A brilliant century from Ian Bell enabled England to post an imposing score in the tri-series one-day international against Australia in Hobart on Friday.
After being sent in to bat, England got off to a flying start with Bell pushing hard and fellow opener Moeen Ali helping to set the base for a total of 303 for eight off 50 overs.
However the innings ended in bizarre fashion, with Australian completing a team hat-trick in the last three balls.
Two batsmen -- Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler -- were run out looking for hopeless singles after Ravi Bopara had been bowled by Mitchell Starc.
When the two sides met previously in the tournament opener, England lost by four wickets with more than 10 overs remaining.
But they bounced back with an impressive nine-wicket win over India in Brisbane on Tuesday and carried that form into Friday's innings.
Bell, who was unbeaten on 88 against India, made a majestic 141 before being caught by Starc from the bowling of rookie paceman Gurinder Sandhu (2-49).
It was Bell's fourth one-day international century and he faced 125 balls, hitting 15 fours and one six.
Bell started the innings just five shy of becoming only the second Englishman to pass 5,000 one-day international runs.
In his 153rd ODI, he overhauled that mark in the third over when he took 12 runs off Starc.
Bell went on to overtake Paul Collingwood as England's highest ever run scorer in the format as he neared his century.
His opening partnership of 113 with Ali (46) set the English innings up.
Australia had made three changes to their side for the match.
David Warner and Shane Watson were rested while skipper George Bailey was serving a one-match ban for his second slow over rate offence in under 12 months.
Test captain Steve Smith took over the reins from Bailey.
Source: AFP
