LONDON: England´s tremendous one-day team powered to a fourth consecutive win over Australia, following up their world record rampage at Trent Bridge with a commanding six-wicket victory at Chester-le-Street on Thursday.
Jason Roy smashed another magnificent century off 83 balls to brilliantly pave the way for English side to make easy meat of Australia´s 310-8, which had also featured hundreds for Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh.
England have given themselves a great opportunity to inflict their first 5-0 ODI series whitewash on Australia after a six-wicket victory in Durham with 32 deliveries remaining.
The result gave England a 4-0 lead with one game – in Manchester on Sunday – to play. It also meant that England have won nine of the last 10 ODIs against Australia who have, in turn, won only two of their last 17 ODIs.
Indeed, Australia’s innings – despite containing two centuries and some fine batting – seemed to feature an oddly old-fashioned approach to the game.
After the Trent Bridge humiliation, Australia seemed determined to rebound strongly and when their captain Tim Paine won the toss and opted to bat, opener Finch´s 100 off 106 balls and a 92-ball 101 from Marsh promised much.
But the acceleration never really came. Instead the return of Mark Wood – bowling with pace and skill on his home ground – saw that become 227 for 3 and, with David Willey claiming three wickets in the 48th over – and another in the 50th – Australia were only able to make 14 from the final three overs of the innings.
