Maxwell, Carey hit hundreds as Oz win thriller, clinch series
GLENN Maxwell and Alex Carey both hit brilliant hundreds as Australia sealed a dramatic series win over world champions England in the third One-Day International at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Australia, chasing a target of 0 , were all but out of the game at -5 when Maxwell came to the crease. But an Australia record sixth-wicket stand of 212 between Carey (106) and Maxwell (108) gave the tourists a 2-1 success as England suffered their first home ODI series defeat in five years.
Maxwell’s hundred was just his second century in 11 matches at this level, with Carey’s innings the wicketkeeper’s maiden century in his 9th ODI.
But when Maxwell holed out off leg-spinner Adil Rashid, Australia still needed 18 off 15 balls. That became 10 off six when Carey, whose century came off 106 balls, was superbly caught by a diving Mark Wood at third man off Jofra Archer.
But new batsman Mitchell Starc who’d got the match off to a stunning start by taking two wickets with the first two balls of the game hit his first ball, from Rashid, for six and sealed victory with two balls to spare.
England were left to rue the fact that Carey was caught on nine off a Jofra Archer noball as they ended a coronavirus-hit season by suffering their first series defeat in 18 matches across all formats.
Australia’s success was all the more creditable as star batsman Steve Smith missed the entire series after suffering a head injury batting in the nets.
Jonny Bairstow had revived England from the depths of 0-2 with a superb hundred that saw them to 02- .
Opening batsman Bairstow watched from the other end as left-arm quick Starc removed Jason Roy and Joe Root with the first two balls of the game.
But Bairstow counterattacked superbly and his innings of 112 was the cornerstone of England’s eventual
02- , with Sam Billings (5 ) and Chris Woakes (5 not out) making valuable fifties.
Pace bowler Woakes then took the first two wickets to fall, having Australia captain Aaron Finch lbw and Marcus Stoinis caught off a leading edge at midwicket to leave the tourists 1-2.
And Australia were 55when Morgan saw his decision to bring on part-time off-spinner Joe Root rewarded by the Test captain taking two wickets for three runs in six balls. BRIEF SCORES: England 3027, 50 overs (J Bairstow 112, S Billings 57, C Woakes 53 no; A Zampa 3-51, M Starc 3-74) bt Australia 305-7, 49.4 overs (G Maxwell 108, A Carey 106) by three wickets.