Brilliant Brook leads England to impressive ODI win over Australia

CHESTER-LE-STREET, England :A superb maiden ODI century by new captain Harry Brook led England to a dominant, rain-shortened DLS victory over Australia on Tuesday to keep the five-match series alive with two to play.

Australia, seeking a 15th successive ODI win, overcame difficult early conditions to post 304, with Steve Smith hitting a patient 60 and Aaron Hardie (44) and Alex Carey (77 not out) cutting loose in the final 10 overs.

After losing both openers early, Brook and Will Jacks then built an excellent partnership of 156 to swing the game England's way.

After Jacks went for 84, Liam Livingstone smashed a quick unbeaten 33 as Brook moved serenely on to 110 but, on 254-4 with 51 needed from 74 balls, the rain began and England were eventually awarded a 46-run victory under a DLS calculation that had produced a revised target of 209 after their 37.4 overs.

It was a day of ebb and flow under changing conditions in the air and on the pitch.

In the absence of the in-form but unfit opener Travis Head and on a damp afternoon and a sticky pitch, Australia took a relatively cautious approach to their innings.

Smith started particularly patiently but was just starting to accelerate when he was brilliantly caught in the deep by a running, diving Brydon Carse off Jofra Archer for 60 to leave his team on 172-5 after 35 overs

Cameron Green hit 42 and the ever-dangerous Glenn Maxwell fell for a rapid 30 just as he was warming up, after Marnus Labuschagne was out for a duck trying to ramp spinner Jacks off his third ball.

The tourists were 200-5 after 40 overs but Carey batted nicely and then put on a rapid 68 with Hardie in 7.1 overs before the latter was run out for 44 off 26 balls. Carey finished unbeaten on 77 - three more than his