes 2) England now relying on Buttler doing something miraculous in the closing stages to push them towards a competitive total. Australia have bowled smartly today but England have given them a series of helping hands, Moeen the latest, as they’ve failed to adjust to the slow pitch.
WICKET! Moeen b Marsh 6 (England 189-6)
White’s drop doesn’t prove too costly as Moeen’s miserable run continues. Marsh lands one outside off stump on a length that Moeen tries to mow into Queensland but instead clubs onto his stumps via an under-edge. Ugly end to another poor innings.
38th over: England 189-5 (Buttler 45, Moeen 6) Stoinis has another dash and his over includes his first wide of the day, Australia’s 11th, a remarkable number that will mean a late conclusion to this innings. England happy to keep rotating the strike and accumulate ahead of a late dash.
37th over: England 182-5 (Buttler 41, Moeen 4) Oh dear, that is a shocker for Cameron White. Moeen Ali should be out. He launched a big drive at the returning Mitch Marsh and skied an edge miles into the air but White made an almighty mess of things as the ball corkscrewed out of his grasp at short cover. Australia have fielded brilliantly today but they’ve still put down two good chances.
36th over: England 176-5 (Buttler 39, Moeen 2) Big opportunity for Moeen to find some form in the final 15 overs. He needn’t worry about too much short stuff on this surface, hopefully liberating the allrounder. Cummins gives him nothing to hit in another excellent over that contains only dots and singles.
WICKET! Morgan c Paine b Hazlewood 41 (England 172-5)
35th over: England 172-5 (Buttler 37) Buttler ends the latest boundary drought by advancing to Hazlewood and clubbing a wristy pull behind square. Both batsmen try to maintain an attacking mindset but it eventually counts for Morgan who instead of steering the ball towards third man tickles an edge into the keeper’s gloves. Another massive blow for England. Whenever they’ve looked like getting into this innings a wicket has pegged them back.
34th over: England 164-4 (Morgan 40, Buttler 30) Another excellent over from Cummins, mixing up his line, length and pace to keep both batsmen guessing. After that acceleration before drinks England are back scrapping for ones and twos and struggling for timing.
England's dot-ball percentage in this innings is 52.4%, the highest they have recorded in nine matches. #AusvEng
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 21, 2018
33rd over: England 158-4 (Morgan 35, Buttler 29) Starc’s third spell lasts just one over with Hazlewood recalled to the attack. It’s a messy over with the bowler struggling for line and length but he escapes severe punishment because his pace is so difficult to time on this increasingly slow pitch. In particular, balls that would ordinarily be guided behind square are being bunted well in front with blades coming through far sooner than necessary.
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32nd over: England 155-4 (Morgan 34, Buttler 27) Pat Cummins returns for his second spell after the final drinks break of the innings and he instantly forces false strokes from both set batsmen. Cummins has proven the most adept at exploiting the changeable nature of this pitch, his variations deviating just enough from expectation to force England to mistime what appear to be routine shots. Just two runs from the over, backing up Starc’s last effort and slowing England’s gathering momentum.
31st over: England 153-4 (Morgan 33, Buttler 26) With Smith sensing England are on the move Zampa is taken out of the attack and replaced with the enforcer Starc. It does the trick with only four coming from the over and neither batsman looking to take liberties.
Morgan is on a record-breaking mission today. England’s skipper is now the highest run-scorer in ODIs between England and Australia, and he’s climbed above Paul Collingwood into second behind Ian Bell on England’s all-time run-scoring charts.
30th over: England 149-4 (Morgan 30, Buttler 25) Bang! Out of nowhere Morgan takes a couple of steps down the pitch and swings a Stoinis short ball miles over square leg. Pure, pure hit. That was like a bolt of lightning on a still summer’s day. Will it spark a late-innings surge?
29th over: England 140-4 (Morgan 23, Buttler 22) England stringing a few decent scoring overs together now as seven runs are milked from Zampa’s latest effort.
28th over: England 133-4 (Morgan 20, Buttler 19) Stoinis continues with England trying to maintain the attacking impetus of the previous over. Eventually Buttler finds the long-on boundary on the full for the first six of the innings, but he was lucky his mistimed drive the ball before landed short of mid-off, while Morgan was fortunate earlier in the over to see his leading edge avoid a fielder. England doing it tough out there on this slow surface.
