Travis Head and David Warner plundered stunning centuries as Australia crushed England by 221 runs at the MCG to seal a 3-0 ODI series sweep.
The openers forged an alliance of 269 runs as Australia posted 355-5 in a rain-interrupted match in Melbourne, with England only able to muster 142 all out in reply, suffering a third emphatic defeat.
Australia's innings was trimmed to 48 overs, which meant under the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern calculations England's target was set at 364 for victory, which they got nowhere near. Nine days after winning the T20 World Cup on the same ground, England's response to Australia's total was largely listless.
Head made an ODI career-best 152, while Warner was out for 106, his 19th century in this format. They put on the ninth-highest first-wicket stand in ODI history, second only for Australia to the 284 that Head and Warner themselves amassed in January 2017 against Pakistan.
It was their second 200-plus partnership, and only Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga, who have managed three, have achieved more as a pairing in ODIs.
Olly Stone eventually removed both openers in the same over, the 39th of Australia's innings, on the way to bowling figures of 4-85 from 10 overs.
England's opening partnership, in stark contrast, was worth only 15 runs, with Dawid Malan falling for just two to Josh Hazlewood in the third over. Jason Roy top scored with 33, as Adam Zampa took 4-31 in the rout.
Warner beats Hayden record
Warner now has 6,007 runs from 139 ODI innings, becoming the 10th Australian batter to reach 6,000 runs in the format. He has reached the milestone in the fewest innings of all Australians, beating Matthew Hayden's previous record of 154 innings.
Head rush
Head's 152 goes down as the second-highest score by an Australian player in the history of men's ODIs against England, bettered only by Shane Watson's unbeaten 161 in January 2011. The thrashing gave Australia's men just their second whitewash of England in a multi-game bilateral ODI series, 29 years after the first, also a 3-0 victory.
Grealish feeling the love from 'top manager' Carsley in England revival
Jack Grealish is feeling the love playing under interim head coach Lee Carsley after the Manchester City midfielder's goal helped England to a 3-1 win over Finland on Sunday.
Grealish was on target in the 18th minute, combining well with Angel Gomes for his fourth international goal, before Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice sealed the Nations League triumph.
The 29-year-old has now scored two goals in three appearances under Carsley, as many as he did in his first 36 England caps when playing for Gareth Southgate.
Grealish made his feelings known after being left out of England's Euro 2024 squad, and has been a player reborn since his introduction back into the fold.
"We could have had a few more, but it was difficult at times," Grealish told ITV on his team's display in Helsinki.
"Whatever happens with the England manager, people will always say negative stuff.
"Before, people were crying out for all attacking players to play, and it didn't work. I don't get it, it can happen in games.
"I love coming here, a top, top manager and I love playing for him."
Grealish impressed again for the Three Lions, creating more chances (three), having more touches in the opposition box (seven) and accumulating the highest expected goals (xG) tally (0.63) for Carsley's side.
Arsenal's Rice has also found a scoring streak since Carsley's arrival at the helm, notching his fifth international goal after turning home Ollie Watkins' cross late on.
With Rice and Grealish's strikes, it was the first time the same two players have scored in back-to-back England away games since Bukayo Saka and Tammy Abraham did so against Andorra and San Marino in 2021.
Rice was quick to lavish praise on Grealish after his "special" performance at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium, while also lauding Carsley's impact on the squad.
"Do you know how good Jack is? He has something very special," said Rice. He looks really confident, and I am buzzing for him. When he is playing well and happy, he is a massive boost for England.
"Since the manager has come in, he has been so honest, so refreshing. He has a way of playing, and he really wants us to stick with that."
Stokes looking 'great' as England captain prepares for Pakistan return
Ben Stokes is expected to come back into England's side for the second Test against Pakistan, with the all-rounder returning to his peak fitness.
England captain Stokes has been out since the start of August with a hamstring injury but was seen in the nets bowling at full pace ahead of the next Test, which starts on Tuesday in Multan.
Former team-mate and bowling coach James Anderson says Stokes is firing on all cylinders as he prepares to return.
"He looks great. He has worked really hard on his fitness and looking as strong as I've ever seen him," Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, said to BBC Sport on Sunday.
"He's had a good bowl in the nets and looks good to go."
Anderson acknowledged that managing Stokes' workload could work favourably for England, who will expect spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashar, as well as part-time option Joe Root, to do most of the bowling.
"When we're talking about Ben's workloads and his bowling, it might play into our hands with that, with the spinners potentially playing more of a part," Anderson added.
England did not miss Stokes in the first Test, battling to victory by an innings and 47 runs despite conceding 556 to Pakistan in the first innings last week.
Joe Root's stunning 262, coupled with Harry Brook's remarkable 317, led the fightback before left-armer Leach took 4-30 from just 6.5 overs in Pakistan's final-innings collapse.
Questions remain whether the same pitch will be employed in Multan, where cracks were already showing, instead of a new surface.
"Going off the last game, we did see it go up and down, mainly down, towards the back end," Anderson continued.
"The cracks started opening up. I'm no groundsman, but I don't think you can make cracks go back together that easily, certainly in three days.
"You'd expect it to do something off the cracks and with it being dry and hot again, you'd expect the spinners to play more of a part.
"We don't know what we’re going to get. It could be another pitch, or they have repaired this one really well and it's flat again."
Carsley: England deserve 'world-class coach'
Lee Carsley's ambitions for the permanent England role remain unclear, acknowledging the position "deserves a world-class coach" after Sunday's win in Finland.
The Three Lions responded to Thursday's defeat against Greece with a 3-1 victory in Helsinki as Jack Grealish opened the scoring before second-half goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice.
That made it three wins in four games for Carsley as the interim England boss since Gareth Southgate left the role following July's Euro 2024 final defeat against Spain.
Thomas Tuchel has emerged in recent times as the frontrunner to take charge of England, and Carsley suggested his side need management from someone who has silverware to their name.
"I've not really thought much about it. I keep saying the same thing. My remit was six games and I'm happy with that. This is a privileged position," Carsley said when asked about his full-time ambitions on ITV.
"I'm really enjoying it but I didn't enjoy the last two days. I'm not used to losing in an England team, I don't take losing well.
"People are always going to try and put their chips on one side. I'm in the middle. My bosses have made it clear what they need from me.
"This job deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies and I am still on the path to that."
England underwhelmed in a 2-1 defeat to Greece on Thursday but Carsley was delighted with the response.
"We were looking for a reaction, that was a big thing," he added. "I think they've shown that they respond well, in the best way. I thought we were a lot better.
"We played a lot more controlled, we had massive possession, created a lot of chances, but I think we can still do better.
"The way they set up, they were well organised. Not a lot of space, we had to create that space, but if you have as much possession as we did then you're always going to get a chance."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
