England vs Australia: Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow hammer Baggy Green again as Eoin Morgan’s team romp to 4-0 series lead
England's openers made light work of a 311-run victory target in Durham in a six-wicket victory
JASON ROY and Jonny Bairstow led the way as England mercilessly hammered Australia’s bowlers once more.
Roy scored his second century of the series and Bairstow stormed his way to 79. England are odds-on to complete a devastating 5-0 whitewash at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Just 48 hours after they piled up a world record total of 481-6 at Trent Bridge, England produced another devastating display with the bat at Chester-le-Street.
Openers Roy and Bairstow put on 174 for the first wicket in 23.4 overs as England made mincemeat of overhauling Australia’s 310-8 in 50 overs.
Few batting line-ups in history have been in more destructive form. Whatever Australia have tried, they have been ruthlessly dispatched.
Jos Buttler applied the brutal finishing touches with a cameo that brought a half-century from just 28 balls.
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Alex Hales, top scorer with 147 on his home ground on Wednesday, finished 34 not out although he was badly dropped by Aussie skipper and wicketkeeper Tim Paine on 17.
Paine described his team’s savaging in Nottingham as his hardest day in cricket – well, this can’t have been much easier. Australia are chopping and changing their XI but have no idea of their best line-up.
England won by six wickets with 32 balls to spare and now lead 4-0. They have never whitewashed Australia in a one-day series and the gap between the two sides can rarely have been wider.
Roy and Bairstow are both in the form of their lives – let’s hope they can keep it going through to next year’s World Cup.
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Surrey opener Roy is batting with better tempo these days – less slugging and more sense – without reducing his strike-rate.
He reached his hundred with a huge heave for six off Nathan Lyon.
Bairstow looked in sublime form – just what you would expect from a man with four centuries in his previous six one-day internationals. It is almost as though he can hit boundaries at will.
They put on 159 on Tuesday and went higher yesterday. Even Aussie coach Justin Langer is in awe of the way England’s top-order is performing.
England knocked off the runs before it was dark. That didn’t stop the floodlights being on for their entire innings – which meant an unnecessary electricity bill for cash-strapped Durham on the longest day!
After their mauling in Nottingham, the Aussies chose to bat first. Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh made centuries but both were dismissed the next ball after reaching three figures.
Marsh fell to a brilliant catch that went down in the scorebook as being held by Craig Overton but was made possible by Roy.
Marsh launched a mighty hit off David Willey that sailed towards the long-on boundary. Roy held a steepling catch and, sensing he would topple over the line, flicked the ball 15 yards to Overton, who had run from deep mid-wicket.
Willey finished with four wickets – including three in the 48th over of the innings.
In most circumstances, a total of 310-8 would take some overhauling but, such is England’s current form and confidence, they did it with near-contemptuous ease.
Perhaps Australia’s batsmen should have gone harder when they batted – certainly, Joe Root was allowed to bowl ten overs off the reel for just 44 runs.
England are rampant and oozing self-belief. Australia might be on a charm offensive on this tour following the sandpaper scandal, but there is not much charm in being thrashed and humiliated match after match.