Australia’s top-order batters crashed spectacularly as England romped to a record 135-run win to level their one-day international series 1-1.
England opener Tom Banton clubbed a 121 from 99 balls as the tourists posted 6-355 – their highest ODI total in Australia – after being sent in at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
The hosts were bowled out for 220 in 44.3 overs as England achieved their biggest winning runs margin in an ODI in Australia.
Australia’s run chase started horribly with three batsmen – Travis Head (seven), Cooper Connolly (duck) and captain Mitchell Marsh (two) – caught at slip in a six-ball span.
The rapid-fire dismissals left the hosts reeling at 3-13 after 3.2 overs as England set course to level the series ahead of Wednesday’s decider in Hobart.
It could have been worse for the Australians, who were 4-29 before England dropped two regulation catching chances from the bats of Matthew Renshaw, on 27, and Cameron Green, on seven.
The reprieves allowed Renshaw (63 from 74 balls) and Green to pause the rot with a 98-run partnership.
Green top-scored with 64 from 82 balls but the early damage inflicted chiefly by England paceman Gus Atkinson, who snared 3-22 from his initial seven overs, was irreparable.
Atkinson finished with 4-28 from 10 overs, his best ODI figures, and Sam Curran (2-38) and spinner Liam Dawson (2-41) also claimed multiple wickets.
Earlier, English batsmen Banton, Jordan Cox (67 from 49 balls), Joe Root (62 from 68) and Will Jacks (54 not out from 40) dominated.
Banton and Root took control with a 137-run partnership from 136 balls for the second wicket, taking England to a powerful position of 1-156 in the 28th over.
Somerset batter Banton, 28, reached his second ODI ton from 86 balls before Cox and Jacks combined for a 102-run stand in less than 12 overs as England accelerated to their imposing total.
Paceman Xavier Bartlett (3-72 from 10 overs) was the only Australian to take multiple wickets before a crowd of 31,412, the fifth-highest ODI attendance at Adelaide Oval.
Australia rested paceman Mahli Beardman, two days after his stunning one-day international debut of 6-24 in a seven-wicket win in Perth.
Beardman was replaced by Riley Meredith, who was punished in taking 1-75 from 10 overs.
Bartlett, Meredith, Spencer Johnson (1-61 from eight overs) and Jack Edwards (0-73 from nine) all conceded more than seven runs per over.
