However, the Three Lions were able to earn a semblance of revenge in the one-day international series, with Eoin Morgan’s men triumphing 4-1 to continue their impressive form in the limited-overs format.
The Baggy Greens could not compete with the striking power of England’s line-up even though Ben Stokes was once again sidelined due to his legal issues. Steve Smith’s men could not conjure a response with bat or ball, while their fielding was not as sharp as it had been during the Ashes.
Australia are facing a major challenge on their hands to turn their form around ahead of the 2019 World Cup, having lost their last three ODI series on the bounce and suffering an early exit in the ICC Champions Trophy. The Aussies are backed in the latest cricket betting odds at $3.33 to defend their crown, although they’ve won only six matches in the 50-over format since the start of 2017.
Batting was the main issue during the series against England. David Warner has been outstanding at the top of the innings for almost a decade due to his striking ability. However, he was far from his best as the Three Lions were able to dismiss him cheaply in the five matches. The 31-year-old’s highest score was 35 at Brisbane, looking far from his destructive best. Aaron Finch impressed as he picked up the slack, scoring two hundreds along with a half-century. However, he was the only batsman to have the measure of the England attack.
Perhaps the biggest concern was the form of Smith. The 28-year-old was sensational against the Three Lions during the Test series, driving his side almost single-handedly at times towards the victory. However, his performances in the ODIs were downright worrying as he struggled for timing and ability to find the boundary. Morgan and his bowlers managed to bottle up the Australia captain, restricting him to just 102 runs in the five matches at a strike rate of 68.91. Fatigue may have been an issue, although his displays in the one-day arena have been below-par for a while.
Marcus Stoinis highlighted his potential with a couple of impressive innings’. He came in far too low in the order to make the impact that could have turned matches in Australia’s favour. Looking ahead to the World Cup – he should be a candidate to move higher up the order after scoring 87 in his side’s defeat in the final match at Perth.
The bowling ranks are less of a concern with Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc all proven wicket-takers. Fitness could be an issue for the trio, especially for Cummins and Starc, who have had their problems throughout their careers. Whether they can translate their form in England remains to be seen, although there are ODI matches upcoming on English soil to prepare for conditions. Andrew Tye’s performances were encouraging and he could provide an intriguing option should the trio not fire on all cylinders. Adam Zampa was poor and failed to offer the threat of his counterpart Adil Rashid. Wickets in the middle overs are crucial in ODI cricket and that will have to be an area the Aussies have to strengthen over the next year.
