England claim narrow victory in Sydney thriller as Jos Buttler century secures ODI series win
Buttler's 100 not-out sees England remain out of Australia's reach as 16-run victory gives Eoin Morgan's side an unassailable 3-0 advantage
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Your support makes all the difference.After two chastening defeats, Steve Smith returned with his bigger mates to settle the dispute but even the presence of the Ashes-winning pace pack was not enough to stop England taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the one-day series.
It is England's first one-day series victory in Australia since 2007 and the first ever in a bilateral series here (their other triumphs have come in tri-series).
With 66 Ashes wickets between them over the past two months, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood had plenty of firepower mixed with good memories of facing Pommie batsmen.
But their own waywardness – there were 13 wides in total – and England’s continuing confidence in this form of the game delivered a hugely impressive 16-run victory. The win belonged to Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes, whose remarkable seventh-wicket stand of 113 in only 11.5 overs propelled England’s total from serviceable into the realm of seriously challenging.
Woakes then closed out the match with a nerveless final over that included the key wicket of Marcus Stoinis, the pugnacious all-rounder whose innings of 56 took Australia close but not close enough to their target of 303.
Having lost Liam Plunkett to a hamstring injury only eight balls into his spell, England’s resilience and nous to win was remarkable.
Buttler’s outstanding century was not his only contribution. He also took a vital catch to dismiss Smith inches off the ground, controversially given out by the third umpire. Buttler was adamant it was out, Smith less so as he shook his head when he walked off.
It should not come as surprise any more yet it does. There appears to be no hole too deep from which England’s one-day batsmen can escape.
When Moeen Ali swung aimlessly at Mitch Marsh and was bowled, England were 189 for six with only 10.5 overs of their innings left.
The pitch was trickier than might have been predicted. Local knowledge said it was too dry – it has been hot in Sydney this week – and consequently lacked pace and consistent bounce.
England’s batsmen diagnosed their predicament well in the most part, though Alex Hales, itching for a big shot, holed out tamely to mid-on.
This was the slowest of Buttler’s five one-day hundreds for England. It took all of 83 balls – 83 balls! He has only faced more balls in an ODI innings twice in his career, such is the ridiculous way he churns through the gears at the crease.
He was in earlier than he, or England, would have wanted but he is never fazed. Joe Root was dismissed for the first time in the series when he chopped on for 27, trying to steer Hazlewood down to third man. His departure rang alarm bells for England because he has been the consummate finisher in the previous two matches.
Buttler and Morgan must be the two calmest men in this super-confident England team. Their partnership was patient until, in successive overs, they each hit a six – England’s first of their innings. But Hazlewood took another key wicket when Morgan nibble at one outside off stump.
Woakes is another about whose blood pressure there is no cause for concern. He is the definition of the unsung hero. Fresh-faced with a sensible haircut, he is on no one’s billboards. But for the second match in a row he produced an innings of exceptional quality, only to be overshadowed by Buttler just as he was by Root’s impish all-round performance at Brisbane.
He should have been run out by Smith, who had earlier dropped Morgan, after a mix-up between Woakes and Buttler left the former stranded. To add insult Buttler hit the next ball from Hazlewood for six.
England plundered 42 from the final two overs with 24 coming from a farcical penultimate over by Cummins, which included a no-ball for a delivery over waist height and two ferocious sixes by Buttler, one pulled and one clubbed straight down the ground.
Some of Woakes’s shots were as outrageous as Buttler’s such as the clip for four off Starc in the final over followed next ball by a hook for six. And ever the team man, he pinched a single off the penultimate ball of the innings to leave Buttler needing two for his hundred, which of course he reached. He rightly received a full, heartfelt ovation from the SCG.
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