Harry Brook Sets New English Record, Ends Australia’s Impressive ODI Winning Streak
On Tuesday, Harry Brook made history by establishing a new English record, helping England end Australia’s remarkable ODI winning streak. As England’s stand-in captain, Brook scored his maiden ODI century in a rain-affected third match of the series against Australia, leading his team to a crucial 46-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. Brook’s outstanding performance kept England alive in the five-match series, narrowing Australia’s lead to 2-1. At just 25 years and 215 days old, he became the youngest England captain to score an ODI century, stepping in for Jos Buttler, who is sidelined with a calf injury.
Coming to the crease with England in trouble at 11-2 while chasing a target of 305, Brook played a counter-attacking innings. His 94-ball knock of 110 included 13 boundaries and two sixes, surpassing his previous ODI high score of 80. Partnering with Will Jacks, who contributed a vital 84 runs off 82 balls, Brook helped shift the momentum in England’s favor with a 156-run partnership for the third wicket.
With Liam Livingstone also making a significant impact at a strike rate of 165 (unbeaten 33 off 20 balls), England was comfortably ahead on the DLS score when rain halted play in the 38th over. Brook’s second fifty came off just 33 balls, as he accelerated the innings with the weather conditions worsening. He reached his century with back-to-back boundaries, surpassing Alastair Cook’s 13-year-old record for the youngest English captain to score an ODI century, which Cook achieved at 26.
“It’s just nice to see some rewards,” Brook said after the match. “I’m glad I managed to play the way I wanted to. It’s nice to get that first hundred on the board, and hopefully there’s plenty more to come.”
Australia’s Winning Streak Comes to an End
Australia’s dominant 14-match ODI winning streak ended with this defeat in the third ODI. Alex Carey was the standout performer for Australia, scoring an unbeaten 77, while Aaron Hardie added a late cameo of 44 off 26 balls, powering the team to a total of 304-7 in their 50 overs. Steve Smith contributed a steady 60, but the innings stumbled as Cameron Green (42) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) fell in quick succession.
Throughout the chase, Australia struggled to contain the England batters. Their winning streak in the fifty-over format began last year during the ODI World Cup. After a rocky start to their campaign, Australia rebounded with a strong win against Sri Lanka in the group stage and went on to win the tournament for a record sixth time. They later defeated West Indies 3-0 earlier this year and started the series against England with victories in the first two matches earlier this month.
