Eoin Morgan’s blistering 67 off 30 balls set the pace as England smashed a world record of 481-6 in an ODI against Australia at Trent Bridge.
His knock was not the highest score though as Jonny Bairstow scored 139 off 92 balls and Alex Hales 147 off 92 as England screamed past the previous best of 444-3, set by England against Pakistan in 2016 on the same ground.
But Morgan had a strike-rate of 223, including three fours and six sixes to take his team so close to the world ODI best of 490, set by New Zealand Women against Ireland Women earlier this month.
What made it even worse for Australia ― 2-0 down in the five-match series ― was that Tim Paine won the toss and chose to bowl. Bad decision.
In fact, England had scored 310 before Australia took their first wicket. Jason Roy ran himself out by irrationally calling for a second run after he had scored 82 off 61 balls (seven fours, four sixes). It was not as if they needed to up the run-rate: at that stage they had 159 off 19.3 overs, going at more than eight an over.
Bairstow was the next to go, lazily slapping left-arm spinner Ashton Agar to deep mid-wicket after a magnificent knock of 139 of 92 balls, with 15 fours and five sixes. Jos Buttler went for 11, but Alex Hales powered on to 147 off 92 (16 fours, five sixes), contributing to a stand of 124 off just 10 overs with Morgan, who scored the fasted fifty by an England player, off 22 balls.
A total of 21 sixes and 41 fours were scored as England ended on 481-6.
Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images
