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Jason Roy hits second century of series as England thrash Australia

Partnership | England hauled down a record score on this ground, 310, with six wickets and more than five balls to spare: Action Images via Reuters
Partnership | England hauled down a record score on this ground, 310, with six wickets and more than five balls to spare: Action Images via Reuters

For 50 overs, this was like an old-fashioned ODI – and then England batted, and gave us another glimpse of where their world-beating batting is taking this format.

They hauled down a record score on this ground, 310, with six wickets and more than five balls to spare – and that included a little wobble, too. On Sunday in Manchester they have a golden chance for a maiden whitewash over Australia.

READ MORE: Tammy Beaumont fires England to record T20 win

It was an easy win, and when Jason Roy – who made his second century of the series – and Jonny Bairstow were putting on a sumptuous 174 for the first wicket of the chase, it looked like it would be even easier. But they fell in quick succession, and Ashton Agar popped up to dismiss Joe Root and Eoin Morgan too.

It never really looked like going wrong, and Alex Hales and Jos Buttler – who played some outrageous strokes in his 29-ball 54 – were on hand to knock off the final few in some style. It keeps coming at you, this England batting order, and today it sorted England's second highest successful chase without alarm.

(PA)
(PA)

Australia were better here (the only way was up after Trent Bridge), but were still thrashed. Their selection, with an extra spinner in for D’Arcy Short, looked better and Tim Paine made the right choice upon winning his fourth toss of the series.

Paine’s top three paid him back. There were centuries for Aaron Finch, his sixth against England, and Shaun Marsh, his second of the series, while Travis Head gave away a fine start. His 63 was full of lovely drives, but he gave it away, pulling an Adil Rashid long-hop to the man protecting the long legside boundary.

With that, Rashid overtook Graeme Swann to become England’s highest spinning ODI wicket-taker with 105. Another spinner, Root, was allowed to passively shuffle through all 10 of his overs for the second time in 112 ODIs. He conceded just 44 runs.

(PA)
(PA)

Finch and Marsh were cleverer. They resisted aggression to lay a platform, then accelerated to take the innings deep. Both fell the ball after reaching their century (Roy lasted just two balls after getting his, too) having moved the scoring along. Finch was lbw to Mark Wood, the seamer’s first international wicket on his home ground, and Marcus Stoinis was bowled by a ripper later in the over.

Marsh took 24 off Rashid’s final over, reaching his century with a six, only to be brilliantly relay-caught by Jason Roy and Craig Overton searching for the fence at wide long-on off David Willey. Willey picked up three wickets in that over, the 48th, to keep England’s target modest.

Australia had battled hard to post a competitive score, but it never felt enough. It was, whisper it, all a little bit England 2015. It was the first time they had not been bowled out in this series; the small victories will add up.

Roy and Bairstow’s latest blitz put the result beyond doubt. This time Roy was the aggressor and hoarder of strike, and Bairstow was happy to just watch. He looked destined for a fifth century in seven innings, but was tamely caught behind off Billy Stanlake. Still, one of them has scored a century in five of their last six matches, and they have lost just one of those games – the first, an outrageous high-scoring thriller in Dunedin. This superb team will keep winning if that pair’s form continues.