Australia’s pace attack has delivered again as the tourists survived a modest batting performance to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series in England.
Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Aaron Hardie made an under-par 270 look mountainous to England’s callow batting line-up, taking five wickets in the ten-over powerplay.
The hosts were ultimately dismissed for 202 giving the tourists a 68-run win at Headingley.
Put in to bat after losing the toss under cloudy skies only Mitchell Marsh (60) and Alex Carey (74) passed fifty as Australia were dismissed with 32 balls unused.
Though needing less than a run-a-ball England began their chase in a hurry, and as in Thursday’s first match, their recklessness played into Australia’s hands, the quicks reducing them to 5-65 at the end of the powerplay with two golden ducks.
There was no way back from that, despite Jamie Smith’s 49, and Australia cantered to their 14th successive ODI win, a run that has been exceeded only by another Australian side, Ricky Ponting’s World Cup winners of 2003, who achieved 21 on the spin.
“You always like more with the bat, these days, 270 always feels a little bit short, but the way the boys bowled was outstanding,” Marsh said.
“When you welcome that much experience into your line-up that’s great. It’s also the help they give the others, having Aaron Hardie bowling with Starc and Hazlewood is a really good learning experience for him.”
It was Australia’s first ODI win at Headingley since the famous 1999 World Cup victory over South Africa when Steve Waugh made a century after being dropped early on by Herschelle Gibbs.
Marsh provided another captain’s knock on Saturday but the key innings was by Carey, who only played as Josh Inglis has a tight quad.
Booed to the crease by Yorkshire fans remembering his dismissal of local hero Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s last year, he led a superb rearguard action that included a 49-run last wicket stand with Hazlewood, who made four.
Travis Head, the matchwinner at Trent Bridge with an unbeaten 154, had begun where he left off, smashing two sixes but was caught at deep square leg for 29.
Matthew Potts then dismissed both Matt Short (29), edging flat-footed to the keeper, and Steve Smith (4), bowled through the gate and the tourists were 3-89.
Headingley has terrible memories for many Australians but not for Marsh, who revived his career with a brilliant counter-attacking Test century at the Yorkshire ground in the 2023 Ashes.
He looked comfortable, smiting three sixes, and with Marnus Labuschagne (28) rebuilt the innings. However, Jacob Bethell dismissed both and caught Glenn Maxwell (7) on the ropes and Australia were 6-161 having lost 3-16.
Carey, initially supported by Hardie (23), then an obdurate Hazlewood, rose to the challenge, lifting Australia to a defendable total.
Then the bowlers got to work. Hazlewood had Phil Salt (12) swishing and missing before being caught behind. Next Starc (2-50) had Will Jacks (0) superbly caught by Short at second slip first ball before trapping stand-in skipper Harry Brook (4) with a trademark inswinging yorker.
Amid the carnage Ben Duckett (32) had been batting serenely but a slower ball from Hardie (2-26) foxed him and his superb return catch was matched by Carey’s legside take a ball later as Liam Livingstone (0) edged.
England needed Jamie Smith to copy Carey and for a while he did. With Bethell (25), then Brydon Carse (26) he kept England hoping.
Marsh, aware wickets were the issue, brought back Hazlewood and, aided by a sharp catch at mid-wicket by substitute fielder Jake Fraser-McGurk, that did the trick. Though Adil Rashid (27) lifted England past 200 it was just a matter of time.
The third match in the series is on Tuesday (2130 AEST) at Durham.
