Australia registered a commanding 68-run win in the second ODI against England held at the Yorkshire Cricket Ground in Headingley on September 21, Saturday. With this victory, Mitchell Marsh and Co. took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
After being asked to bat first, Australia got off to a solid start with Matt Short and Travis Head adding 46 runs before the latter was dismissed for 29 in the ninth over. After three overs, Short was also sent back after scoring 29 off 36 deliveries. Captain Marsh then anchored the innings, scoring a half-century before his dismissal in the 27th over. He made 60 runs off 59 balls, and by that time Australia reached 151/5.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne struggled to find their rhythm and couldn’t deliver significant scores. However, Alex Carey stepped up with a match-changing innings, scoring 74 off 67 balls, including eight boundaries and three maximums. He also formed a vital last-wicket partnership with Josh Hazlewood, helping Australia post a reasonable total of 270 runs.
For England, Brydon Carse emerged as the standout bowler, claiming three wickets for 75 runs. Meanwhile, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, and Jacob Bethell contributed two wickets each.
England faced a tough chase, with Hazlewood striking early by dismissing Phil Salt for 12 in the fourth over, with Carey taking the catch behind the stumps. Starc made an explosive entry into the ODI series, delivering a stunning inswinging yorker to England skipper Harry Brook, before sending Will Jacks back for a golden duck. Starc removed Brook culminating in a fast delivery that thundered into his pad.
The situation worsened for England as they faced an early collapse to 65 for 5 when Aaron Hardie claimed two wickets in two balls. He took a brilliant catch in his own delivery to remove in-form Ben Duckett. The very next ball, Liam Livingstone edged a leg-side delivery to Carey, who took a fantastic catch to his left.
Later, Jamie Smith and Jacob Bethell managed to stabilize the innings, forming a 55-run partnership. However, it was not enough for England to cross the line as they were bundled out for 202 in just 40.2 overs. Starc finished with three wickets, while Hazlewood, Hardie, and Glenn Maxwell each picked up two. Wicketkeeper-batter Carey earned the Player of the Match award for his crucial 74 runs and a couple of catches.
