Travis Head and David Warner hit tons as Australia set England 364 in final ODI

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Hundreds from Travis Head and David Warner in a mammoth opening stand underpinned Australia’s record-breaking 355 for five against a lethargic England in the third and final ODI at the MCG.

There was an end-of-term feeling to England’s display in the field, which was hardly helped by a sparse attendance at a stadium with a 100,000-capacity, in the tourists’ last assignment of a long tour.

A couple of rain showers reduced the match to 48 overs per side, with England needing 364 on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern to avoid suffering a first clean sweep in a multi-match ODI series since October 2011.

While Australia boasted an unassailable 2-0 lead, Head (152 off 130 balls) and Warner (106 off 102 deliveries) were in no mood to go lightly on the double world champions, putting on 269 in 38.1 overs.

Remarkably they departed within four balls of each other as Olly Stone (four for 85) made a double breakthrough on a ground where England were crowned T20 World Cup winners nine days earlier.

Only four players that were involved then started here, although a fifth in Moeen Ali was introduced as a concussion substitute after Phil Salt suffered a head injury while attempting to stop a boundary.

Jos Buttler returned to lead the side and called correctly at the toss – but little else went right for the England captain as Head overcome a shaky start to excel alongside Warner.

Head was put down on four after David Willey induced an outside edge, with Liam Dawson dropping a tough chance above his head, while the opening batter overturned an lbw verdict when still in single figures.

While Head owed a couple of early boundaries to edges, he clattered Willey back over his head for six and Warner settled into a groove with three fours in Stone’s first over – with injury added to insult as Salt landed awkwardly on the cover boundary before being withdrawn after a medical assessment.

Moeen was brought in as the replacement but was unable to bowl as concussion replacements have to be like-for-like. Liam Dawson was deposited over the boundary rope by Head then after a short rain delay, Warner did likewise with Australia well into three figures by this stage.

The more purposeful Head was the first to his ton, off 91 balls, after thrashing Chris Woakes backward of point for his 12th four while Warner followed suit a few overs later, off 97 deliveries, with a trademark punch through the covers off Stone, who had his revenge in the next over.

A cross-batted flap from Warner flew out to deep midwicket where Willey took a brilliant diving catch while moments later, Stone had both Australia openers as Head made room but hit fresh air with a big heave and had his leg stump taken out.

Steve Smith came out at his usual position of first drop and contributed 21 off 16 balls before gloving through to Buttler off Stone, who in the final over was clubbed by Mitch Marsh over deep midwicket.

Marsh (30 off 16 balls) then sliced high into the air, with Dawson taking a good catch running back, but Australia still passed 350 as they set the highest total at the MCG in ODI history.

Travis Head

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