Cricket-England thrash Australia to level ODI series at 2-2

LONDON (Reuters) – England annihilated Australia by 186 runs in a rain-shortened ODI at Lord’s with Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone laying waste to the visitors attack before Matthew Potts took four wickets as the hosts tied the series at 2-2 on Friday.

Captain Brook scored a dazzling 87 before Livingstone wrought havoc by smashing 62 in 27 balls to fire England to a daunting 312-5 from their 39 overs.

World champions Australia, whose run of 14 successive ODI victories was ended in Durham earlier this week, began their reply in menacing fashion but capitulated in the evening chill under the floodlights to 126 all out.

They were 68 without loss in the ninth over but after Travis Head was bowled by Brydon Carse for 34, the Australian innings fell apart as they slumped to 96-6 in the 16th over.

Adil Rashid put the Australians out of their misery in the 25th over after Potts took a career-best four for 38.

Australia had led the series 2-0 but it will now be decided in Sunday’s finale in Bristol.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)