Eng Vs Aus, 5th ODI: England Eye For a Whitewash as Australia Aim Consolation Win

The visiting team Australia-led by Tim Paine will look to go back with a solitary win as England looks on course for a historic whitewash when both sides will square off against each other in the 5th and final One-day International at Old Trafford in Manchester on June 24 (Sunday).

Meanwhile, it doesn’t seem that the Aussies have the pedigree to stop England’s juggernaut. Australia batted with due care in the last game but England’s dominance has outplayed them in nutshell.

The hosts have played totally as a team with bowlers backing the in-form batsmen. Wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow and opening batter Jason Roy have been in a red-hot form who are well supported by the spinning duo of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali.

On the other hand, Australia lacked a leader as Paine is struggling to lead from the front. The batsmen have also failed to put up a good show without the availability of Steven Smith and David Warner.

However, it is their inexperienced bowling line-up that has come under-fire. Kane Richardson is the experienced campaigner in the current line-up with 17 ODIs under his belt.

However, the rattled Aussie side is confident to put a good show in the final ODI.

“We have no choice (but) to believe that we can beat them,” said Ashton Agar in the build-up.

For the visitors, any changes would be a bit like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic at this point. Perhaps, Richardson will come back in to give namesake Jhye Richardson a bit of a time off.

For England, David Willey or Mark Wood might sit out to give Sam Curran his debut in the final game.

Squad:

England: Eoin Morgan (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, David Willey, Craig Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Tom Curran, Liam Plunkett, Sam Billings, Jake Ball, and Sam Curran

Australia: Tim Paine (c & wk), Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon, Billy Stanlake, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, D Arcy Short, and Andrew Tye

Form guide

England WWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)

Australia LLLLLW

Pitch and conditions:

There should be runs in store once again, on what is forecast to be a warm day in Manchester.

However, Old Trafford can provide some turn, with the recent dry weather only likely to aid spin further.

Sunshine and a sellout are likely, with the FIFA World Cup 2018 set to be broadcast on a big screen in the fan zone, too.

Stats and trivia: England and Australia –

• Jason Roy needs 81 runs to overhaul Alex Hales’ tally of 383 runs (against South Africa in 2016) as England’s highest-scorer in a single ODI series. And if he doesn’t get there, Bairstow is next in line, he needs 96.
• Australia’s economy rate is the worst they have ever conceded in a series of five or more matches – and the first time they have gone at more than seven an over.
• England is bidding for only their second 5-0 whitewash in ODI history. The first came in October 2001, when Duncan Fletcher sent an exploratory squad out to play an Andy Flower-powered Zimbabwe.

Also read: Five most embarrassing defeats for India in ODIs