LEEDS, Sept 21: Australia secured a second big victory over England in their ODI series, winning by 68 runs after Alex Carey’s dashing 74 off 67 balls and an impressive bowling display sparked by the tourists’ returning senior pacers.
It was a 14th straight ODI win for the world champion Australians, who moved into a 2-0 lead in a five-match series that has underlined the chasm that has grown between the fierce rivals in the 50-over format.
Yet Australia, which won the first ODI by seven wickets on Thursday, was struggling to get past 200 at Headingley after being put into bat, with captain Mitchell Marsh (60 off 59 balls) the only top-order batter to hit a half-century.
Travis Head, coming off a career-best 154 not out two days ago, made 29 before being the first of three wickets for fast bowler Brydon Carse (3-75). Steve Smith was out for 4, Marnus Labuschagne for 19 and Glenn Maxwell for 7 as Australia labored.
However, Carey dominated the batting in the tail and provided a late flourish for Australia with three sixes and eight fours to help the tourists post a respectable 270 in 44.4 overs.
It proved too much for England’s fragile, new-look batting lineup that was missing regular captain Jos Buttler because of injury and was up against an attack containing seasoned campaigners Mitchell Starc (3-50) and Josh Hazlewood (2-54), who sat out in Nottingham because of illness.
Starc removed Will Jacks (0) and stand-in captain Harry Brook (4) after Hazlewood hustled out opener Phil Salt for 12. Liam Livingstone’s first-ball dismissal left England reeling on 65-5.
Only wicketkeeper Jamie Smith provided any genuine resistance with 49 off 61 balls.
Jacob Bethell (25), Carse (26) and Adil Rashid (27) failed to build on starts.
England was all out for 202 in 40.2 overs when Starc’s raw pace accounted for No. 11 Olly Stone, who looped a catch to Steve Smith retreating at slip.
Australia, which took the 50-over World Cup title off England last year, can wrap up the series at the first attempt in the third ODI in Durham on Tuesday. (AP)
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