By Rob Barnett
David Warner and Shaun Marsh’s fifties trumped Eoin Morgan’s as Australia won the one-day series at the earliest opportunity with a seven-wicket victory in Sydney.
The hosts’ pursuit of 244 with 10 overs to spare was underpinned by 71 at better than a run a ball from Warner, his second half-century of the rubber, and as many unbeaten from Marsh, his second straight fifty.
Morgan has gone even better, having struck 50, 106 and 54, yet he again ended on the losing side as England’s 243 for nine after winning the toss proved insufficient.
Morgan was the sole member of England’s top six to go on from a start and the tourists’ next-highest scorer was Tim Bresnan with 41 not out from 29 deliveries.
Australia’s spinners strangled their opponents in the middle overs on a two-paced SCG pitch, Xavier Doherty returning miserly figures of 10-2-28-1 including 41 dot balls. Dan Christian, who had Morgan caught and bowled in the 42nd over, also took pace off the ball to good effect.
Chris Jordan gave England early hope in the reply by ousting Aaron Finch in the mandatory powerplay but Warner, who has hit 1,482 runs in all senior cricket this Australian season, then dominated a match-defining 78-run stand with Marsh.
Once Warner fell to Ben Stokes, Marsh became more assertive and was supported by swift thirties from Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin, the latter’s unbeaten.
The five-game series now moves on to Perth, where Clarke will sit out as the home captain rests ahead of the tour of South Africa.
Match Scorecard / Live ball-by-ball commentary
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10.43am - David Warner is man of the match for his outstanding run-out of Ian Bell and his 71 at better than a run a ball.
Warner said: “It’s been fantastic that I’ve been able to deliver my true potential. It was actually a great wicket ... credit to the groundsmen for preparing the wicket.”
Alastair Cook said: “The first 10 overs we played alright but then we did what you can’t afford to do and lose wickets.”
Michael Clarke, who revealed he will not play in the next game at Perth on Friday, said: “Our bowlers did a fantastic job on a pretty good batting wicket. Both ours spinners were fantastic."
Of Warner, he added: “I think he’s had a wonderful summer. He’s done fantastic for us, led the way opening the batting.”
Australia Innings
Watch highlights of Australia's innings at the SCG
10.33am - THE HOSTS WIN BY SEVEN WICKETS TO TAKE AN UNASSAILABLE 3-0 SERIES LEAD! Australia 244/3; Marsh 71, Haddin 31 - Marsh clips Jordan to the fine-leg boundary and smashes him to the midwicket rope to complete victory with 10 overs to spare. Marsh and Haddin’s stand was worth 72 and the powerplay yielded 44.
10.26am - Haddin hoists Bresnan for a one-bounce boundary. Soon 10 are required from 11 overs.
10.19am - Haddin aerially cover-drives Bresnan for four, leaving 26 wanted from 13 overs. He then gets consecutive fours off Broad, slogging the first to midwicket to herald a fifty partnership and opening the face for the second.
10.10am - With the hosts needing 44 from 90 balls to win, the batting powerplay has to be taken. Brad Haddin emphatically pulls Broad for six and chips four over short third man.
37,823 in here at the SCG. Great crowd. Looks like Australia will go into an unassailable 3-0 lead unless England can produce some magic...
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
10am - FIFTY! Marsh (68b 5x4 0x6) - Just after Alastair Cook cannot hold a tough, low chance at slip off Marsh, the left-hander cuts Tredwell to the rope for his second consecutive half-century.
9.52am - Marsh breaks a quiet spell since the Clarke wicket by clipping a Stokes full-toss to the square-leg rope.
9.41am - WICKET! Clarke b Bopara 34; Aus 172/3 - Soon after sharing a fifty partnership with Marsh, Clarke is bowled through the gate by Bopara. Australia require 72 from 21.2 overs.
9.37am - CHANCE! - Jordan cannot repeat his awesome caught-and-bowled from two days ago as Clarke punches past the bowler's head for four. The skipper follows up with a flick to the midwicket rope.
9.22am - Tredwell returns with a tight set of six, after which Australia need 95 to win from 25 overs. Marsh then drives Jordan over mid-on and to the rope.
9.12am - Michael Clarke announces himself by punching Stokes down the ground and slightly miscuing a pull for fours.
9.01am - WICKET! Warner c Bell b Stokes 71; Aus 121/2 - Warner greets Ben Stokes with a cover-driven four but then chips to cover, giving England the breakthrough they craved and ending a stand of 78.
8.56am - Warner slog-sweeps Tredwell for six and hits Broad over mid-off for four. Australia advance to 117 for one from 20 overs.
