On a chilly evening in Chester-le-Street, England warmed the hearts of the die-hard home fans. Late rain ended the match, but Harry Brooks’ magnificent 110 points without defeat gave a hint of progress with this victory over Australia and took a point back in an previously one-sided series.

The two teams travel to Lord’s for the fourth match on Friday, with Australia, now leading 2-1, no doubt keen to settle things on the pitch that caused a lot of trouble for some of them in last summer’s Ashes. There was no such animosity here at the Riverside, just 14,000 fans in zip-up coats cheering England to the finish line before they won by 46 points in a damp final using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

England’s comeback got off to a bad start after Alex Carey’s unbeaten 77 brought him back to 305. Mitchell Starc sent Phil Salt and Ben Duckett home with the new ball. But after a dangerous 11 for two in the third over and Will Jack’s brisk 84 from No. 3, Brook took his team to 254 for four in the 38th over, well ahead of quota, before the floodgates of heaven opened their gates.

He hit 13 fours and two sixes that night, and scored his first international one-day century off 87 balls when he smashed Starc through the empty slip area. This could well prove to be a momentous innings for Brook. After all, like many other players in this newly formed England team, the 25-year-old is mainly learning the rhythm of 50-over batting at the highest level due to the chaos that is the domestic schedule. Days like this are a matter of experience.

Featuring aerial strikes and some notable back-foot cuts, it was also the Yorkshireman’s first century against Australia in any format and built on a tally of 156 from 147 balls that saw Jacks take early risks. But even after Cameron Green scored a Surrey double by taking Jacks and Jamie Smith out with a couple of short balls, Liam Livingstone smashed 33 from 20 balls to give them plenty of breathing room.

The target followed a strong acceleration from Australia at the end of their innings. With ten overs to go, the tourists were 200 for five but still managed to add another 104 runs, thanks to a second successive half-century from Carey – a remarkable return to England for last summer’s public enemy – and a 26-ball 44 from Aaron Hardie that slightly spoiled Jofra Archer’s figures.

After a breather at Headingley, Archer had returned two for 36 in his first eight overs, dismissing Matthew Short early and taking Steve Smith out for 60 thanks to Brydon Carse’s brilliant catch on the rope. Despite all the talk of a personal duel dating back to a bloodcurdling encounter in the Ashes five years ago, this was the first time Archer had taken Smith out in international cricket. The only mention of that day at Lord’s came when Smith landed on his backside attempting a funky scoop.

But Archer’s last two overs brought 31 runs, Hardie sending the fast bowler into the stands twice when Archer’s radar failed to work. England looked like a weak seamer, although Jacob Bethell and Jacks made up for this somewhat by removing Cameron Green for 42 and Marnus Labsuchage for a third-ball duck during the middle overs. Liam Livingstone bought the wicket of Glenn Maxwell, while Carse was arguably the best overall with 10 overs of force, including a superb over-play of Mitch Marsh before finding the edge.

There was a moment for Carey on 25 – a reviewed LBW call from Adil Rashid that was ruled leg stump and therefore an on-field call – but otherwise he handled the outcome superbly. It looked a threatening total, not least when Starc made an early incursion into the England batting line-up.

In the end it was not enough, as Adam Zampa was absent from the Australian attack due to illness and the older ball was well received under floodlights.