Paine: The hardest day’s cricket I’ve ever had in my life

Australia captain Tim Paine said the record-breaking defeat in the third ODI against England at Trent Bridge on Tuesday was the “hardest day’s cricket I’ve ever had in my life”.
After Paine had won the toss and elected to field, England smashed the highest ever ODI total of 481/6 and then bowled the tourists out for just 239 in 37 overs.
The victory margin of 242 runs was Australia’s heaviest loss in ODI cricket and also England’s biggest win in the 50-over format.
REPORT: England hit highest ever ODI total to flatten Australia
Paine said after the game: “It was tough. I thought I had some headaches last game after about the 25th over when I got hit in the head but I had a few more out there today to be honest .
“I’ve just said in the changing rooms, I’ve been playing cricket since I was a kid and that’s the hardest day’s cricket I’ve ever had in my life.
“Everything we tried didn’t work and everything they tried came off. Normally that happens for an hour or two and you get a couple of wickets but it happened for as long as it did.
“You’ve got to take your hat off. They struck the ball as well as I’ve ever seen.”
Asked if the decision to bowl first on a flat batting surface was the wrong, Paine instead chose to give credit to the home side’s batsmen.
The Aussie wicketkeeper added: “I don’t think the conditions or the wicket or what we did first had anything to do with that result.
“We just ran into some guys that are absolutely red hot at the moment and yeah they put us to the sword a bit but certainly, from batting or bowling second, the wicket was still terrific when we batted on it as well. We just didn’t execute so well with either.”
England now have an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series and with the next game in Durham on Friday, Paine said they would continue to experiment with the starting line-up.
Paine concluded: “The best place for these guys to learn is on the job. So as bad as it feels right now this can be a big positive for us going forward that we’ve gone through a day like this and the guys realise that the sun comes up tomorrow and we get another crack at it in two days’ time.”
Latest
-
News
Temba Bavuma and Dean Elgar named Proteas captains
Temba Bavuma is set to lead the Proteas in the 2021 and 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cups as well as the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2023
-
News
Ben Stokes admits England came up well short with the bat again in India
The tourists were skittled for 205 after winning the toss.
-
News
India v England, day 1: England left to rue familiar failings
The tourists surprised many by selecting James Anderson as their only frontline seamer.
-
News
England’s batting woes in India continue on opening day of fourth Test
The tourists were skittled for 205 after winning the toss.
-
News
England batsmen in a spin again as India take control in Ahmedabad
The tourists could not take advantage of winning the toss on the most reliable surface since the series opener.
-
News
England on uneasy ground at tea in fourth Test
The fourth Test was delicately poised after two sessions.
-
News
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes steady England after early losses
England unveiled a surprising team selection for the fourth Test.
-
News
Kieron Pollard hits six sixes in an over in West Indies’ T20 win over Sri Lanka
The Trinidadian shares the achievement with former India batsman Yuvraj Singh.
-
News
Paul Collingwood expects James Anderson and Stuart Broad to excel in the Ashes
Anderson and Broad’s combined age at the start of that series will be 74.
-
News
New Zealand stars Devon Conway and Martin Guptill move up in T20I Rankings
Stoinis, Southee, Santner and Sodhi among others to advance in men’s weekly update after first two matches of New Zealand-Australia series.