ENG vs AUS | Short fireworks and Head four-fer seals commanding Aussie win in curtailed series decider

‌England declared their recently rediscovered intent immediately after being asked to bat first through Phil Salt’s resoundive drive off Mitchell Starc. He added two more in the over to get the hosts off to a rolicking start while Hazlewood bore the brunt at the other end. Debutant Aaron Hardie was given first change duties and was greeted by Salt with two maximums followed by a four two balls later but the Western Australian had the last laugh to end a 27-ball knock of 45. There was little respite for the visitors though as Ben Duckett kept the train chugging at the other end with three boundaries in the next over and despite Hardie adding another with a dream inducker that kissed the top of off to dispatch Will Jacks for a duck, the powerplay score read a handsome 73/2. Australia put the breaks thereafter briefly but Harry Brook eventually let loose with a six and a four off Zampa in the 15th, followed by three maximums in the wrist-spinner’s ensuing over to bring up the 50-run stand. Duckett brought up his own half-century with back-to-back boundaries while Brook whipped Hardie into the stands to register his own off 39 deliveries. The score had raced to 188/2 after 24 when Brook inflicted two more maximums on Zampa before miscuing one to depart for 72 off 52, the partnership a scintillating 132. Jamie Smith didn’t give the scorers much trouble as a Glenn Maxwell delivery disturbed his timber before Zampa made one grip five deliveries later to send Liam Livingstone back to the hut. Duckett, nearing his century, also quietened down in the process but smashed Travis Head for a maximum as soon as he brought up a second ODI ton, only to hole out next ball after a 91-ball 107. The sudden grip off the surface suddenly brought Australia onto the frontfoot as the English collapsed to 261/8 after 40, courtesy of Zampa piling the pressure and Head capitalizing with the scalps of Jacob Bethell and Brydon Carse. Adil Rashid bailed the hosts with a quicker than run-a-ball 36 to take the score to a defendable 309.

With rain threatened, Head and Matthew Short got to business early, smashing 62 runs in four overs before the former fell to Carse for a 26-ball 31. Nevertheless, Steve Smith kept up the tempo with three quick boundaries while Short kept marauding along to register a mammoth powerplay score of 103/1. Short soon after brought up a lethal 23-ball half-century before falling victim to Matthew Potts in the 13th over. Knowing enough had been done as far as DLS was concerned with showers inevitable, Smith took his team even as English raced away with a flurry of strokes, and the veteran marked the magical 20th over mark with two maximums to seal the series with a huge 49-run victory by DLS method.