The Buttler did it! Australia stunned by England keeper's incredible innings

Jos Buttler cracked 100 not out from 83 balls as the tourists reached 302 for six in the third ODI

^{England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler celebrates reaching his hundred against Australia, left}

Jos Buttler dazzled as England turned a precarious position into a platform for victory at the SCG.

Buttler’s sensational hundred, made from 83 balls, helped the tourists post 302 for six on a sluggish surface in Sydney.

Should Eoin Morgan’s bowlers display the same form they showed in both Melbourne and Brisbane, a series win will be achieved at the first possible opportunity.

The wicketkeeper’s half-century was the third slowest of his one-day international career but he accelerated magnificently at the death, supported by another impressive cameo from Chris Woakes, to take England to a total which, with 15 overs remaining, seemed totally out of reach.

Australia, with a bowling unit restored to full strength by the return of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, were terrific in the field despite three dropped catches, vindicating captain Steve Smith’s decision to insert their guests upon winning the toss.

^{Buttler made 100 not out from 83 balls at the SCG}

The seamers applied intelligence and variation to trouble most of England’s top order, and Jason Roy, Alex Hales and Joe Root were all dismissed for modest individual scores.

But you can’t compensate for brilliance and, on this occasion, Buttler provided just that.

Australia, having trailed England by such a distance in the opening two matches, changed both tack and their attack in an effort to claw a way back into the series.

Back came strike bowlers Hazlewood and Cummins, as well as leg-spinner Adam Zampa, while Smith opting to field must have been at least in part influenced by how comfortably England had chased down targets in Melbourne and Brisbane.

In their five previous innings at the same ground, Australia had made 353 for six, 324 for eight, 330 for seven, 328 for seven and 376 for nine, each batting first. It was a compliment to England that the hosts turned down the chance to make first use of the wicket.

Fortunately for Smith, his bowlers stepped up.

Roy, all-action at the crease once again, lasted eight-and-a-half overs before slapping Cummins to Aaron Finch at cover, while Hales looked frustrated on a slightly two-paced strip during his eight-ball stay.

^{Australia's bowlers were impressive for much of the innings but conceded 302 runs}

Marcus Stoinis got rid of the Nottinghamshire batsman, caught at mid-on by Zampa from a totally miscued drive, as England dragged themselves to 47 for two from the opening powerplay.

Root, playing in his 100th ODI, began to rebuild with Bairstow but the visitors’ free-scoring inclinations were being tempered by a combination of a tricky SCG track, impressive discipline from the Aussie bowlers and excellent ground fielding - epitomised by Cummins steaming round the boundary’s edge to save four runs in the space of two overs mid-spell.

Bairstow was removed by Zampa, bowled by a wrong’un which turned back between bat and pad as the England opener tried to follow a glorious, lofted off-drive with an identical shot the following delivery, and Root was the latest victim of the drag-on, chopping a quick off-cutter from Hazlewood onto his stumps for 27.

It was the first time the Test skipper had been dismissed in the series.

Australia, for the first time in the series, looked competitive.

England looked fragile.

Morgan tried to steady the ship.

^{Chris Woakes contributed a half-century at the death}

The captain, who passed Paul Collingwood into second place on England’s all-time ODI runscorers list and became the most prolific runmaker in games between England and Australia during his innings, mixed grace and power to good effect.

The captain reverse swept his sixth ball, from Zampa, to the backward point boundary to four and cracked a giant six over deep square leg off Stoinis as he settled at the wicket.

A half-century stand for the fifth wicket with Buttler gave England some brief hope of posting a total approaching 300, but when Morgan tickled Hazlewood to Tim Paine as he attempted to guide the ball to third man the tourists had to start again.

Another haphazard Moeen Ali knock, which included a bizarre dropped catch by Cameron White at cover, ended with the allrounder dragging on as he attempted a short-arm pull to a ball which could almost be classified as ‘pitched up’, but Buttler did find much-needed support from Chris Woakes.

The Warwickshire allrounder’s hitting took the game away from Australia at the Gabba two days earlier and here, while more contained, his role was just as important.

But it was Buttler who stole the show.

A straight six into the stand over mid-off was imperious. Two overs later, Cummins  - who had gone for 19 runs in six overs, was dispatched for two maximums and a boundary in the space of four balls. The Aussie quick’s spell eventually cost 67.

Woakes cracked Starc over backward square leg for six to bring up his 50 before he and Buttler scampered through for two off the final delivery of the innings to take the keeper to three figures.

Blink and miss it stuff. Australia looked stunned.