Banton was hit on the helmet and made 121, and England have beaten Australia by 135 to force a decider in Hobart
Gus Atkinson took 4 for 28 as Australia slid to 13 for 3 chasing 356, and the three-match series goes to Bellerive Oval on Wednesday level at 1-1.
Nov 15, 2026
Spencer Johnson hit Tom Banton on the helmet in the sixth over at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, 15 November. Australia thought they had found a weakness. Banton took two fours and a six off his next three short balls, went on to 121 off 99, and England beat Australia by 135 runs to level the three-match ODI series at 1-1.
England made 355 for 6, their highest ODI total in Australia and the first time Australia have conceded 350 in an ODI at home. Gus Atkinson then took 4 for 28, his best ODI figures, and Australia were all out for 220 in the 45th over.
Four batters past 50
Australia chose to bowl, and Xavier Bartlett kept Ben Duckett quiet before he cut to point for 9. After that Banton and Joe Root put on 137 for the second wicket. Root made 62 off 68 in his 201st ODI before he top-edged Cooper Connolly to the substitute fielder, Liam Scott, and Harry Brook ramped Riley Meredith onto his own stumps for 5.
Banton reached his second ODI hundred in 86 balls, punching Adam Zampa through long-off. All four of his sixes went over the leg side, the last two off back-to-back Bartlett bouncers. Bartlett had him straight after that, Cameron Green diving to hold the catch at deep midwicket.
Jordan Cox made 67 off 49 and added 102 with Will Jacks, who finished on 54 not out off 40. Atkinson hit two sixes in a four-ball 13 at the end. Bartlett finished with 3 for 72, and every Australian bowler who sent down more than three overs went for at least six an over.
13 for 3, then 29 for 4
Australia’s reply fell apart inside four overs. Travis Head, Connolly and Mitchell Marsh went with the score on 13, all caught by slip fielders, Root taking a leaping catch high to his left to get rid of Marsh. Sonny Baker, given the new ball ahead of Jofra Archer, took Marsh’s wicket and Atkinson the other two. When Atkinson had Josh Inglis caught behind on review, it was 29 for 4.
England dropped three catches along the way, Root shelling Inglis before Atkinson got him, and Green on 7 and Matt Renshaw on 27 were both let off. The two of them made England pay for a while with a fifth-wicket stand of 98. Renshaw missed a reverse-sweep against Liam Dawson and was lbw for 63. Green made 64 before Cox stumped him off Dawson. Sam Curran took two wickets in two balls, and Archer bowled Spencer Johnson for 14 to finish it with 5.3 overs left.
Two days earlier in Perth, England were bowled out for 131. This looked like a different side, though Australia were also without Mahli Beardman, who took 6 for 24 on debut in that game and was rested here as a precaution.
Decider in Hobart
The third ODI is at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Wednesday, 18 November. Brook will want runs there. England’s captain has made single figures in both games so far.