Rain put a stop to the fifth England-Australia ODI four balls after the cut-off for a result to be reached under the DLS method, giving the tourists a 3-2 series win.
Australia had to contend not just with the England bowling attack, but also with the approaching rain, which threatened to disrupt the final ODI throughout the day. It had looked earlier in the week as if a complete washout was on the cards, and then as if the game would be interrupted before the required 20 overs had been bowled in the second innings to allow a result to be reached. But the forecast improved just enough for Australia to claim victory by 49 runs.
This was despite a lack of urgency from both England and the match officials at times. There was a degree of exasperation in the commentary box as a drinks break was taken after 17 overs, with the rain clouds gathering. England then reverted to pace, despite leg-spinner Adil Rashid looking threatening, in a perceived attempt to slow the over-rate.
Matters became more farcical in the first over after the drinks break, with seamer Matthew Potts taking off his shoe and sock mid-over, calling for a replacement boot, and eating into the remaining time. England’s efforts were variously described as “embarrassing” and “feeble” by the English press pack. They also ended in vain.
That England were reduced to some light gamesmanship was thanks to a middle-order slide in the first innings and a dominant performance from the Australia top four. England’s innings played out in a somewhat familiar pattern, with Phil Salt providing a crash-bang-wallop fast start, never promising permanence but nonetheless easing the pressure on his partners, with Ben Duckett and Harry Brook providing the substance. The former, after two half-centuries in the series, brought up his second ODI hundred, while Brook added a third fifty-plus score in three games.
Brook fell to the last ball of the 25th over to leave England 202-3 at the halfway stage, and poised to launch towards a massive total. Instead, that dismissal precipitated a collapse, with England needing a Rashid cameo to push them over 300. Part-time spin was their undoing once again, six wickets falling to the off-spin of Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head. England left four balls unused; had Australia faced five balls fewer, the game would have been a no result.
It looked under-par, but Australia made it look miniscule, attacking from the off with one eye on the DLS par score. Matthew Short led the way with a 30-ball 58, his first ODI half-century, while Head, Steve Smith - against whom England missed a chance to review a caught-behind decision - and Josh Inglis all made starts. The last two remained unbeaten, guiding Australia past 20 overs, and to a series win, safely.
Australia have now beaten England in three consecutive ODI series, a run dating back to the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
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