Australia beat misfiring England and the rain to seal ODI series victory in Bristol

Despite some feeble attempts at time-wasting, the rain arrived three minutes too late to rescue England. Australia were ahead on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern when it started and with just enough overs bowled to ensure a result, the tourists claimed a 3-2 series win to snuff out any debate about the moral victors of this one.

Rebooted before the series and then resurgent from 2-0 down, England chiefly had themselves to blame on this final day of the so-called summer. They set off like a train after being inserted, Ben Duckett’s 91-ball 107 and Harry Brook’s electric 72 from 52 giving rise to thoughts of a 400-plus total. And yet they were undone by Travis Head’s part-time spin and skittled for 309 with four balls unbowled.

It was then a tense wait to discover whether 20 overs would be sent down in the chase to produce a winner as a weather front swept up from the south west. There was a mandatory drinks break after 17 overs – the players not exactly parched in the autumnal conditions – and an all-too convenient change of boots for Matthew Potts soon after that cast minds back to Cardiff in 2009, Bilal Shayafat et al.

But even with these delays – the kind of farcical drama only cricket can throw up – Australia snuck four balls past the all-important 20-over mark when the clouds burst at 4.29pm. Having feasted on some short and wide stuff from England’s seamers to reach 165 for two – opener Matthew Short monstering 50 from just 30 balls – a convincing 49-run victory on DLS was theirs when the officials called time at 6pm.

Brook may have missed a trick here, even if it would have been shithousery of the highest order. Brydon Carse had beaten Steve Smith’s bat in the 20th over and though the fast bowler’s appeal was half-hearted, a frivolous review by Brook would have stalled things further. Given Australia’s fightback on the day, Head’s career-best figures of four for 28 pivotal, the final outcome was ultimately deserved.

England had never come back from 2-0 down in an ODI series to win 3-2 and, in that regard, Brook and his men deserve credit for setting up the possibility. Deputising for the injured Jos Buttler, Brook also moved past Virat Kohli for the most runs by a captain in an ODI series against Australia; 312 to the Indian master’s 310 in 2019 after walloping Adam Zampa for six of his seven sixes on the day.

When he and Duckett were taking on all-comers in a 132-run third-wicket stand to reach 202 for two in the 25th over – Duckett once again delivering with cross-batted elan – England were firmly in the ascendancy. But having just launched Zampa into the packed stands with a meaty sweep, Brook finally miscued one to long on and from here a slightly perplexing collapse of eight for 107 was set in motion.

It was only mildly offset by Adil Rashid’s 35-ball 36 – his highest ODI score for seven years – and a last-wicket stand of 33 with Olly Stone. And on a day when two early strikes for Aaron Hardie pointed to the preeminence of seam – not least the ball that nipped in to castle Will Jacks for a duck – finger spin was the true kryptonite on this surface. Head, the eighth bowler deployed by Smith, was the man to deliver it.

Ali Martin’s full report to follow…