Australia’s return to Lord’s for the first time since the fractious Ashes Test of 2023 has again prompted English booing over another wicketkeeping controversy, but far more home cheers as a sizzling Jofra Archer inspired the hosts to a thumping ODI victory.
After England set Australia a mammoth 313 to win the fourth match off just 39 overs in a rain-shortened match on Friday, a rejuvenated Archer, back at his swift, hostile best after all his injury woes, helped skittle the visitors for just 126 off just 24.4 overs alongside his excellent fellow pacers Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts.
Archer, bringing back memories of Lord’s 2019 when he was in his ferocious Ashes pomp, cracked Marnus Labuschagne a fearful blow on the forearm and bowled captain Mitch Marsh with an unplayable beauty, as he set up the 186-run victory with his 2-33 off seven excellent overs.
The triumph levelled the five-game series at 2-2, and has provided the delicious prospect of a decider at Bristol on Sunday and, for England, the possibility of a remarkable victory from two down.
The win was set up by home captain Harry Brook (87 off 58 balls), opener Ben Duckett (63 off 62) and, belatedly, big-hitting Liam Livingstone, whose 62no from 27 deliveries was the fastest ODI half-century ever at Lord’s (off 25 balls).
Livingstone smashed a record-breaking 28 off Mitchell Starc’s final over of the innings that propelled England to a huge 5-312.
The star left-armer Starc went for 6,0,6,6,6,4 – the single most expensive over bowled by an Australian in men’s ODIs, as Livingstone belted seven beyond the ropes, equalling Andrew Flintoff’s ODI record at Lord’s.
“We were a bit off today. Fair play to England. They put us under a lot of pressure with the bat, we couldn’t get early wickets and they thoroughly outplayed us,” conceded Marsh.
“Liam Livingstone played a gem of an innings and then in a run chase like that you need one or two big partnerships and a couple of guys to get going but England bowled really well.”
The crowd were warmed on a dank, chilly day, but earlier there had been a brief chuntering echo of last year’s infamous second-Test moment when Alex Carey stumped the wandering Jonny Bairstow and outrage ensued among the England fans, including the MCC’s fuming Long Room grandees.
This time, it was it was Aussie stumper Josh Inglis, not teammate Carey, who was the target of the English fans’ jeers after replays showed the diving catch he’d claimed down the legside off Mitchell Starc to get rid of Brook on 17 had clearly bounced before nestling into his gloves.
Unlike the 2023 drama, though, this episode was quickly forgiven and forgotten.
Even Stuart Broad, last year’s ‘Mr Angry’, shrugged in the Sky TV commentary box: “In fairness, I think it’s very difficult to know if that’s bounced or not when you’re diving athletically down the leg side trying to catch the ball.”
He then added with a grin: “Always seems to be a bit of drama with England against Australia at Lord’s…”
After rain delayed the start and he’d won his first toss in the series, Marsh inserted England in damp, favourable conditions but once the England batters had negotiated the early trial from Josh Hazlewood (1-40) and Starc (0-70), they thrived.
Not even Adam Zampa, recalled after illness, could find his usual mid-innings control as his two wickets cost 66 runs off eight overs, while Cameron Green, who’s having to fly home with back soreness, was also a big miss.
Only the blistering opening stand of 68 between Marsh (28) and the returning Travis Head (34) offered the Australians much hope before the English fast men got to work in ever more helpful conditions under the lights.
Head was bowled by Carse (3-36), who later went on to castle Labuschagne after he had been shaken up by Archer.
While his fellow pacers were cranking it up to around 90mph, Potts ended with the best figures , 4-38, as he cleaned up the middle order, including Carey, who made 13 as Australia’s third top scorer on what English media described gleefully as his “return to the scene of the crime”.
