ENG vs AUS 2024, ENG vs AUS 3rd ODI Match Report, September 24, 2024

England 254 for 4 (Brook 110*, Jacks 84) beat Australia 304 for 7 (Carey 77*, Smith 60, Archer 2-67) with 46 runs (DLS method)

Both Jacks and Brook were quick to show what they could do, even amid the chaos. Jacks calmly hit his fourth ball from Hazlewood back to the ground to long-on, while Brooks' fifth, a slightly over-delivered delivery from Starc, disappeared through extra cover.

By and large, they batted cautiously to begin with, occasionally trying to play with the bowlers' lengths, such as when Jacks advanced to hit Hazlewood through cover. England were 45 for 2 at the end of the first powerplay – Australia were 41 for 1 – and began to open up as Mitchell Marsh went through his bowling options. Brook hit Glenn Maxwell's first ball over the head at mid-off and then did the same to Matthew Short with an even harder shot that sailed all the way.

Brook made a 54-ball fifty in the same over, his first since replacing the injured Jos Buttler as captain. The hundred partnership came two balls later, before Jacks scored his own half-century from 55 balls as the volume began to rise in the home crowd. The atmosphere only grew louder when Starc's sixth over was plundered for 19, his third most expensive in ODIs: Jacks hit drives and pulling fours, Brook capped the over with a high drive over covers.

England now had the momentum in their grasp and although an uppercut saw Jacks fall to deep third before Jamie Smith's top-edged pull landed in the hands of deep backward square leg, Brook remained composed and hit two consecutive fours against Starc to take him to three-figure scores for only the second time in List A cricket history.

Livingstone had already hit two of his first seven balls for six and, with rain in the air, he took England over the DLS with another series of boundaries and when heavy rain set in, the result was beyond doubt.

England struck just once in the first powerplay but the seamers had something to offer as Brook had hoped when he won the toss. Short, who was joined by Marsh in Head's absence, was caught hooking Archer at deep backward square leg, two balls after hitting six balls with the same delivery. Matthew Potts then thought he had removed Smith lbw but ball tracking showed the throw would have passed leg stump on review.

Marsh battled through the powerplay, taking several blows to the body, but fell immediately after. Brydon Carse used his home field experience to find a crisp Riverside length delivery and play it straight to Jamie Smith from the outside edge. From there, Australia tried to rebuild, with the third wicket pair of Smith and Green using largely low-risk shots to hold on during a stand worth 84. They had to work hard to get through England's frontline seamers before attempting to target spin, particularly the fifth bowler combination.

Jacob Bethell and Jacks initially let through boundaries but as Australia started to line up well, both spinners struck in quick succession. First Green hit Bethell straight to Jacks on mid-off, the fielder having just been pushed back from a close position, then Marnus Labuschagne got caught in a tangle trying to field Jacks' offspin and bowled an easy catch to the keeper.

From 131 for 2, Australia suddenly found themselves at 132 for 4 and were forced to retreat again. Smith fought his way to a 50 in 71 balls, reaching the mark with his fifth boundary, while he and Carey added a timely 40. But Brook went back to Archer and Archer eventually won a duel with Smith and took his wicket for the first time in international cricket when Carse took a brilliant running catch at deep square leg.

At 172 for 5, the innings could have been over, but Carey and Maxwell put on a quick half-century stand to turn the game back in Australia's favour. The pair pushed Carse's numbers and Livingstone seemed to bear the brunt when he came on for the 42nd over. Maxwell smeared him twice through midwicket, then reversed four more balls and hit another short ball deep to Carse at cover.

Carey was unstoppable, however, scoring a fifty off 48 balls and Hardie showed his strength with a tough stand that saw him score 68 off 43. Archer was dragged into the stands and beaten over long-on by Australia's No. 8 as 55 runs flowed from the last four overs to put England under pressure. But Brook had a worthy reply with the bat.