Sky Sports’ Eoin Morgan said England out-performed Australia in the third ODI as captain Harry Brook led from the front with a blistering century to steer the hosts to victory.

England were at risk of losing the series to Australia after the tourists completed dominant victories at Trent Bridge and Headingley to go 2-0 ahead in the five-match series heading to Durham.

On a slow-batting pitch, the tourists did incredibly well to post 304-7 with Alex Carey, once again, leading the charge with a late cameo worth 77no.

However, Harry Brook (110no) and Will Jacks (84) led the assault with their 156-run partnership that dragged England from a worrying 11-2 to a formidable 167-2, and saw them claim victory by 46 runs (DLS method) following rain late in the day.

“That was exactly what this England side has been looking for,” said former England captain Morgan on Sky Sports Cricket.

“Harry Brook mentioned a new-look side who wanted to be positive, aggressive and measured, but they were trying to find a template and he has found that himself.

“By no stretch of the imagination can you take for granted how good this Australian side is and how well you have to play to be in such a commanding position.

“Brook has led from the front and embodied everything he has talked about.

“For me, that is the key because you can talk all you like but if you don’t deliver then it becomes really difficult to lead and to be a captain.

“When you perform and then deliver a clear and concise message, that message carries a heavier weight.”

After England’s loss at Headingley, Brook was defiant in his post-match comments saying patience was required as his inexperienced side tried to find their feet while still trying to play positively.

Brook’s impressive performance was also an example of the attacking cricket England are looking to play as they move towards the future and into a new era under incoming white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum.

“In many ways you earn more respect for the captain when they play like that,” added Morgan.

“In that England changing room, albeit he is an interim captain, he will feel a lot more relaxed and a lot of his team-mates will be sitting back thinking, ‘that is one hell of a knock, he is our leader, we are going to follow that man’.

“It’s [Brook’s century] a huge milestone and he will know the weight it will carry having put on a performance including his 156-run partnership with Jacks.

“That would’ve eased any nerves about the run chase.

“England have really out-performed. We haven’t seen the best of England in ODI cricket but it is games like this when you’re up against it and it looks like the Australian’s are hitting their straps.

“You would’ve said Australia have the advantage coming into this game with five seamers and a couple of spinners but England’s level of skill and delivery has been right on point.”

Ponting: Brook led the way beautifully

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting gave credit to Brook and also Jacks for the way they played.

“That top-order partnership between Jacks and Brook was the difference in the game,” said Ponting.

“We heard Brook talk through the series, that once they get those partnerships going, of the importance of stretching them out and making them big ones.

“When you say that as a captain, you’ve then got to go and do it yourself. And I was so pleased for him to be able to see his team through some troubled times – they were 11-2. He led the way beautifully.

“Jacks as well, you’ve got to give him some credit. I loved the way he played, he was aggressive, his stroke-play was outstanding.

“That was the difference in the game, that partnership. Full credit to England, they bounced back really strongly and now we can go to Lord’s with the series still on the line.”

Brook: First ODI hundred hopefully first of many

England captain Harry Brook:

“It was nice to get the first one [hundred] on the board there. Hopefully there’s plenty more to come.

“With the bat, me and Jacks just tried to stay out there as long as possible and create that partnership.

“I definitely thought the pitch got better towards the end of Australia’s innings and it was just a simple message of, ‘let’s go out there and play your own game’. And thankfully it paid off today.”

Brook raised eyebrows with some of his comments after England’s loss in 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?”.

Some interpreted that as a flippant approach to what is being billed – and priced – as an elite contest – but he suggested there had been a misunderstanding of his words.

“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,” he said.

“We all want to win, but you don’t want to go out and have that fear of getting out. You’ve seen it so many times in the Test environment, at the start Stokesy (captain Ben Stokes) was getting out caught at mid-on which is unheard of before, so you’ve got to go out with that fearless attitude and try to take it to the bowlers.”

England vs Australia schedule – all games live on Sky Sports

• 1st ODI (September 19) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham – Australia won by seven wickets
• 2nd ODI (September 21) – Headingley, Leeds – Australia won by 68 runs
• 3rd ODI (September 24) – Seat Unique Riverside, Durham – England won by 46 runs (DLS method)
• 4th ODI (September 27) – Lord’s, London (12.30pm start)
• 5th ODI (September 29) – The Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (11am start)

Watch England vs Australia in the third ODI live on Sky Sports Cricket from 12pm on Tuesday September 24 (first ball, 12.30pm) and stream contract-free with NOW.