27th over: England 126-4 (Morgan 20, Buttler 12) Zampa gets another spell and with the leg-spinner comes an increase in action. England pick up runs from every delivery with Buttler in particular looking to improvise in pursuit of boundaries. As the over comes to a close Morgan should be on his way but Smith shells a catch at midwicket, the first flaw in Australia’s imperious fielding performance.
26th over: England 118-4 (Morgan 16, Buttler 8) Smith continues to mix up his attack and nobody’s let him down so far, Stoinis the latest to keep the pressure firmly on England. There’s nothing flash in the method, line and length, letting England’s hesitancy and the slow surface do the rest.
25th over: England 116-4 (Morgan 15, Buttler 7) After an age England finally pierce the infield. Buttler smashes consecutive cover drives off Hazlewood but Marsh’s outstanding fielding prevents the first from going for runs before the second beats the dive and reaches the fence. More runs arrive in the over but there’s a nervousness to them, Buttler hooking uncertainly and Morgan not committing to a drive that hangs in the air through the offside.
24th over: England 109-4 (Morgan 13, Buttler 2) Starc bowling full and straight with the ball reversing appreciably, not the kind of deliveries England want as the scoreboard grinds to a halt. Just three runs from the past 20 balls.
23rd over: England 108-4 (Morgan 13, Buttler 1) Australia all over England now and into the allrounders before the midpoint of the innings. It will take something special for England to post a competitive total from here.
1 - Eoin Morgan is now the all-time leading runscorer in ODIs between Australia and England, having overtaken Ricky Ponting (1,598). Industry. pic.twitter.com/7yBRdjp5w9
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) January 21, 2018
WICKET! Root b Hazlewood 27 (England 107-4)
Huge wicket for Australia as dangerman Root plays on to the returning Hazlewood. Length delivery outside off stump that’s too close for a cut shot but Root tries to guide it behind square nonetheless and succeeds only in chopping on. England’s shot selection today has left plenty to be desired.
22nd over: England 107-3 (Root 27, Morgan 13) Another life for Morgan against Starc with the bowler unable to grab a tough caught and bowled opportunity in his follow through. Morgan the latest in a long line of English batsmen to send the ball tamely in the air in front of square. He does well just to survive a couple of balls later when a Starc missile almost disintegrates the big toe of his right foot. Excellent over for Australia, just one run from it.
Give him a bat @englandcricket , he’s got the shots . One of the best backyard cricketers Yorkshire has ever produced is our Sam . Just ask him . https://t.co/RW5dAXhZMK
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) January 21, 2018
21st over: England 106-3 (Root 24, Morgan 13) Morgan seems determined to take the game to Australia, aiming back to back reverse sweeps at Zampa, the first earning four, the second almost resulting in a catch down the legside. Intriguing stuff at the moment.
20th over: England 97-3 (Root 24, Morgan 6) That was a major wicket for Australia. Bairstow and Root were beginning to up the tempo after consolidating the innings and now a new batsman has to navigate this two-paced surface. Smith senses the moment, recalling strike bowler Starc, and it almost does the trick. There’s some reverse swing out there now and an inducker to the left-handed Morgan forces an inside edge that trickles inches wide of leg stump after cannoning back on the pad.
WICKET! Bairstow b Zampa 39 (England 90-3)
Super bowling from Adam Zampa and Australia have their third. A ball after Bairstow goes inside-out over cover for four the leggie lands a wrong’un on the same line and length that spins through the gate and knocks the bails off. Excellent control and craft from the spinner. England right back under the pump after that patient partnership.
That is a beauty from Zampa! #ohwhatafeeling#AUSvENG @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/LKt5Y7gRfm
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 21, 2018
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18th over: England 85-2 (Bairstow 35, Root 22) Mitchell Marsh becomes the sixth Australia to turn his arm over and he’s not far away from jagging a wicket. Bairstow survives an uppish flick through midwicket that flies just past the diving Stoinis. England patiently rotating the strike and accumulating runs for the time being.
17th over: England 80-2 (Bairstow 32, Root 20) Better over for England who finally reach the rope - for the first time in ten overs. Root is the man to profit from a Zampa long hop, a few balls after failing to cash in on a full toss.
