England captain Harry Brook delivered a sensational performance, striking his maiden one-day international century, as England clinched a resounding 46-run victory over Australia in the third ODI at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday. The triumph, achieved via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method due to rain, kept England’s hopes alive in the series, reducing Australia’s lead to 2-1 and ending their impressive 14-match winning streak in ODIs.
Chasing a challenging target of 305, England was cruising at 254-4, with Brook unbeaten on a magnificent 110, when heavy rain disrupted proceedings in the day-night encounter. The teams were unable to resume play, and England, comfortably ahead on the run-rate, was declared the winner.
Australia, who had dominated the series with convincing wins at Southampton and Leeds, witnessed their winning momentum halted. Their remarkable 14-match winning streak, which included a triumphant Cricket World Cup victory in India last year, came to an abrupt end.
Coming to the crease with England in a precarious position at 11-2, Brook unleashed a barrage of shots against Australia’s seam attack. He amassed 13 boundaries and two towering sixes in a blistering 94-ball knock, comfortably surpassing his previous best ODI score of 80.
The match witnessed a crucial third-wicket partnership of 156 runs between Brook and Will Jacks (84 off 82 balls), completely turning the tide in England’s favor. The momentum continued when Liam Livingstone entered the fray at No. 6 and immediately announced his arrival with two thunderous sixes.
Brook’s power hitting was evident throughout his innings, employing the uppercut effectively to counter the Australian short-pitched deliveries. His elegant straight drive for four took him to 99, and the next ball, a deft edge, completed his maiden ODI century. He celebrated this landmark achievement by removing his helmet and acknowledging the cheers of the crowd.
Australia, missing the explosive opener Travis Head (rested) and key spinner Adam Zampa (ill), opted to bat first and relied on a strong finish to post a competitive 304-7 from their 50 overs. Alex Carey’s unbeaten 77 and Aaron Hardie’s quickfire 44 off 26 balls were crucial contributions in Australia’s innings. Steve Smith’s patient 60 off 82 balls kept the scoreboard ticking, but the loss of key batsmen like Cameron Green (42) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) in quick succession hampered their momentum.
England’s chase started poorly as Mitchell Starc dismissed Phil Salt (for a duck) and Ben Duckett (8) in the same over. However, Brook’s captaincy and his own exceptional batting prowess turned the tide in England’s favor.
The series resumes on Friday at Lord’s for the fourth ODI, with both teams eager to gain an advantage in the closely contested series.
