Roy century leaves Australia facing record chase
The Surrey opener enjoyed his ODI return to Cardiff as England piled on the runs against Australia.
Jason Roy marked his one-day international return to Cardiff with a memorable century as England piled up a record target for Australia.
Roy, dropped by England for last year’s Champions Trophy semi-final on this ground, was back at Sophia Gardens less than two weeks later in a Twenty20 international against South Africa.
But on his first ODI visit since England’s defeat to Pakistan, one year and two days ago, the opener hit 120 from 108 balls in a total of 342 for eight – leaving Australia to try to pull off the highest run chase in their history to level the series at 1-1.
On the way to his fifth century in this format, and first since his national-record 180 against these same opponents in Melbourne six months ago, Roy shared successive 50-plus stands with his fellow opener Jonny Bairstow, Alex Hales, Joe Root and then Jos Buttler (91no).
He had a new national-best in his sights until he was caught behind off an inside-edge on an Andrew Tye variation, brilliantly gathered by a diving Tim Paine in his left glove – just three balls after the Australia captain suffered a bloodied lip from one which took an awkward bounce into his face.
But if Australia dared to breathe a sigh of relief, having put England in on a cloudy morning, it did not last long thanks to Buttler – who hit two successive trademark ramp-shot sixes off the pace of Jhye Richardson to kickstart a predictably manic last 10 overs with one which cost 20 in all.