“Mention of the improved fielding there makes you wonder why it took so long for Australia to realise that that’s how to restrict England’s scoring. Who knew?” asks John Starbuck. The intensity in the field has been noticeable so far. Possible to imagine a pre-match rev up from captain and coach to remind Australia the series is on the line.
16th over: England 73-2 (Bairstow 31, Root 14) A drinks break doesn’t interrupt the flow of the game with Stoinis continuing to prove difficult to get away. The pattern of this innings seems set for the foreseeable future.
@JPHowcroft This is all a bit rubbish from England. A Bairstow-Root 150ish partnership will be essential to keep victory likely.
— Andrew Benton (@thangnangman) January 21, 2018
It certainly isn’t the crash bang wallop we’ve become accustomed to. Clearly England struggling to adjust to the slower pitch.
15th over: England 69-2 (Bairstow 28, Root 13) England are trying to up the tempo but they can’t connect firmly with anything Zampa sends down. A couple of heaved inside-edges bring oohs and ahhs while a Root reverse sweep looks great for the cameras but earns only one. Australia’s leggie isn’t doing anything exotic but England’s batsmen clearly aren’t yet in sync with the pace of this pitch.
14th over: England 66-2 (Bairstow 26, Root 10) England still dealing in ones and twos for the time being while they regroup from those early wickets. Stoinis isn’t making life easy for Bairstow or Root, ploughing a nice furrow outside off stump, taking advantage of England’s caution.
“Here’s a chance to do the Champions Trophy semi final right,” emails Sachin Paul. “Slow pitch, attritional cricket needed to set 280-300. Can England play a slightly different style?”
13th over: England 62-2 (Bairstow 23, Root 6) Adam Zampa called into action and there’s not much doing as England work five singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Brilliant fielding by the Aussies... they have certainly lifted . Determined to keep the series alive #AUSvENG Great to watch
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) January 21, 2018
12th over: England 57-2 (Bairstow 23, Root 6) Australia’s ground fielding has been excellent this afternoon so far and it’s a feature of Stoinis’ latest over. Smith’s dive in the gully prevents Bairstow from cutting loose before a committed chase from Warner denies Root his first boundary. Another stunning stop from Cummins saves a certain four at fine leg and leaves England counting ones and twos instead of what could have been a hat-trick of boundaries.
11th over: England 51-2 (Bairstow 20, Root 3) Another watchful over for England who are now five overs since a boundary. The ball might be pretty new but Cummins is sending down plenty of cross-seamers, looking to exploit the variable bounce. It’s forcing England to rein in their attacking instincts.
Number of players in the top 20 quickest ODI 100s since 2015:
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) January 21, 2018
Eng 7
RSA 6
Ind 2
Pak 2
Ban 1
Aus 1 (Warner's 179 at Adelaide last year)
ABdeV and JButler (3 ) each have more than all of Aus.@jamiecox1969
10th over: England 47-2 (Bairstow 18, Root 2) Stoinis’ first over proves fruitful for Australia, thanks again to England driving uppishly down the ground. Joe Root needs to asses the situation quickly because this doesn’t look to be a surface on which England can hit their way out of trouble.
Stoinis claims his first wicket of the afternoon! https://t.co/z9e11uxH7G #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/zITOIZtivW
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 21, 2018
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WICKET! Hales c Zampa b Stoinis 1 (England 42-2)
Poor from Hales. After taking an age to get off the mark he lofts his first delivery from Stoinis tamely into the hands of mid-on. It’s another indication this pitch isn’t the easiest to play shots on but that was disappointing shot selection from England’s number three. Australia right on top now.
9th over: England 44-1 (Bairstow 17, Hales 1) Hales eventually gets off the mark with a single from his seventh delivery but Australia continue to keep England in check during this Powerplay. The decision to bring Cummins on so early has proven a masterstroke by Steve Smith.
8th over: England 41-1 (Bairstow 15, Hales 0) More of the same from Hazlewood and after Bairstow works a neat three Hales gives himself a few sighters. Incidentally, the ball was there for Roy to go at but a skerrick of late away swing just forced a minor miss hit that the fielder was ideally placed to capitalise on.
