England vs Australia 4th ODI Live Score Updates

The players are warming up on the field now. So how do these 43 overs pan out? Let's start off from the bowling point of view. 3 bowlers can bowl a maximum of 9 overs each and 2 bowlers can a maximum of 8 overs apiece. Talking about the Powerplays, they should be split into segments of 9 overs, 26 overs and 8 overs respectively. But this is our calculation, not the official word. Given that our marks in math were not too convincing to be remembered, let's let the match officials give us the proper numbers.

Coincidence? Well, a pretty nice one at that. We just mentioned that Brendon McCullum has turned 43 today and on his 43rd birthday, the team which he is coaching will be playing a 43-overs-a-side contest! That seems a bit quizzical, because even though we don't have an official statement on the match start time, what this allotment indicates is that there has been no consideration made for the day-night contest. Probably this is keeping in mind the forecast for the evening and the anticipation of more showers and a stop-start game. Let's hope we don't get any more interruptions.

Happy birthday, Baz! England's full-time coach across formats now, BRENDON MCCULLUM, turns 43 today. He has been a terrific influence in turning things around for England in the red-ball format and his appointment as the all-format coach could prove a decisive factor for them in the white-ball game, with the Champions Trophy scheduled in 2025 and then a couple of World Cups to follow in 2026 and 2027. There has been a constant talk about England being inexperienced in this format but McCullum has this keen instinct to discover gems. He formed a bond with Ben Stokes in the Test format and has now struck a chord with Harry Brook in this series. Brook's approach with bat and on the field as a captain is almost a mirror image of what Baz was, in his playing days. And with those birthday wishes, a huge cheer goes around the ground as the covers are almost rolled off and the TOSS IS SCHEDULED AT 12.30 PM GMT! Hurray!

Having mentioned about more cricket in the UAE, are you ready for the next big thing in the sport? The Middle East gets ready to welcome 10 teams across the globe as the 9th edition of the Women's T20 World Cup is all set to kick off from the 3rd of October, 2024. This was originally scheduled in Bangladesh but due to political unrest, the venue got shifted and a few fixtures were tweaked. As always, Australia come in as favourites, but after Meg Lanning's retirement, they haven't looked the same since. England have played dominant cricket for the last 12-odd months or so and can easily stake a claim but also the fact that the pitches could be slow and low in the UAE, India could have a golden chance to win their maiden title. With 20 league matches, followed by two semifinals and the big final, the next carnival of cricket is almost at our doorstep!

More cricket coming up in the Middle East. October is usually the season for cricketing action in the UAE and after we witnessed a fairly one-sided ODI series between Afghanistan and South Africa, surprisingly in favour of the Afghans, the Proteas line up for more some action as they gear up to meet Ireland for a couple of T20Is, starting tonight, followed by 3 ODIs. The Saffas would have been hurt by their lackadaisical approach towards spin with the bat and would be eager to hone their skills in this series. Arguably, even though this opposition may not provide that strong a contest as that of Afghanistan, but still, it can help boost South Africa's confidence.

Meanwhile. back in Sri Lanka, Devon Conway has been dismissed in a bizarre fashion. He was adjudged LBW, to which he reviewed, probably because of an inside edge, but then UltraEdge detected a spike when the ball passed the bat and he was given out caught at slip! Conway seemed to be agitated with that decision but not sure why. Either ways, it spells more doom for New Zealand who might get further away from making it to the final of the World Test Championship in 2025. They are 22/2 now, at Stumps on Day 2, after Sri Lanka posted a mammoth 602/5. The way things have panned out for the Lankans in the last one month, they have suddenly zoomed up to third spot in the WTC rankings and even though all factors point out to an India-Australia final, you never know - a one-sided series between the top two nations later this year could push one team to third and possibly, lift Sri Lanka to second!

