Death-over blitz takes Australia to 304/7

Alex Carey scored his second successive half-century to put out top-order fires once again and push Australia to 304/7 in the third ODI in Chester-le-Street. Steve Smith too scored a half-century, albeit a slow one, as England bowlers performed well in unison but only until the death overs in conditions conducive for quicks. Australia then pushed past the 300-run mark as Aaron Hardie threw his bat around in the company of Carey, with 104 runs coming off the last 60 deliveries.

Australia had a slow start to proceedings as England's pace trio of Jofra Archer, Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse began well and made most of the swing on offer. Mitchell Marsh opened in the absence of Travis Head, and fell without making a significant impact just beyond the PowerPlay. Before that, Jofra Archer - returning in place of Olly Stone - dismissed Matthew Short in the fourth over.

Steve Smith and Cameron Green led the visitors' recovery through a solid third-wicket stand as the latter began to play his shots against the spinners Adil Rashid and Jacob Bethell through the middle-overs. Even Will Jacks was put under pressure early as Green cracked two fours in his first over. But Bethell defused some of that with the wicket of Green in his third over, as the batter found the short mid-on - a position shrewdly placed just before the wicket delivery was bowled. Jacks continued since Green departed and made another incision with the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, who attempted to play a paddle sweep and ended up edging the ball to the keeper.

At 132/4 in the 28th over, Carey once again walked out to steady the Australian boat that was rocked sideways. In his company, Smith brought up his slow and calculative half-century but couldn't make it count by going the distance. The move to bring back Archer for a couple of overs before the death brought Smith's wicket, although the majority of the credit for sending him back was with Carse who took an exceptional catch at deep backward square leg.

It proved to be a day where Australia would be perked up by a couple of their allrounders. First, Maxwell made a stroke-filled 25-ball 30 falling just at the start of the death overs, before handing over the baton to Hardie, who smashed three fours and two sixes in his 26-ball effort of 44. Carey himself hit 42 off 26 in the last 10 overs to finish with an unbeaten 77 to give their five-seamer attack a big enough total to defend and wrap up the series.

Brief Scores:Australia 304/7 in 50 overs (Alex Carey 77*, Steve Smith 60, Aaron Hardie 44, Cameron Green 42; Jofra Archer 2-67) vs England