Aussies blink as bright Banton sets up Hobart ODI series decider

Gus Atkinson's new ball blitz and Tom Banton's second ODI century have helped England banish their Perth capitulation to square their three-match series against Australia with a 135-run win in Adelaide.

Banton dazzled with a 99-ball 121 after the visitors were again sent in by Mitch Marsh on Sunday, the England opener powering his side to their highest one-day international total on Aussie soil as they ended their 50 overs on 6-355.

Atkinson (4-28) then found movement under the Adelaide Oval lights that the home side's quicks had not earlier in the day, nicking off Travis Head, Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis as Australia slumped to 4-29.

Needing to make history with the highest ODI run chase in Australia, the hosts began disastrously – their first three wickets all falling with the score on 13.

Atkinson had both Head (7) and Connolly (0) caught in the cordon in the same over before a Joe Root screamer at first slip off recalled young gun Sonny Baker (1-45) had opposition skipper Marsh on his way for two.

England missed a chance to ram home their advantage, dropping Cameron Green on eight and Matthew Renshaw on 27, but the top-order collapse proved too big a challenge for Australia's fifth-wicket pair to overcome.

Neither Renshaw (63) nor Cameron Green (64) could kick on like Banton had, with Green bizarrely stumped on a delivery from spinner Liam Dawson (2-41). The right-hander inside edged onto his pad, the ricochet going off the wicketkeeper's pad onto the stumps while he was out of his ground.

Green fell amid another collapse of 3-4, the hosts perishing for 220 in the 45th over after last-wicket pair Spencer Johnson (14) and Riley Meredith (17no) prolonged the inevitable with a painful 28-run partnership that lasted seven overs.

Banton had also got off to a flying start with five boundaries in the series opener two days ago before England's own disastrous batting collapse.

But the tourists were surely breathing easier when news broke two hours before the toss on Sunday that Mahli Beardman had been rested for the second ODI following his debut six-wicket haul in Perth.

Banton carried on his fine second coming in England's ODI side with his second hundred in nine innings, having produced 540 runs at 60 with another four half-centuries since being installed as Ben Duckett's opening partner in September.

The former Brisbane Heat batter had played just one ODI in six years prior to his recall and had never opened in his seven 50-over internationals before this year.

But his elevation proved a masterstroke for the Brendon McCullum-coached outfit as the right-hander led his side to the highest total on these shores by a visiting team against Australia (there were four higher scores in neutral games during the 2015 World Cup).

Beardman's replacement Riley Meredith (1-75 off 10 overs) proved expensive early but did bounce back to claim the crucial wicket of visiting skipper Harry Brook (5).

Meredith coughed up 11 runs in his first over in his return to the Australian side after playing two ODIs in Bangladesh in June this year as veteran Joe Root (62) helped himself to two boundaries from deliveries that drifted onto his pads.

Root provided the anchor role England were lacking in Perth after the early loss of Duckett (9), with his 137-run second-wicket stand with Banton more than the 131 the whole team had managed in Perth.

Banton shrugged off an early blow to the helmet off Spencer Johnson in an entertaining battle with express quick Meredith, weaving away from a 147.5kph bouncer before crashing the 141.6kph follow-up delivery through the leg side for four.

His century came from only 86 balls, punching the air and raising both arms aloft towards the England dressing room after batting partner Jordan Cox hurried back for a second run.

Banton continued to attack the short ball until it eventually brought his downfall, carting two Bartlett (3-72) half-trackers for consecutive sixes over deep square leg before picking out Green on the rope at midwicket.

Bartlett (3-72) was the only bowler to grab multiple wickets with the Aussie attack struggling to contain the fast-finishing Cox (67 off 49) and Will Jacks (54no off 40). The pair produced a 102-run stand in less than 12 overs to accelerate England to their imposing total.

Atkinson (13no off four balls) blasted Jack Edwards for two sixes in the final over to lift England above 350, a mark they had eclipsed in three of their previous five ODIs prior to their Perth collapse last Friday.

Sam Curran (14 off 9) also helped boost the total late and then had Edwards confounded when he bowled the allrounder with his 81kph 'moon ball', taking two wickets in two balls with Bartlett also caught at midwicket.

The ODI series decider will be played in Hobart on Wednesday.

Australia v England ODI & T20I Series 2026

First ODI: Australia won by seven wickets

Second ODI: November 15, Adelaide Oval, 2:30pm AEDT (D/N)

Third ODI: November 18, Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 2:30pm AEDT (D/N)

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Riley Meredith, Ollie Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott, Adam Zampa

England squad: Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Eddie Jack, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root

First T20I: November 21, MCG, 7:15pm AEDT

Second T20I: November 24, Gold Coast Stadium, 7:15pm AEDT

Third T20I: November 27, The Gabba, 7:15pm AEDT

Fourth T20I: November 29, SCG, 7:15pm AEDT

Fifth T20I: December 2, Manuka Oval, 7:15pm AEDT

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Spencer Johnson, Mitch Owen, Lachlan Shaw, Adam Zampa

England squad: Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Aneurin Donald, Eddie Jack, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Thomas Rew, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.