England emphatically beat Australia by 186 runs at Lord’s to level ODI series as visitor’s middle order suffers humiliating collapse

An Australian wicketkeeper in the eye of the storm and public enemy No. 1 at Lord’s? It’s not the first time in recent history that we’ve heard that story.

The flashpoint, which overshadowed England’s 186-run win to set up a series decider in Bristol on Saturday, freed the Lord’s crowd from their freezer on a bitter afternoon and had shades of Jonny Bairstow’s infamous stumping of Alex Carey, leaving spectators were left on this light bulb during last summer’s Ashes Test.

This time it was Josh Inglis wearing the gloves. He claimed to have taken a clean catch past Mitchell Starc’s legside to dismiss England captain Harry Brook on 17 at the time.

Only replays showed the ball had clearly bounced before reaching Inglis’ gloves. Let a tidal wave of violent cheering come from the ground. Maybe not as loud as last summer’s, but a reminder that that episode still stings and won’t soon be forgotten.

Last summer, the crowd’s reaction seemed to light a fire in the Australians’ bellies, leading them to a crucial win. However, it didn’t have the same impact on Friday night as England unleashed a display of brutal hitting and brilliant pace bowling under the lights.

Harry Brook top scored for England at Lord’s with a score of 87 runs off just 58 balls

Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis (left) claimed at the time to have taken a clean catch with Brook on 17, before replays showed the ball had hit the ground first

Ben Duckett also impressed as he reached a stylish half-century against Australia

Brook, unperturbed by the incident, led the way for England in a match they needed to win to keep the series alive, hitting 87 from just 58 balls in a partnership of 75 with Jamie Smith.

The 25-year-old led from the front by taking Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa to the cleaners on his return to the side after illness. Earlier, Ben Duckett had posted a bright and airy 63 at the top of the order.

But then, just as he looked to be serenely sliding towards a second successive century after his maiden ODI ton in Durham earlier this week, Brook made his first and only misjudgment of the afternoon. He dressed Zampa off Glenn Maxwell on the long-on boundary and when Smith followed an over later it looked like the England innings was in danger of stalling.

Instead, Livingstone responded by pressing the accelerator. It was Australia’s snarling pacer Mitchell Starc who bore the brunt of the damage in a final that saw both members and the general public running for cover.

Wherever Starc threw the ball, Livingstone had an answer. An empathetic one too. The 31-year-old managed to overcome the ropes four times in a landing that ultimately cost 28. In doing so, Livingstone reached his half-century off just 25 balls, breaking Jos Buttler’s decade-old record for the fastest ODI fifty at Lord’s.

His seven sixes were also the most hit by an Englishman in an ODI on this ground as he pushed his side past 300 to reach an impressive total of 312.

Australia tried to fight fire with fire in response, but was only left with burnt fingers.

Jofra Archer, playing his first match at this ground since delivering the super that won England the World Cup in 2019, bowled at a blistering pace

Steve Smith’s departure marked the beginning of the collapse of Australia’s middle order as he was dismissed for just five runs

England’s Matthew Potts (right) played with ball in hand as he claimed four wickets

Travis Head led the fightback on his return to the team, hitting a huge six off Brydon Carse that hit the roof of the Mound stand before landing in neighboring St Johns Wood Road. But after Carse hit back by sneaking one through the Head defense, the England bowlers ran riot.

The second and third wickets followed not long after when Matthew Potts, who went on to claim career best ODI figures of four wickets for 38 runs, ended Steve Smith’s skittish and short-lived innings by running him behind by Jamie Smith. .

Jofra Archer, playing his first match on this ground since delivering the super that won England the World Cup in 2019, bowled at a blistering pace and knocked back Mitchell Marsh’s off-stump with a peach of a delivery before hitting the dangerous Glenn Maxwell removed for just one time. two.

It was left to Adil Rashid to complete a comprehensive 186-run win by bowling Hazlewood to set up a series decider in Bristol on Sunday.