ENG vs AUS | 3rd ODI in Manchester - Statistical Preview

ByFun88, SportsCafe Editor

09/16/2020

With England making a return from the dead in the second ODI, the series-decider is going to lit fire as both sides clash for one final time in Manchester. Aaron Finch's men will look to avenge their last ODI series whitewash in UK while England will look to continue their red-hot home ODI streak.

Form Guide

England: W L L W W

Just like the WWE's Undertaker, England know a thing or two about walking back from the dead. Be it in the first T20I or the second ODI of the ongoing series against Australia, they have snatched away victories from the jaws of defeat. After being 0-1 down, with Australia cruising in the chase of 232 at 144 for 2, even England wouldn't have believed had someone told them that they would win the game in the end. But the hosts have shown that they are the World Cup winners for a reason, exhibiting how to bounce back when the chips are down. Given the fact that they have been unbeaten in bilateral ODI series at home since 2015, the Three Lions will enter the game with a lot of confidence as they have the experience of closing out games in their own backyard.

Australia: L W L L L

After losing ODI series in India (1-2) and getting whitewashed by South Africa (0-3), Australia had an incredible opportunity to turn around their fortunes this year with a firm grip on the game in the second ODI, after which they choked in an unbelievable manner. Not only with the bat, but they had also first let the momentum drift when Adil Rashid and Tom Curran formed an incredible partnership as England carted 53 off final four overs on a dry surface. Having said that Australia have done a phenomenal job with the ball thus far, making full use of the double-paced track in Manchester, restricting English batsmen, who have the same side which played in World Cup barring Ben Stokes. Their middle-order again showed cracks in the second ODI after an exceptional first game but will need to put their best foot forward if they have to win the series.

Key Batsmen

England- Eoin Morgan

With scores of 23 and 42, England captain Eoin Morgan isn't having the best of series after being in red-hot form. But his 52-ball-42 in the second game, where he hit five boundaries showed that he isn't too far away from a big knock. The southpaw really enjoys playing at Old Trafford, which becomes evident from his average of 48.11 at the venue to go with a strike-rate of 111.89. Who can forget his 71-ball-148 in Manchester last year against Afghanistan where he went berserk to play a masterful knock. Given how much the hosts are relying on Morgan, especially in absence of Ben Stokes in middle-order, he will look to take Australia by the scruff off their neck in the series decider.

Australia- Aaron Finch

After failing to see through his side in the second ODI where Aaron Finch was on course of leading Australia to a special ODI series win, Finch would be aching to make amends in the series-decider. The ache of captaining Australia which suffered a whitewash at the hands of the arch-rivals in 2018, the ache of giving away a win that had written Australia all over it, the ache of again ending on the losing side despite a brilliant fifty, Finch would want to unleash his brutal best against England, a side he loves playing against and has seven hundreds with an average close to 50. Mind you, the Aussie skipper has made 47 runs on an average at the venue.

Key Bowlers

England- Jofra Archer

Gems like Jofra Archer are rare. I mean, he is a sheer delight to the game of cricket and keeps on startling with an extravagant ability that makes him class apart. If ODI is the craft, Archer is the master. He can seam the ball, make use of swing, hurry the batsmen with pace, fox them with deceptive cutters, school them with intimidating bouncers, and bamboozle them with impeccable yorkers. With three wickets each in the first two games, the 25-year-old has looked like a man on a mission. Archer has a good track record against the Men in Yellow with nine scalps in four games at an economy of 4.59 while he has nine wickets in three ODIs at the venue.

Australia- Adam Zampa

Adam Zampa has proved to be the biggest thorn for England in the ODI series so far. He has taken seven wickets and they have been big fishes like Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, and Sam Billings. The 28-year-old has made full use of the slow wickets exploiting England's weakness against wrist-spin. Zampa is having a great run this year with 17 wickets in nine games at an economy of 4.88. He will again be a trump card for Australia with his knack of spinning a web around the big batsmen.

Predicted XI

England: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (C), Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Sam Billings, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (C), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

Venue: Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester.

When to Watch: September 16, 5:30 PM IST.

Where to Watch: Sony SIX and Sony LIV.