11.30 AM GMT - Well, we should have been reading something around the lines of - 'Okay, here we go. The duo which turned on the heat for Kolkata in the 2024 edition of the Indian T20 League is set to meet again at opposite ends - Starc vs Salt'. Or, if it was Yellow batting and Blue bowling, then say, an Archer or a Potts to Travis Head. But given the consistent spells of showers over the past week in London and also the grim forecast for the day, we have not got anything rolling. However, amidst all the gloom, we have got a bit of positive news. The RAIN seems to have STOPPED for now and the groundstaff has started to make its way out to the middle. The drainage is usually good at Lord's, so all we need is for the rain to stay away, to still keep hoping for a full game. Remember, since this is a day-night match, we will have that extra hour's allowance before overs start getting curtailed.

While we await official word on the weather conditions, let's navigate around the globe and catch a brief highlight of the cricketing action that is going around. Currently, two Test series are ongoing in the Asian subcontinent. The first day of the second Test in Kanpur between India and Bangladesh was interrupted due to rain. Bangladesh was sent to bat first with their score reading 107/3 before the day's play was called off. Moving south, Sri Lanka continues to assert its dominance over the Kiwis as on the second day of the 2nd Test in Galle, the hosts have mounted a huge score of 602/5 before declaring the innings after tiring out the Kiwi bowlers for 163 overs. Sri Lanka's batting was highlighted by Dinesh Chandimal's 116, Kusal Mendis' unbeaten 106. But, it was the consistent Kamindu Mendis who remained as the bright shining star as he churned 182. New Zealand finds itself in all sorts of trouble as they have already lost a wicket pretty early in their innings with an Everest to climb.

Well, the current update is not that promising. The ground is covered under the sheets as it is raining in London. Not an official word for now, but it probably looks like the toss is going to be delayed. Please stick around for further updates.

With all said and done, is a comeback on the cards for Travis Head? Will Adam Zampa be included in the Australian lineup? And might England opt for an additional pacer? There are plenty of questions running in the minds, so stay tuned for the toss and the team updates to get all the answers.

Recent history at Lord's favours England, who have won all three ODIs played here since the 2019 World Cup. However, Australia holds the long-term advantage, having denied England victory at this venue since 2012 and maintaining a 9-5 overall lead. England will be keen to improve their record this time around.

The weather over London has hovered with rains for the last few days, and the conditions are expected to remain overcast with inconsistent spells of showers in the afternoon. So, given the conditions, captains might feel safe to go with seam-heavy bowling in order to extract that movement and variable bounce to tackle the slow nature of the pitch. Australia already strode out with five pacers in the last game though. While England might tweak in another seamer from the bench. With Reece Topley ruled out due to illness, Saqib Mahmood, Olly Stone, and John Turner remain their bets as pace options in the reserves.

Fairly to say about the Aussies, the way this tour has panned out for them, they might say everything is alright as almost every member has stepped up in need and has contributed. Be it Travis Head’s century in the first match, or Marsh’s crucial knock in the second or Cameron Green’s all-round stints shouldered with Steven Smith’s masterful knocks up top. But, it has been Alex Carey who has scored the most tough runs while batting with the lower middle order along with Aaron Hardie. The propulsion that they have provided has led the tourists to add more impetus towards the backend. In bowling, the Starc-Hazlewood-Abbott trio has done its job sincerely as well. Although the need for a full-time spinner is crucial for them, and Zampa’s return would fill in that void.

The biggest factor for the English side is the inconsistency with the bat. Obedient to their Bazball approach, they've been quick off the blocks for sure, but this approach, has occasionally seen them caught on a sticky wicket, holing out when consolidation was the need of the hour. Young gun and now the skipper, Harry Brook, however, showed his mettle last time courtesy of a captain's innings and showed how to build an ODI knock. Will Jacks has proved to be an inseparable asset as a batting all-rounder as well. While the bowling unit, on the whole, has displayed a decent fighting spirit against their counterparts. Also, it remains to be seen whether Archer is provided with another stint, given the concerns about his workload management.

