Australia have salvaged the No. 1 world ranking after escaping with a five-wicket win in the third and final game of their Twenty20 series against England.
Aaron Finch’s team still had plenty to play for in Southampton, despite No.2 ranked England entering the clash with an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
There were some tense moments in Australia’s chase, including a mid-innings collapse of 4-30, but allrounders Mitch Marsh and Ashton Agar steadied to pass England’s total of 6-145 with three balls to spare.
Marsh’s unbeaten 39 helped Australia avoid a dramatic repeat of their Game 1 meltdown, when they lost by two runs after being in total control.
Australia survived Adil Rashid’s game-changing spell of 3-23, with the legspinner taking the key scalps of Finch (39), powerhitter Glenn Maxwell and master bastman Steve Smith.
But Australia, who rested star opener David Warner and fast bowler Pat Cummins, were far more comfortable batting under lights against England’s quicks
Matthew Wade and Finch took 16 runs from the opening over, which ended when the former smashed a mammoth 91m six to the leg-side off speedster Jofra Archer.
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England’s top-order was far less threatening without explosive opener Jos Buttler, who sat out the match to be with his family after blasting an unbeaten matchwinning 77 in Game 2.
They batted with nowhere near the intensity that saw them wrap up the series on Sunday, struggling to the lowest-total in the three games.
After being sent into bat by Finch, England were best served by Jonny Bairstow’s gritty 55.
Buttler’s replacement at the top of the order, Tom Banton, was knocked over for two by Josh Hazlewood, who came into the Australian team for Cummins.
Bairstow and the prolific Dawid Malan steadied with a 49-run second-wicket partnership before legspinner Adam Zampa (2-34) dismissed the latter.
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There was no Eoin Morgan in the middle order, with the England skipper not recovering from a finger injury sustained in the second T20.
Moeen Ali grafted 23 from 21 balls filling in for Morgan as captain.
Australia and England will switch to the 50-over format on Friday when they start a three-game ODI series at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Im not disagreeing with you there, batting No.5-6 in ODIs and especially T20s has become the most difficult to bat in, because the opposition instantly bring on spinners and bog you down. My point with Stoinis, and this is more focused on ODIs where you have so much more time to get yourself in. If Stoinis can rotate the strike more often, he'll be putting much less pressure on himself to hit boundaries, which he is absolutely incredible at once he is set. He can transform himself to a middle order machine, because thats where he has mainly played in domestic List A, the real test, as you point out, will be in T20s. Also you have to factor in his bowling, he should be bowling 5-6 overs a match in ODIs, that makes him a pretty attractive prospect if he can get that average up towards 40. I may be wrong, but IMO he deserves another run in ODIs, at least just this series against England
Marty
Roar Rookie
The problem for guys like Stoinis is that they look a million bucks opening and smashing it around when the ball is hard and coming on. That’s a totally different proposition to coming in midway through the innings. What we are starting to see is that middle order batting is one of the most technically demanding aspects of T20 cricket, and unless you can convince the Stars to start batting one of the best openers in the comp at 5 he’s not going to get much of chance to learn.
Carey i feel is finished in T20Is. He's had 30 games and averages 12....not exactly inspiring stuff. Give Wade a 4-5 game run to try and stake a claim for permanent keeper. ODI team needs a proper batsman keeper, Handscomb seemed like he was almost there, he's definitely an option over Carey whose form in ODIs has been meh for a while. He needs to perform in the series this week
Stoinis still has the weapons and the game to make No.5 his own in ODI/T20s. Ala Andrew Symonds. Does Stoinis really need to work on strike rotation and not get bogged down? Most definitely, but if he can, it will be spectacular to watch. Instead of trying to explode from 20* off 30 balls because he starts slow, imagine if he can get himself to 40* off 40 balls then put the foot down, he has all the power and clean hitting ability to do it. And he seems like the guy that wants to really be there at the end to finish off a chase, he doesnt throw his wicket like Maxwell. And his bowling seems to be coming back nicely.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Perhaps strong but I've thought that for a while, whilst his test career should clearly be over, Marsh's short term form in the middle order has been particularly good. He's batted at 5 for Perth and had success, whereas Stoinis has only ever had success opening.
AREH
Roar Guru
There's strong arguments for both having your best pure keeper available in T20 cricket, or one that is competent enough but primarily there for batting. I wonder if this side may look elsewhere to Carey in the format going forward. Wade and Phileppe seem your obvious best bets, with Bancroft or Handscomb candidates too perhaps, even if all are slightly inferior to Carey with their keeping.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Still is on the cricket front page. Choose cricket in the sport menubar and the photo is Smith head down and Warner on the right.
Ace
Roar Rookie
I have to agree with most comments that Marsh seems happier in the white ball format and has enough of a record to maintain this position. Adding Manus Labuschagne would, in my humble opinion, stiffen the side in the 50over game. Finch, Warner, Manus, Smith and Marsh and its a toss up for the last position. Wade, Maxwell or Stoinis. They do not inspire confidence at the moment. Perhaps Wade. And in the longer game I think Heazlewood to tie up one end along with perhaps Lyon ??
matth
Roar Guru
Clearly is a strong word on the back of one innings, but I tend to agree. I've always liked Marsh as a white ball batsman where he can plonk the front foot down and doesn't have to worry about close in fielders.
Benjamin Conkey
Editor
It was an image of Steve Smith and David Warner originally. Thanks for the heads up.
paddleman66
Roar Rookie
WTF!!! The photo is of Ashton Agar :)
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Marsh is clearly the middle order answer over Stoinis, Maxwell or Agar. I still feel they are a batsman light and someone like Labuschagne would be perfect in those middle overs where they fell away a bit against Rashid.
Marty
Roar Rookie
Great effort from Marsh to walk straight in and guide the team to victory. Pity he wasn’t in for the first game, series result may have been very different. How refreshing to see a middle order batsman that can come in, asses the game situation and get the team home playing proper cricket shots as opposed to throwing their wicket away with some ridiculous shot which, given the game situation, was totally unnecessary.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Strange photo to use on this article when Warner didn't play!
Cari
Roar Rookie
Congratulations Australia well done, now we can look forward to the 50 over games.