8.44am - FIFTY! Warner (56b 5x4 1x6) - Warner reaches a personal milestone just before he and Marsh share a half-century alliance that the opening batsman has dominated. With Tredwell and Bopara bowling in tandem, Australia reach three figures.
8.35am - Following a cheap Tredwell over, Shaun Marsh pulls Bresnan for his first four. He then uses his feet well to clip Tredwell past mid-on for four to make it 88 for one from 15 overs.
8.21am - Warner pulls, cuts and glances Bresnan for fours in the last over of the mandatory powerplay, which costs 67. James Tredwell is then introduced and starts with a reasonable set of six.
8.08am - WICKET! Finch c Bopara c Jordan 22; Aus 43/1 - After an inside edge saves Finch from being lbw to Jordan and a cut four, the batsman powerfully picks out Bopara at extra-cover. Warner then greets Tim Bresnan with a straight six and is lucky to top-edge a pull to safety, taking Australia to 50.
7.55am - Finch and Warner rotate the strike during Jordan and Broad’s second overs. Finch then drives Jordan hard down the ground for a straight four and Warner pulls Broad to the midwicket rope.
7.44am - Stuart Broad, back in the side after being rested, strays on to Finch’s pads and is clipped for four. Warner then crunches four more through extra-cover.
7.36am - CHANCE! - Chris Jordan opens the bowling to Aaron Finch, who misjudges a single to cover that would have seen David Warner gone with a direct hit from Ravi Bopara.
England Innings
Watch highlights of England's innings at the SCG
6.40am - END OF INNINGS! England 243/9; Bresnan 41, Tredwell 2 - Bresnan hoists Christian for two consecutive sixes to midwicket in a productive final over, but do the tourists have enough? Stay here to find out.
6.34am - WICKET! Jordan c Finch b Faulkner 10; Eng 225/9 - Chris Jordan top-edges a hook and Finch comes in from deep-square leg to pouch the catch.
6.24am - Bresnan gets his third four, clipping Coulter-Nile through midwicket. England reach 215 for eight with three overs to go.
6.15am - WICKET! Broad c Haddin b Coulter-Nile 1; Eng 198/8 - Stuart Broad top-edges a pull and Haddin holds a regulation catch. Later in the over Bresnan executes the shot Broad attempted to move England past 200.
6.10am - WICKET! Buttler b Christian 4; Eng 195/7 - Jos Buttler plays on to Christian, who is mainly bowling medium-pace off-cutters, as England lose their third wicket in five overs.
6.02am - WICKET! Morgan c & b Christian 54; Eng 186/6 - Morgan loops a leading edge towards the bowler, who dives full-length to claim a catch just above the turf. The batsman stands his ground and the umpires refer the decision, which goes in Australia’s favour. Tim Bresnan ends the over with a driven four.
BREAKING: England win first ODI by seven wickets and lead Women's Ashes series 8-0 on pts. Aus must win all 5 remaining games to win series
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 19, 2014
5.55am - FIFTY! Morgan (54b 4x4 2x6) - The left-hander reverse-sweeps Maxwell to the rope, bringing up an assured half-century. This follows scores of 50 and 106 in the series.
5.52am - WICKET! Bopara c Haddin b Faulkner 21; Eng 177/5 - From the last ball of the powerplay, which cost 33, Bopara opens the face and edges through to Haddin, who holds a diving, right-handed catch.
5.46am - Two quieter powerplay overs follow either side of drinks, but Morgan then lifts Coulter-Nile over midwicket for a maximum to herald a fifty partnership.
5.31am - Morgan pulls Christian for another boundary, this time in front of midwicket, before the batting powerplay is forced at the end of the 35th over. Morgan soon smites Faulkner for six over extra-cover to raise the 150.
5.15am - Ravi Bopara opens his account off Christian as the tourists move to 124 for four from 30 overs. In the seamer’s next over Morgan pulls him behind square for four.
Clouds starting to roll over the SCG...there's 30% chance of rain depending on which website you look at! #AusvEng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
5.07am - WICKET! Ballance c Christian b Coulter-Nile 26; Eng 121/4 - Ballance cuts uppishly and picks out Dan Christian, who bowled the previous over, at deep point.
5.01am - Doherty completes fine figures of 10-2-28-1. England must score more heavily off the other bowlers.
4.53am - Pattinson and Doherty keep England in check as the tourists reach 97 for three from half their overs. Ballance takes the score to three figures by cutting Pattinson to the rope before Eoin Morgan pulls a free-hit for four to end the over.
