uk 254 to 4 (Brooke 110*, Jacks 84) win australia 304 out of 7 (Carey 77*, Smith 60, Archer 2-67) (DLS method) 46 points
Jax and Brooke were both quick to show what they could do in the wreckage, with Jax calmly grounding Hazelwood’s fourth pitch to long-on, and Brooks’ fifth pitch was a slightly over-pitched pitch from Stark that was swept away through extra cover.
They batted cautiously at first, occasionally trying to play the length of the bowlers, as when Jacks knocked Hazelwood through the off side. England were 45-2 at the end of the first powerplay, Australia 41-1, and Mitchell Marsh began to open up as he shuffled his bowling options. Brooke hit Glenn Maxwell’s first ball over the head of mid-off, then followed it up with a bigger one to Matthew Short, which flew over the top.
Brooke made his first fifty off 54 balls in the same over since taking over as captain after the injured Jos Buttler. The 100-run partnership came two balls later, and Jax added his fifty off 55 balls as the home crowd began to increase in volume. The mood grew even louder when Starc’s sixth over was plundered for 19 runs, the third most expensive score in ODIs. Jax drove for four, and Brooke finished the over with a high drive over the covers.
The momentum was now in England’s favour and, although Jacks was taken down by an uppercut from deep third and Jamie Smith’s top-edged full was caught at deep backwards square leg, Brook was unfazed and smashed a four in a row off Starc to reach three figures for only the second time in List A cricket.
Livingstone had already hit two sixes off the first seven balls by then and with signs of rain in the air, another boundary smash put England ahead of the DLS requirement and when the downpour came the result was never in doubt.
England batted just once in the first powerplay, but there was something for the seamers, just as Brooke had hoped from the toss. Short, who was paired with Marsh in a headless situation, was caught hooking Archer twice to deep backward square leg after hitting the same shot for a six. Matthew Potts thought he had removed Smith lbw, but a review showed the delivery would have passed leg stumps after ball tracking.
Marsh was savaged in the powerplay after taking several body blows, but Brydon Carse used his knowledge of home grounds to exploit Riverside’s gap and slotted the ball straight to Jamie Smith on the outside edge. Australia looked to rebuild from there, and the third-wicket pair of Smith and Green played mostly low-risk shots in an 84-run stand, beating the front-line seamers before targeting spin, particularly from the fifth bowler combination.
Jacob Bethell and Jacks were initially cleared of boundaries, but as Australia began to look well positioned, the two spinners struck in quick succession. First Green hit Bethell straight to Jacks at mid-on, the fielder just behind from close range, and then Marnus Labuschagne tangled in an attempt to scoop Jacks and the keeper made a simple catch.
Australia suddenly won 132 for 4, thanks to Smith’s tenacity, who reached his fifth boundary as he made a 71-ball fifty. Brook then returned to archery and finally won the duel with Smith, taking his first wicket in international cricket when Cass took a superb running catch at deep square leg.
At 172 for 5, the innings could have been lost, but Carey quickly turned the game around in Australia’s favour with Maxwell and Hardie scoring half-centuries. At No. 8, Hardie’s aggression was evident, and he put England under pressure with 55 runs from his last four overs. But Brook, who was batting, made a worthwhile response.
Alan Gardner is the deputy editor of ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
