England thump Australia to claim series

England smashed a new world record one-day score, then crushed Australia's batters to claim the third ODI at Trent Bridge by 242 runs, and with it, the series.

It handed Australia a record of their own – their heaviest ever defeat by runs in an ODI, surpassing the 206-run margin against New Zealand in 1986.

Australia captain Tim Paine had called correctly at the toss for the third time in succession, and opted to bowl under overcast Nottingham skies.

Led by centuries to Jonny Bairstow (139) and Alex Hales (147), and finding impressive support in Jason Roy (82) and Eoin Morgan (67), England hit 41 fours and a whopping 21 sixes as they piled up 6-481.

That was 37 runs more than the previous world record – the 3-444 England had hit at this same venue in 2016 against Pakistan. Their score today was the second-highest 50-over total in the game's history.

Andrew Tye was Australia's most expensive bowler, going for 100 runs from nine overs, and the tourists' inexperienced attack could only take solace in the most trivial details: Ashton Agar was the most economical, giving up 70 from his 10 overs, while Jhye Richardson's two consecutive wickets in his final over kept his figures to 2-93 and helped prevent England reaching 500.

England's captain Eoin Morgan hit a 21-ball fifty, the fastest in ODIs for England, and also passed Ian Bell to be the country's all-time leading run-scorer in the format.

England reached 300 in the 34th over, and 400 in the 43rd. They had passed the previous world record mark when Hales launched the innings' 21st six into the Fox Road Stand with more than three overs to go.

A whopping 26 Australian overs went for double-figure runs on another dark day for the five-time world champions.

The tourists used eight bowlers before the halfway mark of the innings and all of them came in for heavy abuse. Only Head, a handy spinner himself, Marsh and wicketkeeper Paine didn't roll the arm over.

Australia's front-line attack was their least experienced since the very early days of one-day cricket, with Tye (seven games), Ashton Agar (seven), Jhye Richardson (three) and Billy Stanlake (four) combining for just 21 matches.

Stanlake had come back into the XI for Kane Richardson who, with 17 ODIs to his name, is the most experienced bowler on this Qantas Tour of the UK, but was left sidelined having played in the first two matches.

Trent Bridge carries some demons for Australia. Their last visit saw the Test team bowled out for 60 to surrender the Ashes, with then skipper Michael Clarke announcing his retirement. They next visit this venue in less than 12 months' time to face the West Indies in their second World Cup match.

On a pitch that was flat, true and perfect upon which to bat, Australia started brightly enough in reply, and were ahead of England's comparative pace at the 10-over mark.

Yet they couldn't maintain the pressure, and wickets soon started tumbling with alarmingly familiar regularity as England's spinners rattled through the Aussie line-up.

D'Arcy Short's troubled start to his ODI career hit another hurdle when he chipped David Willey to mid-on for 15.

Travis Head hit a half-century, but then spooned a dolly back to Moeen Ali for a simple caught and bowled for 51.

Shaun Marsh struck a mighty six but was caught on the fence attempting another and exited on 24 to give Moeen a second.

Aaron Finch crashed two monster sixes but was bowled by Adil Rashid attempting another big shot on 20.

Marcus Stoinis had looked well poised but was run out when called back for a second by Glenn Maxwell. He exited on 44, caught short of his ground by a bullet throw from Bairstow and sharp glovework by Jos Buttler.

Paine was served up a long-hop from Rashid but managed to pick out one man in the deep in the leg side and departed for five.

Maxwell played an audacious scoop shot for six off David Willey that sailed over the 'keeper's head and smashed another back over the bowler's head only for Liam Plunkett to perfectly time a leap on the fence and reel in a catch.

The Victorian exited for 19 from as many balls and the Australians were seven down and still 287 short of England.

Agar's batting has been a bright spot on this tour after two scores in the 40s and he looked good at the crease again here in an impossible situation. He struck one huge six over the long-on fence but was a second caught-and-bowled dismissal, giving Rashid a third wicket.

The tailenders went down swinging, Richardson and Stanlake both stumped to give Moeen and Rashid a third and fourth wicket respectively. England's spin twins now have 16 wickets between them in three games.

Qantas tours of the UK and Zimbabwe

ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Mark Wood

T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Qantas Tour of the UK

June 7: Australia beat Sussex by 57 runs at Hove

June 9: Australia beat Middlesex by 101 runs at Lord's

June 13: England won by three wickets at The Oval

June 16: England won by 38 runs in Cardiff

June 19: England won by 242 runs at Trent Bridge

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 8: Final