England close in on Australia ODI whitewash after Jason Roy powers to century

Any other result would be a major shock after the world’s No1 team breezed to their target of 311 here with 32 balls and six wickets to spare

Jason Roy celebrates his century at Durham (PA)

Australia will be glad to see the back of this one-day series after they followed up their Trent Bridge humiliation with another hammering in Durham. Before they depart, though, they will have to negotiate one more ODI against a rampant England team who will be hell-bent on securing a 5-0 series whitewash in Manchester on Sunday. In truth any other result would be a major shock after the world’s No1 team breezed to their target of 311 here with 32 balls and six wickets to spare.

Australia, boosted by centuries from Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh, probably thought they had made a game of it when they scored 310 for eight to set England their second-highest successful ODI run chase to win here. However, Jason Roy, with his second century of the series, and Jos Buttler, hitting an unbeaten 54 from 29 balls, ensured it was achieved with ease just two days after Eoin Morgan’s team had hit a world-record ODI total of 481-6 in Nottingham.

It is remarkable to think that before this England had only ever won one previous one-dayer after conceding more runs than this, when they chased down 350 against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in 2015. History and records are something this team show little regard for, though, and with Roy and Jonny Bairstow in scintillating form at the top of the order, this contest rapidly descended into a one-sided procession.

The opening pair set off at a rate of knots, matching the run-rate from Tuesday’s record-breaking total up until the end of the 16th over, when, just as in Nottingham, England were 122 without loss. Roy and Bairstow both brought up their fifties by then and had become England’s most successful opening partnership in ODIs.

Roy’s form in this series has been remarkable considering he came into it without a half-century in nine innings and started the first match on his home ground of The Oval with a two-ball duck. Yet he has not looked back since, scoring 120 in Cardiff, 82 at Trent Bridge and now 101 here at Durham.

The century, Roy’s sixth in this format, came in some style too as the opener smashed Nathan Lyon for a huge six over midwicket. Roy had taken 81 balls to get there but lasted just two more before slashing Lyon, the Ashes-winning spinner recalled for his first ODI since 2016, to short third man in the 24th over.

By the time Bairstow followed for 79 in the next over, edging Billy Stanlake behind, England were 183 for two and needing just 128 to win from 149 balls. That became 67 from 78 after both Joe Root, bowled sweeping, and Morgan, edging behind, were dismissed by the spin of Ashton Agar in the 37th over.

Chester-le-Street from above (Getty)

Alex Hales had been in irrepressible form on Tuesday, scoring 144 in 92 balls. He was less dynamic here, badly dropped by Australia’s wicketkeeper and captain Tim Paine on 17, and, with 34 from 45 balls, he was the junior partner in a 70-run fifth-wicket stand with Buttler that saw England over the line.

Buttler had a rare failure in Nottingham but was ruthless here as he reached fifty in 28 balls and sealed victory by crunching Michael Neser through the covers for four in the 45th over.

England, who handed Craig Overton an ODI debut in place of the rested Liam Plunkett, had lost the toss just as they did at Trent Bridge. This time, though, it was no surprise Paine decided to bat first following his fateful decision to insert England on Tuesday. His team, missing the injured Glenn Maxwell, made a solid start as Finch and Travis Head added 101 for the first wicket. Adil Rashid ended that stand, having Head caught at deep midwicket for 63 to move past Graeme Swann’s record of 104 ODI wickets for an England spinner.

Finch, dropped on eight by Hales, went on to score his sixth ODI century against England during a 124-run stand with Marsh. That pair were separated by Mark Wood, who back on his home ground dismissed Finch and Marcus Stoinis in the space of five balls to reduce Australia to 227 for three in the 40th over.

Marsh went on to make his second century of the series but was out for 101 in the 48th over after a stunning piece of athleticism from Roy, who parried the ball back from the long-on boundary for Overton to take the catch. That was one of four late wickets for David Willey as Australia suffered a late collapse.

The target they set would have severely tested England four years ago. However, this team are a very different animal and the result was never really in doubt after Roy and Bairstow got the chase off to a flying start.