Chester-Le-Street (UK), Sep 25: England captain Harry Brook struck his first one-day international century before his team clinched a 46-run win by the DLS method to keep alive the series against Australia.
Chasing 305 to win the third ODI, England was 254-4 — with Brook unbeaten on 110 — when heavy rain arrived in the day-nighter at Chester-le-Street. The teams didn't get back on the field and England was well ahead of the run-rate.
Australia, which had cruised to dominant wins at Southampton and Leeds in this five-match series, saw its lead trimmed to 2-1 and its 14-match winning run in ODIs come to an end. During that streak, the team won the Cricket World Cup in India last year.
Coming to the crease with England in trouble on 11-2, Brook took on Australia's seam attack by hitting 13 fours and two sixes in a 94-ball knock to easily surpass his previous ODI-best score of 80.
“I'm relieved, for sure. It's just nice to see some rewards,” said Brook, who gained his first win as stand-in skipper for the injured Jos Buttler. “I'm just glad I managed to play the way I wanted to. It's nice to get that first hundred on the board and hopefully there's plenty more to come.
“I feel like I've been a little bit stop-start this summer. I've had a lot of starts — 30s and 40s — and then not managed to convert, which is frustrating. To do that today, I feel like I'm back in a good place."
The series continues on Friday with the fourth ODI at Lord's.
Playing without explosive opener Travis Head (rested) and star spinner Adam Zampa (ill), Australia was put into bat and needed a strong finish — mainly thanks to Alex Carey's unbeaten 77 and No. 8 batter Aaron Hardie's 44 off 26 — to post 304-7 off its 50 overs.
Steve Smith hit a patient 60 off 82 balls, after the tourists' innings was slowed by losing Cameron Green (42) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) in space of five balls just past the halfway mark.
It looked a tough chase for a youthful England team that had been outclassed so far this series and things started badly when Mitchell Starc dismissed Phil Salt (for an eight-ball duck) and Ben Duckett (8) in the same over — Australia's third.
Brook embraced the pressure of the occasion and went on the attack pretty much from the start of his innings.
His third-wicket stand of 156 with Will Jacks (84 off 82 balls) swung the momentum England's way and the team maintained it when the big-hitting Liam Livingstone came in at No. 6 and immediately smashed two sixes.
Brook used the uppercut to great effect to deal with some short-pitched bowling from the Australians and hit a straight drive for four to get to 99. Off the next ball, he opened the face and edged for another four to reach his century, prompting him to remove his helmet and look to the sky.
Brook's second fifty came off just 33 deliveries.
England's push for victory was then held up by the rain that arrived in the 38th over. It got heavier and heavier, with the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern formula showing that the hosts were well in front of the run-rate.
Brook made some interesting comments after the series opener in Nottingham, reflecting on some loose dismissals by saying: “If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field, then who cares?”
He said his words had been misunderstood.
“I think people took that a little bit the wrong way. You've got to go out and play fearlessly and almost have that who cares?' attitude. But that's not a who cares if we lose?' attitude,” Brook said.
“We all want to win, but you don't want to go out and have that fear of getting out."
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New Delhi, Jan 9: Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman S N Subrahmanyan sparked an online outrage with his comments advocating a 90-hour work week and suggesting that employees should even give up Sundays.
"How long can you stare at your wife," he is heard saying in a purported video address to employees where he urged them to spend less time at home and more in the office.
His remarks reignited the work-life balance debate, first triggered by Infosys Co-Founder Narayana Murthy's suggestion of a 70-hour work week.
"I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays," Subrahmanyan is heard saying in an undated video circulating on social media.
"What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working," he further said.
His comments drew criticism on social media with some asking how long could "employees stare at screens and fat*** managers?"
Soon after, L&T issued a clarification saying the chairman's remarks were in the context of extraordinary efforts required for achieving extraordinary outcomes for the nation.
"We believe this is India's decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realise our shared vision of becoming a developed nation.
"The chairman's remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary effort," L&T spokesperson said in a brief statement.
Stating that nation-building is at the core of L&T's mandate, it said for over eight decades, the company has been shaping India's infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities.
"At L&T, we remain committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward," the spokesperson added.
In the video, Sumeet Chatterjee, Chief Communications Officer at L&T, is seen asking the chairman, "Why are L&T employees asked to work on Saturdays despite being a top conglomerate?"
In response, the chairman says, "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays, to be honest. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays also."
Subrahmanyan went on to share an anecdote. He cited a conversation he had with a Chinese person who said that China could surpass the US because of the country's strong work ethic.
According to Subrahmanyan, the Chinese person said, "Chinese people work 90 hours a week, while Americans work only 50 hours a week."
Drawing a parallel, Subrahmanyan encouraged L&T employees to follow a similar work regime.
"So that's the answer for you. If you have got to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week," he is heard saying in the video.
The video went viral quickly, attracting some nasty comments as well. "Another CEO promoting slavery shamelessly," one person commented.
Some questioned why highly paid CEOs with different job pressures expect the same level of commitment from less-paid employees.
Subrahmanyan's comments reignited the work-life balance debate that came into limelight in July last year following the death of a 26-year-old EY consultant.
Infosys Co-Founder Murthy, too, had a few months back advocated a 70-hour work week. "India's work productivity is one of the lowest in the world... my request is that our youngsters must say, 'this is my country, I want to work 70 hours a week'," Murthy had said.
Last month, billionaire Gautam Adani had also waded into the work-life balance debate when he said the spouse will leave if one was to spend eight hours with the family.
He had reportedly stated that work-life balance is a matter of personal choice. "Your idea of work-life balance should not be imposed on me and my idea shouldn't be imposed on you. Say, someone spends 4 hours with family and finds joy in it, or if someone else spends 8 hours and enjoys it, that is their work-life balance."
"Aath ghanta family ke saath bitayega tho biwi bhaag jaayegi (Wife will leave if one spends eight hours with family)," he had said.
L&T Chairman #SNSubrahmanyan wants employees to work 90 hours a week, because how long can you stare at your husband/wife.
— NDTV Profit (@NDTVProfitIndia) January 9, 2025
Is this toxic culture sustainable? @TamannaInamdar asks 'The Big Question'
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