Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey struck centuries in a 212-run stand to help Australia reach a record target of 303 at Old Trafford with two balls remaining and secure a ODI series win over England.
Mitchell Starc started the third and deciding game on Wednesday by taking wickets from the first two balls of the match, and ended it by sweeping a four for the winning runs under lights as the Australians consigned England to its first loss in a bilateral ODI series at home since 2015.
It was a record ODI chase at the Manchester venue — bettering England’s 286-4 against New Zealand in 1986 in a 60-over match — and gave Australia a famous series win over the world champions to take back Down Under from their white-ball tour that also included a 2-1 loss in a T20 series.
Replying to 302-7, Australia slumped to 73-5 only for Carey and Maxwell to produce Australia’s highest sixth-wicket partnership in ODIs and turn the tide. While Carey was the steadier of the pair with his 106 off 114 balls, Maxwell delivered some trademark big hits — he had seven sixes, all over the short boundary on one side of the ground — for his 90-ball 108.
“Maxy is in the team to do a specific role, and that’s to be able to take the game away from opposition but also be that guy to counterattack and swing momentum in changing rooms,” Australia captain Aaron Finch said.
“What makes him so damaging is he can play all around the ground. I don’t think there’re many bowlers in the world that can trouble him when he is having one of those days. The way he navigated that innings and took it deeper and deeper ... He did that perfectly.”
Maxwell eventually fell with 15 balls left and Australia needed 14 off the last two overs. Carey couldn’t see the tourists home, either, departing for 106 to a fabulous diving catch by Mark Wood off the seventh-to-last ball.
“It probably wasn’t the ideal situation when I came in but being the last batter, I suppose I had a bit of license to go for it right from the start,” Maxwell told Sky Sports.
“We thought if we could take it as deep as we could, myself and Alex, we might be a chance at the back end.”
Starc entered, with Australia needing 10 off the last over bowled by legspinner Adil Rashid, and smashed his first ball down the ground for six. After two singles, Starc swept Rashid round the corner and the ball sped to the boundary rope, sealing a three-wicket win and sparking cheers from his teammates on the balcony.
England captain Eoin Morgan said Australia were “too good for us”, adding: “To lose two wickets for no runs and then post over 300 is a huge positive for us. I think Jonny Bairstow was outstanding today. Carey and Maxwell played outstandingly well.”
Playing without Steve Smith for the third straight game this series after the star batsman failed to recover from a knock to the head, the Aussies looked in big trouble after Marnus Labuschagne’s sloppy run-out left them five down, with just bowlers to follow Maxwell.
England will regret a no-ball by Archer — his first in ODI cricket — off which he had Carey caught at third man when on 9. Wicketkeeper Jos Buttler also dropped a tough chance off a nick by Maxwell when 44.
“Small opportunities that we might have taken advantage of might have changed the game,” Morgan said, “but when you’ve been beaten by a better side, you have to put your hand up.”
It was England’s only series loss of its international summer — during which all of its games have been played in a bio-secure bubble without fans — after taking on the West Indies, Ireland, Pakistan and Australia in various formats.
Brief scores: England 302/7 (Jonny Bairstow 112, Sam Billings 57; Adam Zampa 3/51) lose to Australia 305/7 (Glenn Maxwell 108, Alex Carey 106; Chris Woakes 2/46) by three wickets.
