Firepower and power-hitting, the pieces fall into place for England’s ODI side in victory over Australia
England put on a pace and power-hitting show to banish the late September cold as they levelled the series with a 186-run thrashing of Australia in the fourth ODI at Lord’s.
Jofra Archer produced speeds over 90mph, and Liam Livingstone smashed 62 as England’s next generation showcased the ability to banish the demons of the dismal 2023 World Cup in India.
Livingstone struck seven sixes including four in Mitchell Starc’s final over, to level the record for most sixes in an ODI at Lord’s, set by Andrew Flintoff, in a complete batting performance from the side, despite no one scoring a century.
It might have been a day when the cricket hampers and plastic champagne flutes were replaced with thermos’, dry robes and blankets, but the fans who braved the cold will have left encouraged by the direction of the ODI side.
Harry Brook appears more and more the complete batter and captain as he followed up his maiden ODI century on Tuesday with an expertly-timed 87 from 58 runs as England put on what proved to be a match-winning total of 312 runs.
On his first ODI at Lord’s since the World Cup final in 2019, Archer was handed a rare consecutive performance as England continue to manage his international return. Reaching speeds close to his peak, he was well backed up by Brydon Carse, who after spending months this summer suspended because of previous gambling actions, looked as though he had not been away.
“That was a pretty special performance to be honest, all bases were covered and I think we performed exceptionally well,” Brook said afterwards as England unleashed a kind of dominant performance not seen in ODIs since 2019.
From the outset, England were impressive. Ben Duckett opened ell to set the platform with 63 from 62 balls, before being joined by Brook.
The England captain pierced the gaps in the fields at regular intervals, even admitting afterwards: “It’s definitely the best I’ve hit it this summer.”
An almost-perfect innings was capped off by Livingstone’s 28 from the final over and become the fastest-ever to reach a half century in an ODI at Lord’s.
Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh made an explosive start to the Australian chase of 313 to win, with Carse’s opening over dispatched for 19 and Matthew Potts struggling for line and length.
Head launched one of the biggest sixes seen at the Home of Cricket for years, hitting Carse onto the top of the turreted Mound Stand, but he fell the next over to Archer.
The Barbados-born quick has been eased back into duty, but looked at home firing in quickly against the Australians, striking Marnus Labuschagne on the arm and knocking back Mitchell Marsh’s off stump.
Archer struck up a strong fast-bowling partnership with Carse, as Brook described: “From mid off it was phenomenal to watch. We knew the seamers were getting the most out of the pitch.
“Carse is a bit ill as well and was struggling a bit towards the end with his chest.”
Australia collapsed from 68 without loss to 96 for six, from which they never recovered and limped on from the 16th to 25th over, when they were all bowled out for 126.
Aside from Marsh and Head who made 28 and 34 respectively, none of the Australian batters managed to score more than 13 as they struggled to build any sort of partnership against the England attack.
