Dominant performance in final ODI sets up 3-2 series win for Australia, as Mitch Marsh is named player of the series
Match Report:
ScorecardAustralia finish tour in style
The Steve Smith era has started with victory after Australia clinched the five-match one-day international series three-two, beating England by eight wickets in the decider at Old Trafford today.
Australia’s bowlers, led by Mitchell Marsh (4-27) and John Hastings (3-21), were outstanding, reducing England to 7-85 before wrapping up the innings for 138 in 33 overs.
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 13, 2015
Aaron Finch (70no) and George Bailey (41no) then combined for an unbeaten stand of 109 as Australia raced to the winning target in 24.2 overs.
Batting first was a clear advantage for England in the third match at Old Trafford and Eoin Morgan had no hesitation opting the same way when the coin fell his way in the morning.
But the wheels fell off early when Jason Roy survived one lbw decision with a successful review before electing not refer his second dismissal lbw two balls later which, as replays showed, was comfortably missing leg to give Mitchell Starc a wicket on return.
John Hastings went bang-bang with the new ball, nicking off Alex Hales (4) and James Taylor (12) before Morgan ducked into a Starc bouncer and was forced to retire hurt.
Quick single: Morgan retires hurt after helmet blow
Morgan took no further part in the match and was treated for concussion.
A steady partnership of 34 between Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow was severed by Marsh who trapped both batsman lbw either side of outing Moeen Ali (five) and David Willey (0).
Adil Rashid (35no) annoyed the tourists with Mark Wood (13) before the lumbering Hastings returned to remove the latter and record career-best ODI figures.
In an innings dominated by seam bowling, Ashton Agar’s two overs went for 12 but he did end the innings with the wicket of debutant left-armer Reece Topley (six).
England’s truncated innings meant Australia had to face 10 overs before the lunch interval, allowing just enough time for Willey to snare the wicket of Joe Burns for a duck while skipper Smith was caught behind off Wood for 12.
After the break, Finch and Bailey were untroubled, treating the England spin attack that caused so many problems on Tuesday with utter disdain.
Rashid was clearly targeted, crunched for four then a booming straight six by Finch off his first two balls, before Bailey cashed in with three boundaries in four balls from his second over.
Finch brought up his second fifty of the series – both at Old Trafford – off 47 balls as the partnership raced past 100 and the victory target ever closer.
A thick outside edge from Bailey to third man ended the match, the series, and Australia’s three-month Qantas tour of the British Isles, with Marsh named man of the series.
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 13, 2015
The series win is the first under Smith as Australia’s full-time captain, and it could not have come in more testing circumstances.
The Lord’s ‘obstructing the field’ controversy shrouded a second dominant performance from the visitors after the resounding win in Southampton.
However, the second win came at a cost with David Warner (thumb), Shane Watson (calf) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (hamstring) all ruled out of the series with injury and sent home.
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 13, 2015
The trio of Victorian replacements couldn’t help Australia wrap up the series on a dustbowl in Manchester, with matters worsening in Leeds when England chased down 300 for the first time against their oldest rivals.
But the world champions didn’t panic and showed their class when it mattered most, winning the final with 154 balls to spare.