Match Report

Classy England cruise to 2-0 lead

19 Jan 2018 Adam Burnett

Match Report

19 Jan 2018 Adam Burnett

Joe Root stars with bat and ball as England overcome late stumble to win by four wickets

Australia's ODI brains trust has been left with plenty to ponder after Steve Smith's side was again outclassed by an England team that continues to position itself as pace-setters ahead of next year's ICC World Cup.

On a hot Friday at the Gabba in Brisbane, the hosts' performance rarely exceeded lukewarm – another fine hundred from Aaron Finch and some flashes of brilliance from Mitchell Starc the most notable exceptions – as a moderate 9-270 failed to trouble England, who reached their target with four wickets in hand and 34 balls to spare to take a two-nil lead in the five-match Gillette ODI series.

Fantastic Finch makes it back-to-back tons

The result adds to a disappointing 12 months for the reigning world champions; in 10 completed matches since January 30 last year, they've lost nine, with a lone win coming in a dead rubber against India in Bengaluru.

Which is the worst 10-game span in their history.

England, meanwhile, have now twice chased totals in excess of 270 in Australia in the past five days. Prior to this tour, that record stood at zero from 10.

Hales gives England a strong start with fifty

Australia made three changes from the opening match, with debutants Alex Carey and Jhye Richardson replacing Tim Paine (ill) and Pat Cummins (rested) respectively. The third change was the eyebrow-raiser, with batsman Cameron White's selection in place of leg-spinner Adam Zampa giving the XI a batsman-heavy look.

As it was, even with in-form KFC Big Bash pair White and Carey filling the No.7 and No.8 batting slots, Australia found the sort of total Smith would no doubt have been hoping for - especially after he won the toss and elected to bat - well beyond them.

In posting 68 at roughly a run a ball for the opening stand, Finch (106) and David Warner (35) appeared to be setting the tone for a productive afternoon of run-scoring, though their union ultimately proved a false dawn as two of Australia's oft-discussed issues – handling spin, and middle-order collapses – struck once again.

Carey, Richardson receive their ODI caps

Warner and Finch had barely miscued until the introduction of off-spinner Moeen Ali in the 10th over, who struck with the massive wicket of Warner in his second over, the left-hander edging to Joe Root at first slip.

The success of Moeen must have encouraged England captain Eoin Morgan to explore his spin options, and he gambled by throwing the ball to part-timer Joe Root, who was as surprised as anyone when Smith (18) missed an attempted nudge into the on-side and was trapped lbw with the offie's fourth ball.

Watch all nine Australian wickets to fall

Root had two in three overs when he snared a simple return catch to end a frustrating innings from Travis Head (7 from 18), who struggled to find a gap, and all of a sudden the hosts' innings was in danger of stalling at 3-124.

Finch (106) and Mitch Marsh (36) again loomed as key figures in the back half of the innings and while the opener was again the standout in completing his 10th ODI hundred, they were both guilty of the crime for which they were admonished after Melbourne; losing their wickets in quick succession at a crucial time.

Finch century drives Aussies to 9-270

When Marcus Stoinis was caught behind for four to give Adil Rashid a second wicket, Australia had lost 3-7 and a total of 300-plus suddenly looked beyond them.

Carey was inventive and composed in making 27 from 24 balls, though White's failure to find the boundary in making 15no from 21 balls in the final overs was symptomatic of a larger problem; Australia's approach with the bat appears to be too circumspect to compete with this transformed England team.

Fancy footwork ends Carey's maiden knock

That was borne out by England's explosive start with the bat, and the fact that – even as they lost 3-28 in the middle of the innings – they barely paused to consider the wobble.

Instead, they capitalised on fine hands from Jonny Bairstow (60) and Alex Hales (57), who shared a 118-run stand for the second wicket, each posting their maiden half-centuries against Australia in the process.

Bairstow finds touch with quickfire score of 60

Root (46no) followed up his unbeaten 91 in Melbourne with another sensible hand, comfortably ticking his strike-rate along at around 80 as he again adopted the anchor role, while Jos Buttler (42 from 32) cut loose from the other end.

Starc struck twice in his final over to finish with 4-59, offering a reminder of his one-day threat with a searing yorker to knock over Moeen Ali for one.

Starc's perfect yorker removes Moeen Ali

Yet aside from the left-armer, Australia's only real threat was from the pace of 21-year-old Warriors quick Richardson, who hit speeds of above 145kph regularly and claimed 2-57 in an impressive maiden ODI appearance.

The performance of the new-ball pair wasn't enough given the under-par total, however, as Root teamed up with Chris Woakes (39no off 27), who played a terrific cameo late on to help get the tourists home.

Richardson grabs his maiden ODI wicket

AUSTRALIA: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron White, Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye.

ENGLAND: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Mark Wood

2017-18 International Fixtures

Gillette ODI Series v England

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Cameron White, Adam Zampa.

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

First ODI England won by five wickets at the MCG.

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21