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Buttler ton steers England to 5-0 whitewash of Australia

June 24, 2018
England's Jos Buttler celebrates after reaching a century against Australia in the fifth One-Day International at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, Sunday. — Reuters
England's Jos Buttler celebrates after reaching a century against Australia in the fifth One-Day International at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, Sunday. — Reuters

MANCHESTER — Jos Buttler scored a dazzling unbeaten century to guide England to a thrilling one-wicket victory over Australia at Old Trafford Sunday to seal an unprecedented 5-0 one-day series triumph over their old rivals.

England was in a parlous position at 27 for four, chasing Australia's total of 205 all out, when the gifted, powerful Butler came to the crease and played one a masterful innings.

Yet even though England crumbled further to 114 for eight, the wicketkeeper kept cool as wickets tumbled around him to smash an unbeaten 110 off 122 balls and seal England's first 5-0 whitewash over Australia in any form of men's cricket.

It was a remarkable effort, with the joint next highest English contribution being Adil Rashid's 20 although the No. 10's 47-ball effort in a ninth-wicket partnership of 81 was also key to helping the home side get across the line.

When Rashid was out with 11 still needed, last man Jake Ball held up the Australian attack for 10 balls, allowing Buttler, who got his ton with a second six, to guide England home with a handsome driven boundary, his 12th, and nine balls to spare.

"I said to Jake if it's two we'll run, if it's one, we won't. Great guts from him to soak up that pressure and face those balls," said Man-of-the-Match Buttler, praising his tail-end colleague at the post-match presentation.

"We were determined to come out and try and win 5-0. We bowled fantastically well and didn't quite click with the bat. Games where you pull it out of nowhere are extra enjoyable."

It capped a perfect week for England in which they had also become world record breakers by compiling a 50-over total of 481 at Nottingham Tuesday.

Buttler had then struck a whirlwind unbeaten half-century to guide them to another victory at Chester-le-Street Thursday.

The 27-year-old, who also executed a brilliant run-out and stumping Sunday as Australia succumbed largely to Moeen Ali's four wickets, was also voted player of the series, having compiled 275 runs from the five matches at an average of 137.5.

"I don't think I've ever played better. It's very enjoyable. We're just trying to keep it going," he said.

England captain Eoin Morgan paid tribute to Buttler, saying: "We were very poor today and Jos really did pull something special out to get us over the line. It was outstanding.

"He's in control — he's a very cool, calculated customer with a lot of ability. We got a lot out of that watching from the dressing room." — Reuters

Scoreboard

Australia

A. Finch b Ali 22

T. Head c Morgan b Plunkett 56

M. Stoinis c Ball b Ali 00

S. Marsh st Buttler b Ali 08

A. Carey c Buttler b Curran 44

T. Paine run out (Buttler) 01

D. Short not out 47

A. Agar b Curran 00

K. Richardson run out (Ali/Buttler) 14

N. Lyon lbw b Rashid 01

B. Stanlake b Ali 02

Extras (lb3, w7) 10

Total (all out, 34.4 overs) 205

Falls: 1-60 (Finch), 2-60 (Stoinis), 3-90 (Head), 4-97 (Marsh), 5-100 (Paine), 6-159 (Carey), 7-159 (Agar), 8-181 (Richardson), 9-193 (Lyon), 10-205 (Stanlake).

Bowling: Ball 5-0-29-0 (1w); Curran 6-0-44-2 (2w); Root 3-0-32-0; Ali 8.4-0-46-4 (1w); Plunkett 4-0-19-1 (2w); Rashid 8-0-32-1 (1w).

England

J. Roy b Agar 01

J. Bairstow b Stanlake 12

A. Hales c Paine b Richardson 20

J. Root c Marsh b Stanlake 01

E. Morgan b Stanlake 00

J. Buttler not out 110

M. Ali c Lyon b Stoinis 16

S. Curran c Paine b Richardson 15

L. Plunkett c Paine b Richardson 00

A. Rashid c Stanlake b Stoinis 20

J. Ball not out 01

Extras (lb7, w5) 12

Total (9 wkts, 48.3 overs) 208

Falls: 1-2 (Roy), 2-19 (Bairstow), 3-23 (Root), 4-27 (Morgan), 5-50 (Hales), 6-86 (Ali), 7-114 (Curran), 8-114 (Plunkett), 9-195 (Rashid).

Bowling: Agar 10-2-34-1 (1w); Stanlake 10-1-35-3; Lyon 10-0-32-0; Richardson 9-0-51-3 (1w); Stoinis 8.3-0-37-2 (2w); Short 1-0-12-0.

Man of the Match: Jos Buttler.

Man of the Series: Jos Buttler. — AFP


June 24, 2018
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