Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid delivered commanding performances in their return to the England squad, helping secure a decisive 92-run victory over Western Australia in a warm-up match in Perth. Archer, who had been rested during the ODI tri-series in Pakistan, claimed 3-34 from his eight overs, while Rashid, who was largely overlooked in favor of Liam Dawson on the previous tour, struck with 4-35 from 7.3 overs. Their combined effort bowled out the hosts for just 159, effectively ending the match before the final overs were bowled.
England’s pace and spin duo dominate Western Australia as Brook’s side prepares for ODI clash
Despite the bowling dominance, England’s batting lineup struggled to convert their strong start into a massive total, settling for 251. Ben Duckett was the standout performer, top-scoring with 59 and continuing his impressive form following back-to-back centuries in the recent tri-series. Captain Harry Brook, who won the toss, managed 27 but joined a list of top-order batters who failed to accelerate the innings. The match took a turn for the worse for the tourists when Sam Curran was dismissed for 12 in the 29th over, leaving England in a precarious position at 150-6 before they stabilized.
This warm-up victory serves as a crucial confidence booster for England as they prepare to face Australia in the first of three ODIs on Friday. The strong returns from Archer and Rashid signal a balanced attack for the upcoming series, which will be followed by a five-match T20I contest. With the pace and spin duo firing on all cylinders, England enters the series with renewed momentum, though they will need to sharpen their batting consistency to challenge the Australian hosts effectively.
Source: Sky Sports
