England and Australia met for the third ODI on Tuesday, September 24, at the unique riverside cricket ground. Facing a must-win situation to keep the five-match series alive, England's captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bowl first. The Australian innings began with a spirited effort from openers Matt Short and Mitchell Marsh.
The start was short-lived, however, as Archer claimed Matt Short for 14, and Brydon Carse trapped Mitchell Marsh for 24 with a sharp leg cutter. Recovery came through Steve Smith and Cameron Green, who shared a steady 89-run partnership. That stability vanished in the 28th over when Jacob Bethell tricked Green into a mistake, ending his innings at 42. Immediately after, Will Jacks struck, sending Marnus Labuschagne back to the pavilion for a duck after a poor paddle-sweep was caught by Jamie Smith.
The game took a turn when Alex Carey stepped up to the crease. Despite Archer removing Steve Smith for 60 and Glenn Maxwell falling for 30, Carey took complete control of the game. As England's discipline faded, Carey flourished, finding strong support in Aaron Hardie, whose aggressive 44 helped forge a crucial 68-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
Carey ultimately steered Australia past the 300-mark, finishing unbeaten on 77 with a display that included seven boundaries and a six. Australia ended their 50 overs at 304/7. England's chase got off to a disastrous start when Mitchell Starc removed Phil Salt for a duck and Ben Duckett for just 8 runs in the very same over.
With the scoreboard reading a grim 11/2, Harry Brook joined Will Jacks to rescue the innings. The duo put on a massive 156-run stand, shifting the pressure back onto Australia. However, Cameron Green briefly threatened a comeback by claiming two quick wickets, dismissing Jacks for a well-made 84 and removing Jamie Smith for a mere 7 runs.
Liam Livingstone added some fireworks with a rapid 33 not out, but the star of the show was Brook, who played a flawless unbeaten 110. As England reached 254-4, needing 51 runs from 74 balls, rain interrupted play. Under the DLS method, England was awarded the victory by 46 runs, having reached a revised target of 209 by the 37.4-over mark.
It was a triumphant day for England, who adapted perfectly to the shifting atmospheric and pitch conditions. The match highlighted the immense talent and composure of Harry Brook, who is filling in for the injured Jos Buttler as captain in only his 18th ODI appearance.