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England v Australia, 3rd ODI: Five Things We Learned

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England fought back in the 3rd ODI at Old Trafford to win by 93 runs as Australia flunked their lines in the Manchester dusk. Here are our five things…

MAN OF THE DAY: James Taylor 101

Typically, as James Taylor approached a maiden ODI hundred, talk had already turned to whether his strike rate was too low, shot selection too conservative, crease presence too frenetic, height too small. While he is capable of finishing, his 50-over game is built around frustrating bowlers, fielders and captains by manufacturing unusual scoring areas. It’s not pretty to watch – even some who have coached Taylor admit that his aesthetics work against him – but it is mighty effective. As many observed as he approached what would be the end of his 114 balls at the crease, his was an innings that could only truly be judged at the game’s end. So credit where credit is due: here was a man who reacted to a pitch that got trickier to bat on against the older balls and, you know, scored more than a third of his team’s runs. Naturally, for a bloke with a 90 and 98* to his name, there was a bit of a ton slowdown. But he’s earned it.

Bat first, get 300 – win

At least that’s how the three matches have gone so far. Seems to make sense when you consider that two have been day-night affairs, with the day encounter coming at Lord’s where the lights came into affect fairly early on. Chasing under artificial lights is treacherous and, if anything, this showed that even the world champions are prone to a bit of gagging. Saturday is a day game which may buck the trend, while there was no real evidence of dew about here. Even in this smashy smashy era, runs on the board still matter a hell of a lot.

England choke with spin. England.

I know, right? But that’s what happened. Seriously. And credit to Adil Rashid, who bowled perhaps his best set of 10 in an ODI. He might have only taken 2-41, compared to 4-59 in the first ODI at Southampton, but his control was immaculate. He got to the pace of the pitch, slowing down to get some dip and extra bite to turn past the right-handers outside edge. As for Moeen Ali, well – special. Career best figures of 3-31 off his 10 overs further underline his quality as an international bowler. He got more turn than Rashid and, when reverse swept by Glenn Maxwell for consecutive fours, gave the ball a bit more flight and claimed his wicket. Both spinners registered maidens, too. It’s enough to make you feel all warm and funny inside.

A specialist No.7

It was rather depressing to see Ali, a man who has opened the batting in ODI cricket and has two hundreds to his name, come out and swing blindly. But that is exactly what is required of modern day No.7s in ODI cricket. And it’s not quite as simple as picking your best seven batsmen and playing one of them grossly out of position. It’s a specialist role that a player like Sam Billings or even David Willey would suit. It’s no place for a dreamy stylist.

Worldies

You expect them from Jason Roy. He’s a freak in the field, combining the leap of a salmon, canons for arms and hair that Disney use as templates for their princes. His successful clasp at a ball hit high into the night sky that had him diving backwards after his own missed take was routine by his standards. But Steven Finn, “all arms and legs”, diving full-length – about a furlong – and holding a flick from Steve Smith really took the biscuit.