"Yes, it's a depleted Australian bowling attack, we can accept that, but I think we saw something pretty special today."
Wednesday 20 June 2018 16:06, UK
Ricky Ponting says England produced a "batting masterclass" as they plundered a world-record ODI total against Australia at Trent Bridge.
Centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales helped England to post 481-6 on their way to a 242-run victory in the third ODI, sealing the five-match series at the earliest opportunity.
The mammoth total topped the previous record of 444, made by England against Pakistan two years ago, also in Nottingham, by some 37 runs and Ponting was effusive in his praise of Eoin Morgan's side.
"As good as the wicket was, to score 481, we saw a batting masterclass there from Bairstow, Roy and Hales," the former Australia captain told Sky Sports Cricket.
"Eoin Morgan gets the fastest one-day international fifty for England. It was special batting. Yes, it's a depleted Australian bowling attack, we can accept that, but I think we saw something pretty special today.
"It just looks like Bairstow's bat is about two foot wide at the moment, he's just not missing the middle of the bat and he's making it look very, very easy.
"Alex Hales comes in on the back of an outstanding opening partnership and was able to play with unbelievable freedom because his team is never going to get into any trouble."
As much credit as Ponting gave the England batsman, he also questioned why it took the Australian bowlers until the closing stages of the innings to adapt their plans.
"We didn't get anywhere near this being a close game today but maybe the Australian bowlers could have adjusted a bit earlier, maybe they could have bowled more slower balls early on, tried the around the wicket option earlier on," he said.
"Even looking back to the first six or seven overs of the Australian bowling innings, they had two slips in place for quite a while. It was evident after the first over that the ball wasn't going to move.
"Sometimes you've just got to accept what you've got and be ultra-defensive from the start, put a few more fielders in front of the batsman's face and see if you can create a bit of pressure that way. Play on the batsman's ego to a certain degree and make him hit it through five guys on the offside."
Watch the fourth ODI between England and Australia from 1.30pm, Thursday on Sky Sports Cricket.
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