Tom Banton scores second ODI ton as England hit record 355-6 in Australia before Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker reduce home side to 29-4; Mitch Marsh's hosts - who rested Mahli Beardman following six-wicket haul in the series opener - now meet England in winner-takes-all clash on Wednesday
Tom Banton's second ODI hundred and Gus Atkinson's sizzling new-ball burst saw England thump Australia by 135 runs in Adelaide and set up a series decider in Hobart on Wednesday.
A touring side rolled for 131 in Friday's opener at Perth posted their highest ODI total in Australia, with a score of 355-6 underpinned by Banton's 121 from 99 balls and featuring fifties for Jordan Cox (67 off 49), Joe Root (62 off 68) and Will Jacks (54no off 40).
England lost their fourth wicket in the 35th over - Banton holing out immediately after back-to-back sixes - whereas Australia lost their fourth at the end of the seventh with just 29 runs on the board, before being dismissed for 220 in 44.3 overs with Atkinson claiming 4-28 and Jofra Archer (1-26) taking the final wicket.
The ODI finale at Ninja Stadium in Tasmania next week (3.30am start UK on Wednesday) is now winner-takes-all, ahead of the sides moving on to a five-match T20 international series, starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground next Saturday (8.15am UK time).
The hosts were reeling on 13-3, having lost three wickets for no runs in six balls as Atkinson had Travis Head (7) and Cooper Connolly (0) caught at slip in the same over before Australia captain Mitchell Marsh (2) perished the same way off Sonny Baker (1-45).
When Josh Inglis (3) became the fourth man caught behind, off Atkinson after a successful review, the home side looked to have little hope of completing their highest successful run chase at home.
Matt Renshaw (63) and Cameron Green (64) rebuilt with a fifth-wicket stand of 98, during which Renshaw was dropped on 27 by Jacks at cover and Green inexplicably grassed on seven at deep midwicket by Liam Dawson (2-41), the player who eventually broke the partnership when he pinned Renshaw lbw on the reverse sweep.
Green went on to be stumped in bizarre fashion as a delivery from Dawson ricocheted off wicketkeeper Cox's pads and back onto the stumps, while Sam Curran (2-38) was on a hat-trick after ousting Jack Edwards (17) with a moon ball and then Xavier Bartlett (0).
With the ball, Australia missed Mahli Beardman, who ripped through the away side with 6-24 at Optus Stadium two days earlier but was rested on Sunday, with the hosts taking a cautious approach with a quick whose young career has been hit by injury.
Banton is likely to line up in the middle order in the T20 series but has seemingly cinched a long-term spot in the ODI XI as opener after yet another impressive showing.
The Somerset batter has registered two hundreds and four fifties in nine innings since replacing the injured Jacob Bethell (knee) as Ben Duckett's top-order partner at the back end of the home summer, with this latest ton coming from a brisk 85 deliveries.
Banton was struck on the grille by a sharp bouncer from Beardman's replacement Riley Meredith early in his innings but he brushed off that blow to club many of his 16 boundaries (12 fours, four sixes) off the short deliveries Australia targeted him with.
Banton put on 137 with Root from 19-1, after Duckett clothed to point, and it was somewhat of surprise when Root, perhaps looking to up the run rate, top-edged spinner Connolly into the off-side on the pull having been typically calm before then.
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When England skipper Harry Brook (5) chopped on trying to scoop Meredith over fine leg and Banton's fine innings came to a close following a diving catch from Green, the visitors could have wobbled - but they didn't as the lower middle order fired.
Cox and Jacks dug in initially, before helping their team plunder 110 runs from the final 10 overs, a passage of play in which Curran (14 off 9) chipped in and Atkinson (13no off 4) belted Edwards for two sixes in an 18-run 50th over.
It was then over to Atkinson and Baker with the ball - the latter given the new pill ahead of Archer - as Australia's top four each fell for single digits after playing flat-footed swats against back-of-a-length deliveries from the England quicks.
Their departures meant the result never looked in significant doubt - and if England's catching had been on point, the margin of victory would have been even steeper.
ODIs 3.30am UK time, with T20s 8.15am UK time
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Source: Sports
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