England and Australia faced off in the third ODI at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, with England winning the toss and electing to bowl first. Australia, seeking a win to clinch the five-match series, sent Matthew Short and Mitchell Marsh to open the batting.
Jofra Archer, recalled to the English side, opened the bowling and immediately made an impact. His short-ball strategy paid off as he dismissed Short for 21, caught by Adil Rashid at deep backward square leg. Archer continued to trouble the Australian batsmen, hitting Marsh on the thigh pad and getting the ball to nip back into Steven Smith’s pads.
Matthew Potts, bowling from the other end, also impressed. He beat Marsh’s outside edge with a delivery that nipped away and forced Smith to fend off an awkward bouncer. Potts also conceded a boundary to Short, who cracked a drive through point.
Marsh, who had been promoted to open in the absence of Travis Head, looked solid and scored a single off Potts. Cameron Green, who came in at number three, also got off the mark with a single.
As the innings progressed, Australia began to build a partnership. Marsh and Green played cautiously, rotating the strike and avoiding any unnecessary risks. They managed to take Australia to 21/1 after the first four overs.
However, the match was interrupted by rain, forcing the players off the field. The rain delay lasted for over an hour, and when play resumed, England had a new bowler in Brydon Carse.
Carse continued to put pressure on the Australian batsmen, hitting Marsh on the chest with a shorter delivery and getting the ball to seam away from Smith. Marsh and Green remained resolute, though, and managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