WICKET! Roy c Finch b Cummins 19 (England 38-1)
7th over: England 38-1 (Bairstow 12) An England counterattack was always on the cards and Cummins makes it easy for Roy with a long hop that’s begging to be slapped to the point boundary. Three legside wides make the over feel like a lifetime but the ninth delivery counts! Would you credit it!? Length delivery that Roy tries to muscle through the offside but can only send a rising drive above the head of Finch at short extra cover who takes a smart chance.
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6th over: England 31-0 (Roy 15, Bairstow 12) England content to work in singles while the metronomic Hazlewood settles into his line and length. Couple of overs in a row in Australia’s favour after England’s fast start.
Yet again, Jason Roy is showing why he's so difficult to bowl to. He is content to attack both straighter and wide deliveries, as well as both full and short ones. The margin for error for any bowler facing up to him is slim. #AusvEng pic.twitter.com/rpdBOVFM9u
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 21, 2018
5th over: England 29-0 (Roy 14, Bairstow 11) Cummins called upon early and he delivers, sending down a dangerous maiden. First he gets Roy pushing hard to a length ball that’s scooped just short of mid-off, and he follows that up with a quicker one that beats the outside edge. The variation in pace and bounce only reinforcing the impression this pitch is no road and will respond to subtle changes of pace.
4th over: England 29-0 (Roy 14, Bairstow 11) England are motoring now. First a boundary for Roy who walks across his stumps and flicks Hazlewood from outside off to the wide fine-leg fence. Then Bairstow blisters the fingertips of extra-cover with a free-flowing drive. Plenty of intent and strong running in between.
There are early concerns the surface is uneven with both batsmen doing plenty of gardening. The TV boys think this all benefits England and their spinners later in the evening.
3rd over: England 17-0 (Roy 9, Bairstow 4) Four more for Roy, easing Starc to the midwicket fence with nary a push. That is serious timing and a lightning outfield! The boundary arrived from Starc’s stock ball, which is full and swinging into the right-handed batsmen from over the wicket. This is interspersed with the odd slingy wider one and a rapid short ball, everything consistently above 145kph.
2nd over: England 11-0 (Roy 5, Bairstow 3) Jason Roy crunches the day’s first boundary, smashing Hazlewood through the covers off the back foot. It immediately brings about the removal of the second of two slips. That ball was the only errant delivery in an otherwise textbook Hazlewood over of line and length that England’s openers treated respectfully.
I neglected to mention the final delivery of Starc’s first over because to my eye it looked a half-hearted LBW appeal to one that may have pitched outside leg and may have gone over or down the legside. Turns out on DRS it was an umpire’s call on height, everything else was in the bowler’s favour.
1st over: England 5-0 (Roy 0, Bairstow 2) Mitchell Starc gets play underway with consecutive full swinging yorkers that bend their way wide of leg stump. Runs for England but encouragement for the bowler. When Starc recalibrates he finds Bairstow eager to get forward and throw his hands through the ball, which is met with a tasty shorter ball to leave the batsman in no doubt he’s dealing with the A-Team today. Interesting start and definite movement in the air if Australia can get their lines and lengths right.
The most magnificent view of a fabulous stadium from our comm box today. @jamestaylor20 and @CharlesDagnall the shadowy figures in the foreground #ausveng pic.twitter.com/RnMxLn2cjo
— daniel norcross (@norcrosscricket) January 21, 2018
The teams are just making their way out onto the SCG turf. Australia fielding in bright canary yellow uniforms with green trim. England batting in navy blue with a pink fade to the base of the jersey like the settling of a pint of cartoon Guinness.
This isn’t the only Australia vs England contest this week. On Tuesday the old enemies will meet in a quarter final of the Under-19s World Cup in Queenstown. Australia finished second in Group B with two wins from three matches, England topped Group C with three wins.
Michael Clarke (who knows the SCG like the back of his hand) reckons this is a dry spinner’s surface. England have Rashid, Moeen and Root at their disposal, Australia just Zampa, unless Smith gives himself a whirl or looks at White or Warner.
Plenty resting on the big-named pace trio to take early wickets with the fresh Kookaburras.
One thing in Australia’s favour as this series slips away from their grasp is the continuing inability for bilateral ODIs to feel part of the sporting zeitgeist. A couple of defeats therefore can pass easily through the keeper.
