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

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

Records tumble as England beat Pakistan in the third ODI to take the series. Here’s what we learned from a breathless day at Trent Bridge…

MAN OF THE DAY - ALEX HALES (171 off 122)

It seems very Alex Hales that he would follow up scores of 6, 16, 10, 24, 17, 54, 6, 12, 7 and 14 with an English ODI record for a single innings score. A batsman of famine or feast, this was one hell of a way to turnaround what has been a tame run against Pakistan in the Test series and the first two one-day matches. Early on, he was punching square through the covers – a stark contrast to his airy-fairy wafts outside off stump as the visiting bowlers exposed his indecision outside off stump. But there was little of that today: this was the confident, destructive Hales that has England’s only T20 hundred. With all the dissection of Hales as a red ball batsman it is good to remind yourself of what a fine player he is on his day. And today was that day, as he bested Robin Smith’s 167* to topple a 23-year-old record.

BUTTLER BLITZES AGAIN

Sent in at four, it made you wonder. Given England’s batting depth – Jonny Bairstow ran drinks, while Sam Billings and Ben Duckett didn’t make the ODI squad – is it worth just keeping Jos Buttler in the top order and letting others fill in around him? I suppose that is a question for another day. But with a platform set, Eoin Morgan sent him in and he did not disappoint, smashing 90 off 51 deliveries (seven fours, seven sixes). Now, as well as having the three quickest ODI hundreds for England, he has the quickest fifty, from 22 balls.

ENGLAND’S REVOLUTION

England, with their 444-3, set the highest ODI total. If there’s any statistic that sums up how this side has evolved, it is this. Prior to the 2015 World Cup, in which England flunked horrendously in the group stages, they only managed one score in excess of 350 in 644 ODIs. In the 28 ODIs since, including this one, they have passed it on seven occasions. Astounding. Put the house on them walking away with next year’s Champion’s Trophy and the 2019 World Cup.

AMIR

It has not quite been the perfect return to England for Mohammad Amir. Even during Pakistan’s impressive showings in the Test series, he often cut a forlorn figure with dropped catches and the odd bits of luck not going his way. Even today, he continued to run in as England’s onslaught savaged a weary Pakistan. He kept coming back for more and had more catches dropped that would have improved his figures of none for 72 off his 10 overs. When he came to bat, he took out his frustration on the ball, smashing a half-century from 22 balls to set the record for the highest score by an ODI number 11. It is also the fastest fifty for a Pakistani not called Shahid Afridi…

AND THE REST…

As a general bit of housekeeping, it is only right to bring you the rest of the other records shattered today:
- England’s 16 sixes is the most in an ODI innings by England
- Joe Root’s 85 was his fifth half-century in a row, equalling an England record
- Hales and Root’s 248 was the highest ODI partnership for England against Pakistan.
- Wahab Riaz’s 10 overs for 110 is the second most runs conceded in an ODI