Australia have won the three-match ODI series with one match in hand with a convincing 72-run victory against England in the second ODI on Saturday (November 19) in Sydney.

David Warner and Travis Head started off well again but the stand-in captain for England, Moeen Ali came in the sixth over and took Warner’s wicket to break the 33-run stand. Warner scored 16 runs. Head was also dismissed by Chris Woakes after three overs.

However, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne put on a well-made 101-run partnership to tackle the initial blow. Labuschagne was fluent and picked up a half-century from 47 balls. Adil Rashid took the momentum when he came to bowl in the 28^th over. The spinner dismissed Labuschagne and Alex Carey in two consecutive balls. Labuschagne scored 58 runs off 55 balls with 4 fours and a six.

Smith then carried the innings with Mitchell Marsh, who returned to the team in place of Cameron Green. They made a good 90-run partnership for the fifth wicket on a tricky Sydney pitch. Smith continued his outstanding form in ODIs as he hit another half-century and was only 6 runs away from the century when he was the third victim of Rashid. Smith scored 94 runs off 114 balls with 5 fours and a six.

Marsh’s half-century and Ashton Agar’s unbeaten little cameo of 18 runs from 12 balls gave Australia a good total of 280 runs in 50 overs losing 8 wickets. Marsh scored 50 runs. Rashid was the pick of the bowlers for England with three wickets. Woakes and David Willey took two wickets each.

Pacer Mitchell Starc showed his first-over skill once again when England came to chase the target. Starc took two wickets of Jason Roy and Dawid Malan in the first over and made England’s task harder. Josh Hazlewood, who captained Australia for the first time, dismissed Phil Salt who was looking dangerous and England were at 43/3.

But James Vince and Sam Billings tackled the disaster very well with a 122-run partnership. They also kept England in the chase. Both the batters his half-centuries. However, it was Hazlewood, who broke the stand taking Vince’s wicket and giving Australia the much-needed breakthrough. Vince scored 60 runs off 72 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. Adam Zampa then started his domination in the middle overs by taking the all-important wicket of Billings. Billings scored 71 runs off 80 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes.

England then lost their way and lost their last 5 wickets for just 40 runs. Starc and Zampa cleaned up the lower-order of England very easily. Starc and Zampa both got four wickets each while Hazlewood had two.