England's ODI-record total of 444 continues our Christmas countdown
Wednesday 21 December 2016 08:08, UK
All the fours! Our Christmas countdown continues with Alex Hales and Jos Buttler firing England to the highest-ever ODI total - 444 – on a memorable day at Trent Bridge.
Leading the series against Pakistan 2-0, England wrapped up victory in the series in spectacular style as they beat the previous ODI record total of 443-9, set by Sri Lanka against the Netherlands in 2006.
After a steady start, Hales and Joe Root began to up the ante with Hales, in particular, finding the boundary with ever-increasing regularity. The England opener went to his century from 83 balls before accelerating again.
He eventually fell for an England ODI record score of 171, having hit 22 fours and four maximums, with Root gone for 85 in the next over.
At that stage, England were 283-3 with 12 overs remaining. And for those 12 overs the Nottingham crowd were treated to an immense display of power-hitting from Buttler and Eoin Morgan.
The pair put on 163, Buttler ending unbeaten on 90 - hitting seven fours and seven sixes - having reached his 50 in just 22 balls, another England record, and Morgan 57 not out from 27 deliveries.
England looked set not only to break the record but decimate it, at one point but after just two runs from the first five balls of the final over, Buttler was left needing a boundary from the last to give England the record. He duly delivered, smearing the ball over extra cover for - rather handily for this Christmas list - four.
Enjoy a cracking Christmas with Sky Sports as we bring you continued live coverage of South Africa's Test series against Sri Lanka and the ODIs between New Zealand and Bangladesh with the white-ball leg of England's tour to India to follow in January.
