A superb maiden ODI century by new captain Harry Brook led England to a dominant, rain-shortened DLS victory over Australia on Tuesday to keep the five-match series alive with two to play.

Australia, seeking a 15th successive ODI win, overcame difficult early conditions to post 304, with Steve Smith hitting a patient 60 and Aaron Hardie (44) and Alex Carey (77 not out) cutting loose in the final 10 overs.

After losing both openers early, Brook and Will Jacks built an excellent partnership of 156 to swing the game England’s way.

After Jacks went for 84, Liam Livingstone smashed a quick unbeaten 33 as Brook moved serenely on to 110 but, on 254-4 with 51 needed from 74 balls, the rain began and England was eventually awarded a 46-run victory under a DLS calculation that had produced a revised target of 209 after their 37.4 overs.

It was a day of ebb and flow under changing conditions in the air and on the pitch.

In the absence of the in-form but unfit opener Travis Head and on a damp afternoon and a sticky pitch, Australia took a relatively cautious approach to their innings.

Smith started particularly patiently but was just starting to accelerate when he was brilliantly caught in the deep by a running, diving Brydon Carse off Jofra Archer for 60 to leave his team on 172-5 after 35 overs.

Cameron Green hit 42 and the ever-dangerous Glenn Maxwell fell for a rapid 30 just as he was warming up after Marnus Labuschagne was out for a duck trying to ramp spinner Jacks off his third ball.

The tourists were 200-5 after 40 overs but Carey batted nicely and then put on a rapid 68 with Hardie in 7.1 overs before the latter was run out for 44 off 26 balls. Carey finished unbeaten on 77 – three more than his top-score innings in last week’s second match.

It looked a challenging total for an England team whose batting has been patchy, to say the least, and all the more so when they lost both openers cheaply in the same Mitchell Starc over to slip to 11 for two.

Brook, however, played a true captain’s innings, ably supported by Jacks, steadying the ship but also keeping the rate high with boundaries all over the pitch as Australia badly missed the control of ill absentee spinner Adam Zampa.

Livingstone’s fireworks made sure England were well ahead of the DLS rate and they now head to Lord’s on Friday in a far more positive state of mind after two previous limp defeats.

“Myself and Will just tried to build a partnership and create that platform,” Brook said. I thought the pitch got better towards the end of Australia’s innings. It was then a simple message of go out there and play your own game.”

“We just have to keep doing what we said we are going to do (at Lord’s) and keep being positive, take the game to them and put them under pressure. That should stand us in good stead.”

Australia captain Mitch Marsh said: “After our start, I thought 250 would be awesome so I thought we did extremely well to get the 300 with the conditions early on — it was hard work.

“They got a real partnership going, and in one-day cricket, with a big partnership you can set the game up for yourself, so fair play to them.”

Lahore: The Pakistan cricket selectors on Tuesday announced a 15-player squad on Tuesday for the first Test against England, set to take place in Multan from 7-11 October.

Following the squad announcement and based on the recommendation of head coach Jason Gillespie, the selected players have been withdrawn from the Champions One-Day Cup playoffs to allow them some rest ahead of the series. The squad will assemble in Multan on Monday, 30 September, with the training camp commencing on 1 October.

Squad (for 1st Test): Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who has taken 47 wickets in 15 Tests, has replaced fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, who is injured.

Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh Tests, remain firmly in the selectors’ plans.

However, due to the selection policy’s emphasis on consistency and continuity, and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test, they have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions One-Day Cup and the President’s Cup, starting on 3 October, to ensure they stay match-ready through competitive cricket.

Pakistan men’s red-ball head coach, Jason Gillespie, said: “With a busy domestic and international cricket schedule, it makes sense to give our players some much-needed rest ahead of the Test series against England.

“We are very much looking forward to the series against England here in Pakistan and cannot wait for it to begin. We are excited about playing in front of our wonderful supporters.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-player squad on Tuesday for the first Test against England, set to take place in Multan from October 7-11.

Following the squad announcement and based on the recommendation of head coach Jason Gillespie, the selected players have been withdrawn from the Champions One-Day Cup playoffs to allow them some rest ahead of the series.

The squad will assemble in Multan on Monday, September 30, with the training camp commencing on October 1.

Squad (for 1st Test):

Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who has taken 47 wickets in 15 Tests, has replaced fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, who is injured.

Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh Tests, remain firmly in the selectors’ plans. However, due to the selection policy’s emphasis on consistency and continuity, and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test, they have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions One-Day Cup and the President’s Cup, starting on 3 October, to ensure they stay match-ready through competitive cricket.

Pakistan men’s red-ball head coach, Jason Gillespie said: “With a busy domestic and international cricket schedule, it makes sense to give our players some much-needed rest ahead of the Test series against England.

“We are very much looking forward to the series against England here in Pakistan and cannot wait for it to begin. We are excited about playing in front of our wonderful supporters.”

In some heartbreaking news for Inter Miami fans, the Major League Soccer (MLS) club’s Argentine star Lionel Messi has already decided to leave, not only the club but also the country.

According to the Mirror UK, the 37-year-old Argentine football legend has played a crucial role in Inter Miami’s success since he linked up with former footballer and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, back in July 2023.

The addition of the eight-time Ballon d’Or award winner proved to be a significant victory for the MLS and reshaped Inter Miami’s record in the league, reversing its prior struggles in the Eastern Conference.

However, it is believed that it may be time for Messi to leave Miami upon his contract’s conclusion in December 2025 with an aims to return to his roots in Argentina.

This means that the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star is left with only one more full season in the MLS.

According to reports from El Nacional, he is said to be eyeing a switch back to Newell’s Old Boys, where Messi spent his formative years, from 1995 to 2000.

Although he expressed a heartfelt desire to return home and play for Newell’s Old Boys in 2016, Messi was slightly unsure of heading back home when he spoke on the matter at a later date. 

Speaking to TyC Sports, he said: “My dream is to play at Newell’s but I don’t know what will happen, and a part of that doubt is due to the way the country is at the moment.

“I have a family and my children come first, and then me, I want them to grow up in a calm place, being able to enjoy life with security. It is very ugly to see the things that happen in Argentina, that you can go out on the street and people want to rob you and that they can kill you.”

Last weekend, Messi joined his Inter Miami teammates on the field after returning from a Copa America final ankle injury and scored twice within 30 minutes against Philadelphia Union.

His latest goals boosted his season stats to an impressive 14 goals and as many assists in the MLS.

Currently, Miami stands only a few weeks away from potentially clinching the Supporter’s Shield. If they do so, it will be Messi’s second trophy with the team, following their Leagues Cup victory last year.