Harry Brook's Debut Ton Propels England to Victory, Ends Australia's Winning Streak

England stand-in skipper Harry Brook's maiden ODI century helped halt Australia's 14-ODI win streak with a 46-run DLS Method victory. England now trails 2-1 in the five-match series. Brook was awarded 'Player of the Match' for his ton.

In a captivating display of cricket, England's stand-in captain Harry Brook scored a maiden ODI century, helping his team end Australia's 14-match winning streak at Chester-le-Street. The hosts secured a 46-run victory through the DLS Method, marking their first ODI win since December 2023. Brook's performance earned him the 'Player of the Match' accolade.

England initially struggled with a target of 305 and fell to 11/2 early on. However, a remarkable 156-run partnership between Brook and Will Jacks, who scored 84 off 82 balls, reversed their fortunes. The dismissal of Jacks brought Liam Livingstone to the crease, whose swift 33* off 20 balls pushed England ahead of the DLS par score amid rain delays. Australia's Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc each took two wickets.

After winning the toss, England opted to field first, reducing Australia to 47/2 before an 84-run partnership between Steve Smith and Green steadied the innings. Despite falling to 172/5, a 54-run stand between Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell, and Aaron Hardie's rapid 44 off 26 balls, lifted Australia to 304/7 in 50 overs. Jofra Archer led England's bowling with figures of 2/67.

The victory disrupted Australia's bid to achieve a 15-match winning streak, a move that would have positioned them closer to the record held by their 2003 team and the women's team's 26-match streak. The loss also left Australia three rating points behind India in the ICC ODI Men's Team Rankings. Despite South Africa's recent series loss to Afghanistan, they remain in third place with 108 rating points. The next match in the five-game series takes place on Friday.

(With inputs from agencies.)