England Smash World Record, Post Highest-Ever ODI Total

England smashed their way to a world record One-Day International (ODI) total of 481 for six as they demolished a lacklustre Australia bowling lineup to all parts of Trent Bridge, Nottingham in the third ODI of the five-match series on Tuesday. Jonny Bairstow's swashbuckling 139 and a magnificent 147 by Alex Hales helped England go past the total of 444 for three they made against Pakistan, also at Trent Bridge, two years ago. In reply to England's gigantic total, Australia, who got off to a poor start, were dismissed for 239 in 37 overs as the Eoin Morgan-led team won the match by 242 runs. Adil Rashid was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with figures of 4/47 in his stipulated 10 overs.

Earlier in the English innings, when Hales, who already had a hundred to his name, hoisted Jhye Richardson for six in the 46th over, which took England's score to 446 for three, it meant the English had broken their own world record in men's ODI cricket. Hales eventually holed out for 147 on his Nottinghamshire home ground and walked back to the dressing room to a standing ovation.

Eoin Morgan, England's ODI captain, became the country's highest run-scorer in this format during a 21-ball fifty -- the fastest by any England batsman in terms of balls faced -- on his way to 67.

At one stage it seemed 2019 World Cup hosts England might become the first side in the 4,011 match history of men's ODIs to score 500.

But their chances of achieving that feat effectively ended when Hales and Morgan were dismissed off successive deliveries to leave them 459 for five off 47.3 overs.

Besides a four leg-bye, England failed to score any boundaries in the last four overs -- but before that they struck 21 sixes during an incredible display of strokeplay.

Australia captain Tim Paine, who won the toss, used eight bowlers but was unable to stem the torrent of runs.

An Australia attack missing injured Ashes-winning fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, were smashed to all corners of Trent Bridge with medium-pacer Andrew Tye's nine wicket-less overs costing 100 runs.

England have not secured the five-match ODI series against world champions Australia by taking a 3-0 lead.

(With AFP Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

England Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Cricket Alex Hales Jonny Bairstow Eoin Morgan