For a start the sporting calendar is packed, with the Australian Open tennis and Big Bash League cricket in particular receiving saturation coverage at the moment. It’s also drifting towards the buzzkill end of the holiday period, and there’s a real sense of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ following the Ashes demolition. The marketing for each ODI has focussed on the party atmosphere inside the venues with pool decks and grass banks manufactured to provide more reasons than just the cricket to turn up.
Although, a win today would set up the final two matches of the series very nicely. The fourth fixture is the Australia Day crowd-puller at Adelaide Oval and the whole thing rounds off at Perth’s spanking new 60,000 arena. There may be a pulse in this thing yet.
Australia XI
Australia make four changes and look to have their most balanced XI of the series on the park. The bowling attack features the first choice pace trio, alongside legspinner Adam Zampa and allrounders Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis. The talking point will be Cameron White’s elevation to first drop in the batting order, allowing Steve Smith to dictate terms from number four. White has been a run machine for Victoria in domestic one-day cricket but his international chances looked numbered until this recent call-up. He’s now been handed an incredible opportunity.
Out: Head, Richardson, Tye, Carey.
In: Paine, Cummins, Hazlewood, Zampa
Australia XI: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Cameron White, Steve Smith (c), Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Tim Paine (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa #AUSvENG
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 21, 2018
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England XI
As expected, England are unchanged. Plenty of attention now on that deep batting order and its ability to play at full throttle for 50 overs.
Australia have won the toss and Steve Smith has chosen to bowl first.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 21, 2018
Follow live: https://t.co/4Hy5SgELuP #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/Qy8IahbIzZ
England will bat first
A change of script for the first time this series with England invited to set a total. They’ve looked mightily impressive chasing, how many can they rack up with the full 50 overs?
Steve Smith won the toss and elected to BOWL #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/J4g7ZlQkaA
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 21, 2018
The pitch is a belter and the weather is glorious, apart from the occasional gust accentuating the persistent northerly breeze. Scores in excess of 300 are common here and it would be no surprise to see that mark reached again.
Today’s deck at @scg #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/y81xRj5W3L
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 21, 2018
As it happens rugby superstar Sam Burgess was on hand to present Root with a memento for the milestone and say a few words to the England squad on the SCG outfield.
Congratulations on 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ ODI caps @root66! 🧢🏴🏏💯
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 21, 2018
Thanks to @SamBurgess8 of @England_RL and @SSFCRABBITOHS for the presentation 👏 pic.twitter.com/ocbiOtnhda
Joe Root features in his 100th ODI today and regardless of how many runs he makes he will join an elite list of batsmen to average over 50 at this stage in his career. The others? MS Dhoni, AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli, Michael Bevan and Hashim Amla. Rarefied air indeed.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live OBO coverage of the third one day international between Australia and England from the Sydney Cricket Ground.
After a thorough shellacking with the red ball England have restored some pride to their tour with two handsome victories in the opening 50-over contests. The contrast between the confidence and proactivity of this English outfit in pyjamas compared to whites is testament to how this group has (d)evolved under coach Trevor Bayliss (it also suggests the pace of Liam Plunkett and Mark Wood would have been handy earlier in the tour, but that’s a lament for another time). The challenge for Joe Root and his leadership team is to maintain momentum until there is some meaningful silverware in the trophy cabinet.
For Australia there is much to ponder. Aaron Finch’s form means the top three picks itself, and the trio of strike bowlers are always going to play when workload permits, but outside of that there are gaps to be filled. The biggest concern is the middle order and how it can generate both runs and extra bowling options. Where England have accommodated the absence of their star allrounder Ben Stokes, Australia seem to be struggling to plug a Glenn Maxwell shaped hole.
England seem set to select an unchanged XI as they aim to lock up an unassailable 3-0 lead. Australia are poised to roll out the big guns of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins for the first time this series as they bid to improve on a run of just one victory in their past ten ODIs.
As always, this is more fun if you join in, and you can do so by emailing or Tweeting via the details at the top of the page.
Jonathan will be here soon enough. In the meantime, here’s Joe Root on England’s win in the second ODI:
It wasn’t very pretty today. There wasn’t a lot of finesse but it was about being there at the end and winning the game.
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