England beat Australia by 135 runs at Adelaide Oval to level the three-match ODI series 1-1
Tom Banton struck 121 off 99 balls and won the Player of the Match award
Joe Root made 62, Jamie Cox scored 67 and Will Jacks finished unbeaten on 54 as England reached 355/6
England levelled the three-match ODI series 1-1 with a 135-run win over Australia at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, hammering the hosts after a heavy defeat in Perth in the opener. England piled up 355/6 after being asked to bat and then bowled Australia out for 220 in 44.3 overs.
The turnaround was sharp. England had been thrashed by seven wickets in a low-scoring contest in Perth, but flipped the series with their highest-ever ODI total on Australian soil. Tom Banton drove that response with 121 off 99 deliveries and won the Player of the Match award.
Joe Root added 62, Jamie Cox made 67 and Will Jacks finished unbeaten on 54 as England built through key stands and then surged at the end. Australia never recovered from the pressure of the chase as England’s bowlers ripped through the top order and sealed a decider in the third ODI.
Banton’s Adelaide Century
Banton made the ground count.
Playing his first match at Adelaide Oval, the right-hander mixed control with attack and gave England the base for a big score. He later spoke about the occasion and the demands of one-day cricket.
"It's my first time in Adelaide. I've watched a lot of cricket in Australia over the years, the Ashes, white-ball series. So, to come here today is a pretty special feeling," Banton said.
He then explained how he paced the innings. "50-over cricket is hard. Sometimes you get off to a flyer and then you've got to rein it back in. And vice versa."
England had help around him. Root’s 62 and Cox’s 67 kept the innings moving while Jacks’ 54 not out pushed the visitors to 355/6 after Australia asked them to bat first.
Root stressed the value of partnerships in the format. "You know how important partnerships are in this format and making sure you can set the game up towards the back end. And I thought we did that really well," Root said.
He reserved special praise for Banton. "But for Tom to go on and make it really count after a really solid start was fantastic. I'm really pleased for him. He works incredibly hard and he sort of got his opportunity and really taken it at the top of the order."
Root also reflected on his place in a young side. "I also dropped one. So still plenty of work to be done there. But still love playing, love being involved in this team. Obviously, it's quite a young team, it's quite inexperienced," he said.
Australia’s Collapse
Australia cracked early.
Chasing 356 under lights, the hosts slid to 29/4 inside seven overs as England’s new-ball bowlers found movement in the air and off the surface. Gus Atkinson led the early burst with three wickets.
Matt Renshaw and Cameron Green briefly slowed the slide. They added 98 runs and both reached half-centuries, but the stand never shifted the match back towards Australia.
Renshaw fell to Liam Dawson trying a reverse sweep. Sam Curran then struck twice in successive deliveries to remove Edwards and Bartlett.
Green went in the next over in an unusual stumping, leaving Australia with little route back. Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman, Mitchell Johnson and Riley Meredith all reached double figures, but England still bowled Australia out for 220 in 44.3 overs to complete a 135-run win.
The result wipes out England’s Perth setback and sends the series into a decider in the third ODI.
