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 the off side. 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 century 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 drove and pulled fours before Brook capped the over with a high drive over covers.

England now had the momentum in their grasp and although Jacks fell to an uppercut in deep third before Jamie Smith's top-edged pull landed in the hands of deep backward square leg, Brook remained calm 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 by this point 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 only once in the first powerplay but the seamers had something in the bag, as Brook had hoped on the coin toss. Short, who was joined by Marsh in Head's absence, was caught hooking Archer at deep backward square leg, two balls after bowling six balls on the same delivery. Matthew Potts then thought he had removed Smith lbw but ball tracking showed that the delivery 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 strength to find a crisp Riverside length ball and play it straight to Jamie Smith from the outside edge. From there, Australia looked to rebuild, with the third-wicket pair of Smith and Green largely using low-risk shots during a stand worth 84, fending off the frontline seamers before relying on 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 catch Jacks and bowled an easy catch to the keeper.

Suddenly at 132 for 4, Australia were grateful for Smith's resilience as he got to a fifty off 71 balls, reaching the mark with his fifth boundary. Brook then went back to Archer and eventually won a duel with Smith, taking 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 gone out of hand, but Carey managed quick half-century stands with Maxwell and Hardie to turn the game back in Australia's favour. Hardie's aggressiveness from No. 8 stood out as 55 runs flowed from the last four overs to put England under pressure. But Brook had a worthy response with the bat.