An international summer that has tipped into the cold chill of autumn is all set up for a decider this Sunday after England surged to an electric 186-run victory over Australia at Lord’s. Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone went positively gangbusters with the bat, Jofra Archer and his fellow quicks much the same with ball in hand.
It felt more like a Six Nations contest at Twickenham than a one-day international at the Home of Cricket once rain made way for a shortened game. Scarves and bobble hats were in vogue for spectators, pints wobbling in shivering hands. But England burned white hot, ransacking 312 for five from 39 overs – Livingstone taking Mitchell Starc for 28 off the final six balls – before the tourists were rolled for 126 all out.
Livingstone was devastating at the end of an innings already propelled by Brook and a 58-ball 87 that rolled over his form from his century at Chester-le-street. The all-rounder pummelled Starc for four sixes and a four in that final over, with his unbeaten 62 from 27 balls stoking up the crowd. The role of Ben Duckett, who made 63 after overcoming some tricky early movement, should not be discounted either.
But perhaps the most heartening sight was Archer playing his first match at Lord’s since that breathtaking Ashes debut five years ago and unleashing for figures of two for 33. As well as lighting up Mitch Marsh’s bails with a beauty that angled in and nipped up the slope, and snuffing out the dangerous Glenn Maxwell, he pinged Marnus Labuschagne’s forearm with a delivery that, on another day, could have been bone-breaking. After that cruel run of injuries, the real Archer appears to be back.
Although the Durham pair of Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts would probably like a word here, given they shared seven wickets in what became a procession. Carse terminated Travis Head’s incendiary start – the left-hander finally missing one on 34 – and claimed three for 36. Potts nicked off the advancing Steve Smith and later nipped out three in four balls to turn Australia’s hopes from unlikely to impossible.
“That was a pretty special performance,” said Brook, England’s stand-in skipper. “All bases were covered there tonight. We’ve obviously got an awesome bowling attack there with those three seamers. It was phenomenal to watch.”
This was a less febrile affair than last summer’s Ashes encounter here, even if there was a nod to that day when Australia’s wicketkeeper was again the target of boos during England’s first innings. Josh Inglis was the pantomime villain this time, however. Alex Carey was playing as a specialist bat, with Cameron Green ruled out by a potentially serious lower back injury. And it felt a tad harsh, all told.
Inglis had claimed a catch down leg off Brook on 17, unknowing of the fact the ball had bounced millimetres in front of his gloves on the dive. Either way, the bog-standard chants of “same old Aussies” were a footnote, relegated to relative insignificance by the latest sign of Brook’s growing handle on ODI cricket as he moved to a 37-ball half-century with some crisp ball-striking.
Much like Tuesday’s maiden hundred in the format, Brook managed to race along without ever looking hurried. The shortened innings simplified the task, even after a subdued powerplay once Marsh had elected to bowl. No Green also meant Marsh turning his arm over for the first time since April, fooling Will Jacks with an outswinger once Josh Hazlewood had ended Phil Salt’s stop-start 22 up top.
But England soon upped the ante, Brook and Duckett combining for a stand of 79 from 53 balls that saw the returning Adam Zampa deliberately targeted. Jamie Smith chipped in with 39 from 28 once Zampa exacted revenge over Duckett, although he learned a lesson when a shy at the stumps from Inglis hit the bullseye. Smith had not run his bat in and only just had his heel grounded over the line at the point of impact.
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As it happened the ball ricocheted for four overthrows, much to the crowd’s delight. Although the decibel levels rose higher still when Livingstone began wielding his bat like a blacksmith at the forge, muscling seven meaty sixes to push his side well past par with young Jacob Bethell a mere onlooker at the other end. Starc, among the greatest death-bowlers in history, was rather taken apart.
Australia briefly crackled in the reply, Head typically taking on the quicks with mustachioed bravura, even clearing the Mound Stand with one pull shot.
But the two white Kookaburras were doing plenty under the lights and once Carse ended Head’s fun, and Potts followed it up with his second removal of Smith, the quicks positively swarmed and the final six wickets tumbled for just 28 runs.
So a series that began with concerns about an experienced Australia side being too strong for rebooted England now heads to Bristol for a winner-takes-all finale. The hope now is that its bleak weather forecast is similarly wide of the mark.