Harry Brook’s Century Leads England to Victory Over Australia

In a notable victory, England‘s cricket team defeated Australia by 46 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-affected match at Chester-le-Street, keeping their hopes alive in the ongoing five-match series. The win narrows Australia’s lead to 2-1, with two matches remaining.

England, chasing 305 to win, faced early challenges as Mitchell Starc, Australia’s formidable left-arm fast bowler, dismissed both openers—Phil Salt and Ben Duckett—within the first few balls. As England stumbled at 11 for two, it was the partnership between Will Jacks and captain Harry Brook that turned the tide.

Jacks contributed a commendable 84 runs, but it was Brook who excelled under pressure, scoring an unbeaten 110 off 94 balls to secure his maiden one-day international century. Their partnership added 156 runs to the scoreboard, showcasing strategic judgment and impressive shot-making abilities.

Despite a threatening interruption due to rain, England was ahead of the required target by 46 runs as per the DLS method. The match was ultimately halted at 254 for four in 37.4 overs, ensuring England’s victory. This win also ended Australia’s impressive streak of 14 consecutive one-day international victories.

Earlier in the day, after winning the toss, England elected to bowl, allowing Australia to set a competitive score of 304 for seven in their allotted 50 overs. Key performances for Australia included Alex Carey, who remained unbeaten at 77, and Steven Smith, who added 60 runs. England’s fast bowler Jofra Archer also made notable contributions with figures of 2-67.

The series is set to continue at Lord's this coming Friday, offering England another chance to recover in the series.

Both teams featured formidable line-ups. England’s squad included players such as Jamie Smith, Jacob Bethell, and Jofra Archer, while Australia’s roster featured Matthew Short, Mitchell Marsh, and Glenn Maxwell among others. The officials for the match were umpires Alex Wharf from England and Kumar Dharmasena from Sri Lanka, with Joel Wilson from the West Indies serving as the TV umpire and Andy Pycroft from Zimbabwe as the match referee.