Australia win 3rd ODI by 3 wickets; clinch series 2-1
Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey struck centuries in a 212-run stand to help Australia reach a record target of 303 at Old Trafford
Manchester: Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey struck centuries in a 212-run stand to help Australia reach a record target of 303 at Old Trafford with two balls remaining and secure a one-day international series win over England.
Mitchell Starc started the third and deciding ODI on Wednesday by taking wickets from the first two balls of the match, and ended it by sweeping a four for the winning runs under lights as the Australians consigned England to its first loss in a bilateral ODI series at home since 2015.
It was a record ODI chase at the Manchester venue bettering England's 286-4 against New Zealand in 1986 in a 60-over match and gave Australia a famous series win over the world champions.
Replying to 302-7, Australia slumped to 73-5 only for Carey and Maxwell to produce Australia's highest sixth-wicket partnership in ODIs and turn the tide. While Carey was the steadier of the pair with his 106 off 114 balls, Maxwell delivered some trademark big hits he had seven sixes, all over the short boundary on one side of the ground for his 90-ball 108.
"Maxy is in the team to do a specific role, and that's to be able to take the game away from opposition but also be that guy to counter-attack and swing momentum in changing rooms," Australia captain Aaron Finch said.
"What makes him so damaging is he can play all around the ground. I don't think there's many bowlers in the world that can trouble him when he is having one of those days. The way he navigated that innings and took it deeper and deeper ... he did that perfectly."
It was England's only series loss of its international summer during which all of its games have been played in a bio-secure bubble without fans after taking on the West Indies, Ireland, Pakistan and Australia in various formats.