The previous encounter saw England finally hit their straps, though the weather played spoilsport, cutting the innings short and preventing a full 50-over game. Despite this glimpse of ascendancy, the hosts still have a few rough edges to smooth out. Meanwhile, the reigning World Champions, Australia have almost ticked all boxes in this series - from batting to bowling, seemingly holding all the aces. But they have been marred with some illness in the camp on this English tour.

Greetings, folks! London is flocking and echoing with cricket fans as it welcomes the two oldest rivals to lock horns at the ‘Home of Cricket’. We are at the Lord’s Cricket Ground for the penultimate ODI between England and Australia in this 5-match ODI series. Trailing by 1-2 so far, the hosts will be eager to level the series. While the tourists donning yellows would like to seal the deal before the caravan heads to Bristol for the final game.

... MATCH DAY ...

This limited-overs format tour of Australia in England has elevated the rivalry to the next level. After a stalemate in the T20Is, the anticipation for the second edition of white ball cricket was high. The first three ODIs have replicated the same and have treated fans with sheer entertainment. Australia dominated the first two ODIs, securing decisive victories. However, England bounced back strongly in the third match, albeit with assistance from the DLS method due to weather interruptions. This win has kept England's hopes alive, transforming the final two matches into must-win encounters for the home team. Also, England disrupted Australia’s 348-day and 14-match winning streak in the ODIs. The series now stands delicately poised, with both sides eager to claim overall victory. England's resurgence in the previous game was largely due to Harry Brook's exceptional performance. His masterful century, delivered under pressure, coupled with Will Jacks’ all-round contributions proved to be the turning point for the hosts. However, England's overall batting performance in the series has been inconsistent. While several batters have made promising starts, they've often failed to convert these into substantial scores, a shortcoming they must ponder. While they've remained committed to their aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach, there's a growing need to balance this with more responsible batting. The English bowling unit has displayed moments of excellence. Jofra Archer's performance could be a decisive factor for the home team. Encouragingly, Brydon Carse has emerged as an effective addition to the pace attack, while the spin bowlers have maintained a consistent level of performance. It will be interesting to see whether England sticks to its winning combination or make some tweaks. Considering Archer’s workload management, England could utilize Reece Topley or Saqib Mahmood as well. Despite the recent setback, Australia maintains a strong position in the series. Their batting lineup has demonstrated considerable depth, with runs flowing from various sources. In-form Alex Carey's performances have been particularly noteworthy, his ability to accelerate scoring with the lower middle order has proved to be a crucial asset for Australia's success. At the top of the order, Travis Head poses a significant threat to opposing bowlers. However, Australia would benefit from more substantial contributions from their middle order batters. The all-rounders, notably Aaron Hardie and Cameron Green, have admirably fulfilled their roles, balancing the team. The Aussie bowling unit has also been effective, consistently delivering favourable outcomes. This well-rounded performance across all departments has been key to Australia's dominant position. Also, it remains to be seen whether Travis Head and Adam Zampa are available for the remaining games or not. However, Australia’s bench is stronger with the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis, Cooper Connolly, and Ben Dwarshuis awaiting their chances as well. The 'Home of Cricket' has witnessed 15 encounters between these two in the ODIs so far, with Australia holding a commanding 9-5 lead and one memorable tie from 2005. The last time these two sides clashed at Lord's in ODI cricket was during the high-stakes 2019 World Cup, where the hosts emerged victorious. England's recent record at this venue against their arch-rivals is less than stellar - their last victory here came in 2012 when Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke led their respective sides in a different era of cricket. The venue has historically favoured chasing teams in this matchup, with 8 wins coming in run chases compared to 6 while batting first. Interestingly, Lord's has seen only five 300+ scores in ODIs, with the highest being 334, decades back in the 1975 World Cup. However, the average first-inning score hovers around 230s, suggesting a balanced contest between bat and ball. Also, for a fact, the highest successful run chase here has been 326. With all said and done, can England's resurgence continue, or will Australia reassert their dominance? With pride and series victory on the line, cricket fans can expect fierce competition and high-quality cricket from both sides. Whom are you supporting in this penultimate ODI?