HUNGOVER ...AND OUT!

Buttler: Pride at T20 glory is still there despite whitewash

JOS BUTTLER insisted England’s ODI series whitewash against Australia does not take the gloss off a triumphant tour down under.

Just nine days after their T20 World Cup win over Pakistan at the same venue, a record low crowd for a match between England and Australia of just 10,406 saw Buttler’s men go out with a whimper.

Continuing the record theme, the Aussies sealed a 3-0 ODI series posting the highest-ever total at the MCG with 355-5, before winning by a record margin of 221 runs (DLS method) as England were all out for 142.

“We tried our best but we fell a long way short – Australia played really well,” said Buttler (right).

“But there’s lots to be proud of. You don’t need long memories to remember the scenes here last week.”

The hangover from those scenes has weighed heavy on this series despite England utilising their bench and resting T20 stars.

And while this scheduling of a series the players clearly did not want was questionable, this was still an embarrassing effort.

If the game was up in the series when they went 2-0 down in Sydney on Saturday, it was up here when Australia’s first wicket partnership of Travis Head and David Warner ran riot against poor bowling.

Their 269-run stand for the first wicket was a record for the venue, eclipsing the previous best of 225 from Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist against England in 2002.

Set an adjusted Duckworth-lewisstern target of 364 after rain reduced the third and final ODI to 48 overs per side, England capitulated in 31.4 overs.

There were few bright spots and even those that shone did so against a dark backdrop.

Olly Stone (above), who finished with 4-85 from 10 overs, was a case in point even if he deserves credit for honesty.

“I didn’t start great, a few pies in there which wasn’t ideal and didn’t set the tone,” he said. “When you’re off at this level, you get punished, and it makes you learn quickly.

“I thought it was nice the way I came back and I enjoyed bowling in those highpressure situations at the end. It was nice to pick up four wickets and claw it back.” Stone, 29, admitted it would be “wonderful” to be selected for England’s defence of their 50-over World Cup in India, but was realistic, after only his second ODI appearance in four years.

“It’s a big learning curve for me,” he added. “It’s frustrating because I want to do as well as I can, but it’s definitely something I can learn from and hopefully take forward.”

■FORMER England and Sussex all-rounder Luke Wright has been appointed to the panel of national selectors.