Cummins and Hazlewood blitz England... but Woakes keeps whitewash hopes alive

The tourists were reduced to eight for five but recovered to post 196, thanks to another excellent knock by their allrounder

^{Pat Cummins blitzed England's top order on Friday}

England are eight for five, Australia have three slips and a gully, it’s not looking like the tourists’ day.

Jason Roy, record 180 still fresh in the mind, looked to score from the off (as he does) but only succeeded in flashing Josh Hazlewood’s second ball to Steve Smith at point.

Hales, the next man in, was soon on a return trip to the dressing room as Pat Cummins got in on the act, getting one to nip back in to the right-hander, capping his pads and deflecting on to his off stick.

Hazlewood’s second brought England’s second duck of the piece as Jonny Bairstow was enticed into the drive and edged through to Tim Paine with the gloves. England three down for not very many.

Cummins continued the procession with a bouncer that had Joe Root producing an ugly pull to Hazlewood in the deep. Another duck, England 6 for 4.

While Roy, Bairstow and Root might want might look back on their shot selection and grimace, Jos Buttler would join Hales in the ‘couldn’t do much about that’ department. Hazlewood made it three in his opening spell with a delivery on a perfect length, just enough seam movement to find the edge, and Buttler was gone for a duck.

^{Chris Woakes staged a recovery}

It is Australia Day, in Australia… and for the first time in this series, it looks to be just that.

Steve Smith had won the toss in Adelaide, opting to bowl first as the hosts sought to put a stop to England’s irresistible charge towards a series whitewash - something England have never achieved in ODIs on Australian ground.

‘Hopefully we can get some early wickets’ said the skipper, but surely he could not have fathomed the sublime assault Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins produced as England’s top order disintegrated at the Adelaide Oval.

As statisticians scrambled to research lowest ODI totals and most number of ducks in an innings, the captain Eoin Morgan and Moeen began to rebuild for England. By the time Morgan fell the pair had added 51. 

From there it was the Chris Woakes show. The allrounder attacked Australia with a combination of sublime off drives and leg-side bombs.

Moeen and Tom Curran were able companions along the way as the Warwickshire man (78) dragged England to something of a total.

Curran was the last man out (35) as Australia finally bundled England out for 196, with 5.1 overs unused.

England’s bowlers have their work cut out if they are to keep the whitewash alive.

^{Josh Hazlewood was among the wickets}