In the first ODI at Trent Bridge, Australia defeated England by seven wickets thanks to the all-around heroics of Travis Head (154* & 2-34) and Marnus Labuschagne (77* & 3-39).
Head scored his greatest score in the format, a sixth ODI hundred, as the visitors sped past the mark of 316 with six overs remaining. Head and Labuschagne put on an unbeaten 148-run partnership off just 107 balls for the fourth wicket, leaving England captain Harry Brook struggling to find a breakthrough in his debut as captain.
Mitchell Marsh, Australia’s captain, was lost to Matthew Potts early in the match, but Head made two significant partnerships, scoring 76 runs with Steve Smith and 73 with Cameron Green.
On a dry Nottingham field in the late season, the left-handed opener, who blasted 20 fours and five sixes, reached his hundred off 92 balls before picking up speed alongside Labuschagne.
Adil Rashid’s wicketless innings (0-59) summed up England’s bowling woes, while Australia’s spinners turned the tide when a pectoral muscle injury sidelined rookie Ben Dwarshuis.
Due to illness, Australia was also without Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. After missing 18 months of ODI cricket, Jofra Archer returned, and in his six overs, he scored 0-53.
After Brook decided to bat, England looked strong at 213/2 in the 33rd over. Still, Marsh made a brilliant bowling change that saw Labuschagne in and drastically alter the trajectory of the innings.
After being brought on in the 33rd over, Labuschagne struck with his fourth delivery, catching and bowling Ben Duckett. Marsh used nearly 30 overs of spin, the third-most Australia has bowled in an ODI, to end an innings-turning spell that began with the dismissal of Brook (caught and bowled again) and ended with the wicket of Jofra Archer.
After the third over, Australia didn’t bowl a quick over, depending instead on Travis Head (2–34) and other players to finish the innings on a respectable Nottingham batting wicket.
Duckett and Phil Salt established a solid 48-run partnership to start England’s innings until rookie Dwarshuis bowled Salt due to cramps. Then Duckett and Will Jacks (62), who put on 120 runs for the second wicket, took over.
A modest strike rate considering his explosive start, which saw him blast Sean Abbott for four boundaries in the PowerPlay, Duckett reached his fifty off 49 balls. Jacks struck his fifty off forty-five balls, punishing Abbott, who ended with figures of 5-0-50-0.
After an expensive start, Adam Zampa returned for a second spell and dismissed Jacks. Before Marsh turned to Labuschagne, whose stint turned the batting around, Brook put on 45 runs for the third wicket. England lost eight wickets for 102 runs in a poor second half.
They reached 300 thanks to a 35 off 34 from Jacob Bethell, but it was not enough to overcome a formidable Australian side. As the match progressed, the Betpro website continued to provide real-time updates and offer fans a thrilling experience.
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Brief Scores: Australia 317/3 in 44 overs (Head 154*, Labuschagne 77*Bethell 1-20) defeated England 315 all out in 49.4 overs (Duckett 95, Jacks 62; Labuschagne 3-39, Zampa 3-49) by 7 wickets.
