On a chilly night at Chester-le-Street came an England performance to warm the cockles of the hardy home supporters. It was ended by late rain that swept in but through Harry Brook’s sublime unbeaten 110, this victory over Australia hinted at progress and clawed one back in a previously one-sided series.
The two teams travel to Lord’s for Friday’s fourth instalment with Australia, now 2-1 up, doubtless keen to seal matters at the ground that gave a number of them an earful during last summer’s Ashes. There was no such hostility here at the Riverside, only 14,000 supporters in zipped-up overcoats roaring England to the finish line before its damp conclusion and a 46-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
Set 305 to win after Alex Carey had fired once again with an unbeaten 77, England’s chase got off to the worst possible start when Mitchell Starc sent Phil Salt and Ben Duckett packing with the new ball. But from a perilous 11 for two in the third over, and with Will Jacks delivering a sprightly 84 from No 3, Brook powered his side to 254 for four in the 38th over and thus well ahead of the rate before the heavens opened.
Hitting 13 fours and two sixes on the night, and reaching his maiden one-day international century from 87 balls as he squirted Starc through the vacant slip area, this may well prove a significant innings for Brook. After all, like a number of players in this rebooted England side, the 25-year-old is chiefly learning the rhythms of 50-over batting at the highest level due to the shemozzle that is the domestic schedule. Days like this are experience banked.
Slotting aerial drives and crashing some remarkable back-foot cuts, this was also the Yorkshireman’s first century against Australia in any format and built on a stand of 156 from 147 balls in which Jacks took the early risks. But even after Cameron Green claimed a Surrey double by removing Jacks and Jamie Smith with a couple of short balls, Liam Livingstone smoked 33 from 20 balls to ensure enough breathing space.
The target followed a strong acceleration by Australia at the back end of their innings. With 10 overs remaining the tourists were 200 for five but still managed to trowel a further 104 runs on to their heap through a second successive half-century from Carey – this has been some return to England by last summer’s public enemy – and a 26-ball 44 from Aaron Hardie that slightly spoiled Jofra Archer’s figures.
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Back after a breather at Headingley, Archer had returned two for 36 from his first eight overs, bouncing out Matthew Short early and removing Steve Smith for 60 thanks to Brydon Carse’s sparkling catch on the rope. For all the talk of a personal duel, going back to a bloodcurdling Ashes encounter five years ago, this was the first time Archer has dismissed Smith in international cricket. The only nod to that day at Lord’s came when Smith ended up on his backside attempting a funky scoop.
But Archer’s final two overs leaked 31 runs, Hardie twice pumping the fast bowler into the stands as Archer’s radar malfunctioned. England looked a seamer light, even if Jacob Bethell and Jacks offset this a touch by removing Cameron Green for 42 and Marnus Labsuchage for a third-ball duck during the middle overs. Liam Livingstone bought the wicket of Glenn Maxwell, while Carse was arguably the pick overall with 10 overs of thud that featured a superb working over of Mitch Marsh before finding the edge.
There was one sliding doors moment for Carey on 25 – a reviewed lbw shout from Adil Rashid that was predicted to be clipping leg stump and thus stayed with the on-field call – but he otherwise marshalled the denouement superbly. It looked an ominous total, not least when Starc made early inroads into the England batting lineup.
In the end, with no Adam Zampa in the Australia attack due to illness and the older ball coming on nicely under lights, it was not enough.
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