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Head, Warner help Aussies to one-day whitewash

David Warner and Travis Head put on a 269-run opening partnership against England at the MCG.

David Warner and Travis Head put on a 269-run opening partnership against England at the MCG. Photo: AAP

Travis Head and David Warner powered Australia to a record 221-run smashing of England, securing a 3-0 one-day whitewash of the dual white-ball world champions.

Australia’s prolific pair added 269 for the opening wicket, the second-highest partnership in the nation’s one-day history, as they smashed a tired and sorry England in front of just 10,406 fans at the MCG on Tuesday.

The winning margin in the third and final game was Australia’s biggest over England in one-day clashes, eclipsing the mark set in the second tri-series final of 1999.

Warner and Head’s centuries helped Australia post 5-355 – the highest one-day total at the MCG – after England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and elected to field.

Travis Head hits out on his way to 152 from 130 balls against England at the MCG. Photo: Getty

Head hit 152 from 130 balls to bring up his third ODI ton and highest score in the format, making England pay for dropping him when he was on just four.

The South Australian left-hander also successfully reviewed an LBW decision after being given out in the third over.

Warner finally ended an international century drought spanning 1040 days, dating back to January 2020, blasting 106 for his 19th ODI hundred.

The pair, who only reunited at the top of the order for this series after Aaron Finch’s one-day retirement last month, fell 15 runs short of breaking their own record for Australia’s highest ODI partnership.

Warner and Head put on 284 together as Australia smashed Pakistan at Adelaide Oval in January 2017.

In just 13 innings, Warner and Head have scored 1106 runs as an ODI partnership at an average of 85.07.

Their form is excellent news for Australia as it prepares for the 50-over World Cup in India next year.

Two rain delays during Australia’s innings reduced the game to 48 overs per-side, with England’s target lifted to 364.

England’s run chase was as lacklustre as its efforts in the field as it was all out for 142 in the 32nd over.

Opener Jason Roy top-scored with 38 and had little support as England seemed more focused on the side’s 6am flight home on Wednesday.

Fast bowler Olly Stone, who was playing in just his sixth ODI, was comfortably the pick of England’s bowlers with figures of 4-85.

Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa finished with 4-31 to finish the series with 11 wickets.

Auystralian opener David Warner leaps in the air to celebrate his century against England. Photo: Getty

Australia entered the match with an unassailable 2-0 lead after comfortably winning games in Adelaide and Sydney last week.

It was a dire way for England to end its time in Australia, with the loss coming just nine days after Buttler held the T20 World Cup trophy aloft at the MCG in front of a crowd of 80,462.

Opening batter Phil Salt was subbed out of the game with concussion for England after an attempt to save a boundary went wrong and he was replaced by allrounder Moeen Ali.

After resting from Saturday’s game, Pat Cummins (2-25) returned to captain Australia following fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood’s surprise elevation to skipper for that match.

“Good to finish it off here with just about the best ODI I’ve ever been part of,” Cummins said.

“The opening partnership, they (Warner and Head) came off and said the wicket was a bit tricky, we didn’t believe them, but it was a really tricky wicket out there.”

Fast bowler Mitchell Starc stayed home to rest in Sydney ahead of a busy Test summer as allrounder Sean Abbott (2-45) made his first appearance of the series.

-AAP

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