Australia’s return to Lord’s for the first time since the fractious Ashes Test of 2023 has again prompted English booing over another wicketkeeping controversy, but far more home cheers as a sizzling Jofra Archer inspired the hosts to a thumping ODI victory.
After England set Australia a mammoth 313 to win the fourth match off just 39 overs in a rain-shortened game on Friday, a rejuvenated Archer, back at his swift, hostile best after all his injury woes, helped skittle the visitors for just 126 off just 24.4 overs alongside his excellent fellow pacers Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts.
Archer, bringing back memories of Lord’s 2019 when he was in his ferocious Ashes pomp, cracked Marnus Labuschagne a fearful blow on the forearm and bowled captain Mitch Marsh with an unplayable beauty, as he set up the 186-run victory with his 2-33 off seven excellent overs.
The triumph levelled the five-game series at 2-2, and has provided the delicious prospect of a final-match decider at Bristol on Sunday and, for England, the possibility of a remarkable comeback victory from two-nil down.
The win was set up by home captain Harry Brook (87), opener Ben Duckett (63) and, belatedly, big-hitting Liam Livingstone, whose 62 not out included a record-breaking 28 off Mitchell Starc’s final over of the innings — including four sixes — that left England on a huge 5-312.
The star left-armer Starc went for 6,0,6,6,6,4 — the single most expensive over bowled by an Australian in men’s ODIs.
The crowd were left cheering on a dank, chilly day. Still, earlier there had been a brief echo of last year’s infamous second-Test moment when Alex Carey stumped Jonny Bairstow after the batter had wandered out of his crease.Â
Outrage ensued among the England fans, including the MCC’s Long Room grandees.
This time, it was Aussie stumper Josh Inglis who found himself the target of the English fans’ jeers after replays showed the diving catch he had claimed down the legside off Mitchell Starc to get rid of Brook on 17 had clearly bounced before nestling into his gloves.
Unlike the 2023 drama, though, this episode was quickly forgiven and forgotten as Brook went on, for the second match in a row, to unfurl a glorious knock and then Livingstone produced the quickest ODI 50 ever at Lord’s.
In reply, only the blistering opening partnership of 68 between captain Marsh (28) and the returning Travis Head (34) offered the Australians any hope before the English fast men got to work in helpful conditions under the lights.
Head was clean bowled by Carse (3-36), who went on to do a similar job on Labuschagne, who had earlier been shaken up by Archer.Â
Potts ended up with the best figures of all, 4-38, after he cleaned up the middle order.
AAP
