England v Australia 3rd ODI preview

England and Australia’s next white-ball battle commences this Tuesday after Australia took a 2-0 series lead at Headingley on Saturday.

Durham will play host to the next ODI fixture, with England needing to win to have any chance of completing a first series victory against Australia since 2018.

We preview the action below.

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England v Australia – Tuesday 12:30

England’s ODI performances have been lacklustre so far. The team has looked disjointed and inconsistent, losing the first ODI by 7 wickets after a Travis Head masterclass, and following up with another below-par batting performance last weekend in Leeds. England’s top order has repeatedly failed to fire, with only three players managing scores over 40 across both games.

Jamie Smith’s composed 49 in the second game against Australia was a rare bright spot in another poor England performance. The young wicketkeeper-batsman held his ground as wickets fell around him, showing the resilience and technique missing from the rest of the team.

With England’s top order faltering, Smith’s calm approach and ability to anchor the innings make him a promising prospect—and at 9/2 to be the top run-scorer in the third ODI, he’s a strong bet to shine again. England will need more of Smith’s steadiness if they are to turn things around.

Brendon McCullum’s aggressive coaching style, which has revitalised the Test side, will be urgently needed to inject some energy and confidence into an ODI team that looks bereft of ideas and is struggling to adapt to the modern game. The 2019 World Cup winners’ slide in white-ball cricket shows no signs of stopping and they are once again outsiders for this one at 13/10.

In terms of personnel, Adil Rashid is the 11/5 favourite to be England’s top bowler, and Saqib Mahmood’s return to the ODI side could bolster the pace attack, but with Australia’s batting power, it’s hard to be optimistic. England’s bowling has lacked bite for some time, and their batting line-up remains worryingly brittle. Until they find a way to rediscover their form, England’s white-ball woes are likely to continue.

Australia clear favourites

Mitch Marsh’s men go into the third ODI as the 8/13 favourites to record an unassailable 3-0 series lead. The Aussies have been the far superior team in the first two, winning the first by seven wickets and the second by 68 runs.

In the first ODI, Travis Head was the standout man, scoring an incredible 154 from 129 deliveries without losing his wicket. In the second fixture, Head played another decent game – hitting just 29 before being caught in the deep – and seems to have really found his groove at the moment. The left-hander seems the obvious option for Australia’s top run-scorer at 23/10.

Australia’s bowling outfit have also looked in pretty good nick on their tour of England so far. Mitchell Starc was in devastating form upon his return to the side in the second match at Leeds and heads the betting at 19/10 to pick up the most English wickets in Durham. With overcast conditions expected, the seam bowlers could find some joy here, so don’t rule out the likes of Sean Abbott (27/10) and the veteran Josh Hazelwood (9/4) showcasing their ability with the ball as well.