BUTTLER SERVES A TREAT TO HELP ENGLAND CLINCH ONE-DAY SERIES
▶ Wicketkeeper-batsman’s hundred helps tourists beat Australia by 16 runs in Sydney
A scintillating century from Jos Buttler brought England a 16-run win and a one-day international series victory against Australia in Sydney on Sunday.
The hosts, set 303 to win by England after winning the toss and choosing to bowl, were always struggling in their chase and managed only 286-6.
The result gave England an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the fivematch ODI series, a remarkable turnaround after Australia had trounced them 4-0 in the Ashes Tests.
England ODI captain Eoin Morgan said Buttler had engineered of the best wins he had been part of.
“Jos was probably the difference between the sides,” Morgan said. “On a two-paced wicket he paced it to perfection, played the anchor until about five or six overs out.
“This is one of the best wins from this group.”
Australia’s hopes largely rested with Steve Smith (45) and Mitchell Marsh (55), but both were dismissed at a crucial stage of the chase, with Smith falling to a contentious lowdown catch by Buttler off the bowling of Mark Wood (2-46).
Marcus Stoinis made a late attempt with a punishing 56, but England managed to hold on despite losing paceman Liam Plunkett to a leg injury early in the innings.
Australian captain Smith said the game was lost in the last few overs of the England innings.
“I thought the way we bowled in the first 45 overs was good, but Jos played exceptionally well, Woakesy [Chris Woakes] too, but we bowled poorly at the end, can’t do that to a guy like Jos,” he said.
“We were chasing probably 30 too many ... batted well but not enough to get over the line.”
Buttler, 27, was the only batsman from either team really to get to grips with a slightly slow pitch. His late surge enabled England to reach a total which had seemed out of their reach until the final few overs.
Several English batsmen struggled against a fullstrength Australian attack after promising starts, but Buttler notched his fifth one-day international century from the last ball of the innings.
England managed 38 runs in the final two overs. Buttler took 28 runs from the last 11 balls he faced. He faced 83 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes as his innings gathered momentum in final 10 overs. Buttler found a willing ally in Woakes late in the innings, the seamer making 53 from 36 balls in a match-winning partnership of 113 in 11.5 overs.
Australia recalled pacemen Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for the match, the first time in the one-day series that the trio of Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc – who spearheaded the Ashes win – had been reunited.
The tactic appeared to be working until Buttler and Woakes came together and turned the match on its head.
The English were aided by sloppy Australian fielding, with four missed catches and two botched run-out attempts.
The easiest of the catches to go to grass was a howler by Cameron White, who failed to get a hand to a skied chance from Moeen Ali when he was on one.
Marsh was the unlucky bowler, but had his revenge a few minutes later when he bowled Moeen for six, continuing the all-rounder’s wretched tour.
Smith dropped Morgan (41) on 18 off spinner Adam Zampa, while Starc got his fingers to a tough caught-and-bowled chance.
Jos was probably the difference between the sides. On a two-paced wicket he paced it to perfection EOIN MORGAN England captain