Ganesh Kendale
England showed their firepower with bat and ball as they levelled the one-day international series with a 186-run thrashing of Australia in a rain-shortened match at Lord’s.
Stand-in captain Harry Brook scored a magnificent 87 from 58 balls, while Ben Duckett also made a half-century before Liam Livingstone’s blistering unbeaten 62 from 27 balls took the home side to a formidable 312-5 from 39 overs.
Livingstone hit seven sixes, with four of them coming as he took 28 off the last over of the innings from Mitchell Starc.
That late onslaught gave Livingstone a 25-ball fifty, the fastest in an ODI at Lord’s, while England’s 12 maximums is a new record in an ODI at the home of cricket.
Australia made a fast start in the chase but three wickets in four overs, including both openers, halted the momentum and England seized control.
The tourists crumbled from 68-0 to 126 all out in 24.4 overs, with Matthew Potts excellent in taking 4-38.
Brydon Carse had bowled Travis Head to get things started and the 29-year-old fast bowler ended with figures of 3-36, while Jofra Archer claimed 2-33.
It was left to Adil Rashid to wrap things up as England claimed their second largest ODI victory by runs over Australia.
After losing the first two matches of the series, this new-look England side have battled back to force a decider in Bristol on Sunday.