4.43am - WICKET! Stokes c Clarke b Doherty 15; Eng 91/3 - Michael Clarke clings on to a stunning catch at backward square-leg. Stokes swept and the fielder stuck out his right hand to pluck the ball just above the ground in a wicket-maiden.
4.40am - REVIEW! - Maxwell strikes Stokes, who has 14 to his name, on the front pad. The left-hander, who got a big stride in, successfully reviews with the ball going over the stumps.
4.37am - Ballance breaks the shackles by lifting Doherty down the ground for four, the first boundary in nine overs.
4.25am - Doherty puts pressure on new man Gary Ballance with the day’s first maiden. Maxwell then turns one sharply past the outside edge of Stokes, who is struggling to score. Ballance gets going from his 10th delivery with a single to midwicket off Doherty.
4.16am - WICKET! Bell run out 29 (Warner); Eng 70/2 - After two quiet overs, Bell comes back for a second off Doherty and David Warner, running in from the rope, removes the opening batsman with a direct hit. Keeper Brad Haddin did well to leave the ball.
4.03am - A tight Pattinson over sees the compulsory powerplay yield 53. It’s then spin at both ends in Doherty and Maxwell. Bell top-edges a reverse-sweep safely for four off the latter.
Stokes is wearing a black armband in memory of his Uncle, who recently passed away. #AusvEng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
3.56am - WICKET! Cook c Maxwell b Coulter-Nile 35; Eng 50/1 - Bell is dropped on 14 by Aaron Finch at short point but later in the over, with England’s fifty up, Cook drives off the back foot to cover where Glenn Maxwell takes a good low catch to his right. Ben Stokes is the new man.
3.51am - REVIEW! - After a tight over from Coulter-Nile, spinner Xavier Doherty is introduced and Cook flicks and pulls his first two deliveries for four. Next up Cook is given out for 35 on the back foot but he successfully reviews with the ball bouncing over off stump.
3.41am - CHANCE! - Bell flicks Pattinson just past Coulter-Nile at short fine-leg for four, the ball bouncing just the the fielder’s left for a tough chance. Bell top-edges the next delivery high but safely over the wicketkeeper for four.
3.34am - Cook makes a flying start with square-driven fours from the first two balls of Pattinson’s second over, the first one aerial. He then emphatically pulls Nathan Coulter-Nile, who has replaced Faulkner, for six.
3.28am - James Pattinson starts with an over costing three runs, all of which go to Cook. The captain and Ian Bell on-drive fours off Faulkner in the next.
3.20am - We are under way with James Faulkner, Australia’s hero at Brisbane on Friday, bowling to Alastair Cook, who edges the sole run of the over to third man.
Pre-Play News
3.14am - While waiting for the action to start in a few minutes, why not read England batting coach Graham Thorpe’s reflections on Friday’s extraordinary ODI in Brisbane?
3.06am - England have passed Morgan fit and have gone with an extra bowler than in the first two games. Bailey is absent for Australia through injury. It’s a fine day in Sydney and the pitch looks good.
Cook: "We did a lot of things right and we have to continue that form with the bat..."#AusvEngpic.twitter.com/6KwUpuaYoe
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
2.52am - ENGLAND WIN THE TOSS & BAT! - Alastair Cook makes it three correct calls from three in this series and for a third time opts to bat first. Cook announces two changes with Broad and James Tredwell replacing Joe Root and Boyd Rankin. Australia show three alterations: James Pattinson, Xavier Doherty and Dan Christian are in for Clint McKay, George Bailey and Mitchell Johnson.
Eng team: Cook (c), Bell, Ballance, Morgan, Bopara, Buttler, Stokes, Bresnan, Broad, Jordan, Tredwell
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
Cook heads up the steps to get the team list...news from the coin toss coming shortly #AusvEngpic.twitter.com/erjyZRkV7K
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
2.40am - The toss is coming up in 10 minutes. England are expected to welcome back Stuart Broad, who was rested for the first two games. They will make a call on the fitness of Eoin Morgan, who suffered a calf problem in Friday’s match at Brisbane.
England are out at the SCG warming up. @josbuttler in good spirits and form after his 49 at the Gabba #ausvengpic.twitter.com/m0A4wcgsrJ
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
2.30am - Hello and welcome to ecb.co.uk’s live text commentary on the third one-day international between Australia and England, which is taking place in Sydney. The tourists, 2-0 down, must avoid defeat to keep the series alive.
Well I can reveal it is the legend @BumbleCricket - incredible scenes #AusvEngpic.twitter.com/b6x59sO5SI
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014
Just walked into the media area at the SCG....guess who...?! #ausvengpic.twitter.com/UGh3KsuYti
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 19, 2014