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Following his side's loss to England in the third ODI, Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh said that initially, 250 was a par score, but the partnership between Harry Brook and Will Jacks and the change in pitch took the game away from them.
The 2023 World Champions 14-match winning streak in ODIs ended as a stroke-filled 156-run partnership between Brook and Jacks during a run-chase of 305 runs helped the Three Lions keep the series alive with a narrow four-run win via Duckworth Lewis (DLS) method in the rain-curtailed match to keep the series alive at 2-1. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Marsh was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo, "I thought we did extremely well to get to 300, particularly with conditions early on. England was too good with the bat. I thought 250 after that start would be awesome and we were well and truly in the game. We knew the wicket had flattened out, but they (England) got a really good partnership going. Fair play to them." England looked on the back foot, being given a target of 305 for victory and falling to 11/2 early in the chase, before a partnership of 156 between Brook and Will Jacks (84 in 82 balls, with nine fours and a six) swung the tide in the hosts' favour. Following Jacks' dismissal, Liam Livingstone joined Brook and scored a quickfire 33* in 20 balls with two boundaries and three sixes, which helped the hosts move ahead of the DLS par score once rain intervened in the chase. Cameron Green (2/45) and Mitchell Starc (2/63) were among the wickets for Australia. After winning the toss, England opted to field first and had reduced Australia to 47/2 before an 84-run stand between Steve Smith (60 in 82 balls, with five fours) and Green (42 in 49 balls, with four boundaries) helped bring some stability. While Australia was reduced to 172/5 at one point, a 54-run partnership between Alex Carey (77* in 65 balls, with seven fours and a six) and Glenn Maxwell (30 in 25 balls, with five fours) and a quickfire cameo of 44 in 26 balls from Aaron Hardie, consisting of three fours and two sixes, took Australia to 304/7 in their 50 overs. Jofra Archer (2/67) was the pick of the bowlers for England. Brydon Carse, Jacob Bethell, Livingstone, and Jacks got a scalp each. The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 winners had the chance to extend their ODI winning streak to 15, what would have been two matches clear as the second-best winning streak in the men's format, with their stretch beginning at last year's major tournament. Australia's 2003 group holds the record with 21 matches on the bounce, in a run that included Cricket World Cup glory in the same year. It's their compatriots on the women's side who also have bragging rights, with 26 back-to-back wins between 2018 and 2021. A victory would have also meant Australia nudged India off the top spot on the ICC ODI Men's Team Rankings, though defeat means they sit three ratings points back from the top spot (118 rating points). (ANI)
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