Eng v Pak 3rd ODI: Record-breaking England seal series

England score 444 runs -- highest ever ODI -- before dismissing Pakistan for 275

Alex Hales scored highest ODI score ever for England. (AP)

 

 

NOTTINGHAM: England smashed a world record-breaking 444-3 in an emphatic 169-run victory over Pakistan on Tuesday, taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match one-day international series.

Opening batsman Alex Hales hit England's highest individual ODI score with 171 and Jos Buttler (90 not out) notched England's fastest ODI half century off only 22 balls.

Joe Root (85) and captain Eoin Morgan (57 not out) also joined England's run rampage at Trent Bridge against some sloppy Pakistan bowling and fielding, with Wahab Riaz (0-110) going for the second worst ever bowling figures in a limited-overs international.

Pakistan's run chase was soon in trouble, with Chris Woakes (4-41) mopping up the top order.

No. 11 batsman Mohammad Amir made a rapid 58 off 28 balls and opening batsman Sharjeel Khan also scored 58 to give the total some respectability before Pakistan was bowled out for 275 in 42.4 overs.

"What a monumental knock from Alex Hales on his home ground, our innings was based around that, not to undermine Joe Root's part in that," Morgan said.

"The records are hugely important, we are not just a side that likes batting second. We showed lot of skill while batting with the ball spinning and reverse swinging a bit," the skipper added.

Earlier, Hales struck 22 fours and four sixes in a 122-ball blitz at his home ground, beating Robin Smith's 23-year-old England record of an unbeaten 167 against Australia.

Together with Root, Hales added 248 runs off 190 balls as England bettered the previous ODI world record of 443-9, set by Sri Lanka against the Netherlands in 2006, when Buttler hit a four off the last ball.

Buttler and Morgan caned 161 runs off 72 balls in a fourth-wicket carnage, hitting a dozen sixes and 10 fours between them with a remarkable display of clean hitting.

None of the Pakistan seamers or their premier spinner Yasir Shah (0-48 off six overs) were spared by England's batsmen after Morgan won the toss and opted to bat first on an ideal batting surface.

Hales showed plenty of aggression but, having completed his half century off 55 deliveries, he got a reprieve when he was caught off Riaz's no-ball on 72. Captain Azhar Ali dropped Hales on 114 at short cover and the Nottinghamshire opener continued to dominate Pakistan's listless bowling.

"Exceptional innings from Alex Hales and Jos Buttler," Azhar said. "Our fielding, on a wicket like this, it needs to support the bowlers and that didn't happen. It's hard to control the flow of runs on a wicket like this if you don't pick up wickets."

Hales raised his century off 83 balls and then needed another 27 deliveries to reach 150.

He then eclipsed Smith's record by pulling Hasan Ali (2-74) to midwicket fence before getting trapped leg before wicket off the very next delivery.

Root departed after scoring his third successive half century in the next over when he tried to cut left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz and was caught behind.

Buttler and Morgan then shredded Pakistan's bowling in the last dozen overs.

The tourists never looked like coming close to England's monumental total, with Woakes continuing his brilliant run of test form.

Sharjeel showed some flashes as he hit 12 fours in his half century that included four successive boundaries in Mark Wood's one over - before holing out in the deep off Woakes.

Pakistan was in danger of facing its heaviest ever defeat in an ODI when it reeled at 199-9 in the 36th over.

But Amir bludgeoned five fours and four towering sixes in his half century and shared the highest partnership of the innings by contributing 76 runs with Yasir Shah (26 not out). However, Woakes returned and wrapped up the innings by having Amir caught off his own bowling.

BRIEF SCORES

England: 444 for 3 (Alex Hales 171, Jos Buttler 90 not out, Joe Root 85, Eoin Morgan 57 not out) beat Pakistan: 275 (Sharjeel Khan 58, Mohammad Amir 58, Chris Woakes 4 for 41) by 169 runs.