Match report
Time to wrap this blog up. Geoff Lemon’s report will appear shortly, as if by magic, and we’ll be back for some lukewarm dead-rubber action on Tuesday. Thanks for your company and emails – bye!
Adam Zampa speaks
It’s a series win which is really important to us. I feel like we played some really good cricket and got the big wickets [of Vince and Billings] at the right time. It was a hard wicket to start on; it was spinning and reverse-swinging and it was a bit up and down.
We’re so flat with how the World Cup went. England were by far the best team, and to beat them makes us feel a little bit better. We know it’s tough for them to back up the World Cup with the scheduling, so we have a bit of sympathy.
Josh was really good [as captain]. We’ve got a really experienced bowling attack and we run the show ourselves, so it’s more about decision-making.
Sam Billings’ verdict
Disappointing loss. Their score was probably above par on that pitch – it was two-paced, up and down at times. Those early wickets that we lost put us on the back foot, and it was a real shame that Vincey and I couldn’t go on for another 10 overs. It was a pitch where you had to absorb a bit of pressure now and then. I struggled at the start – I think I hit every fielder in the ring – and he started well, then we kind of switched roles as the innings progressed.
For me I’m just going with the flow. I think I’ve averaged over 50 in the ODI cricket in the last three years. I’m just trying to enjoy my cricket – it’s not every day you play against Australia in Australia. I love being out here.
Josh Hazlewood hits that A4 piece of paper relentlessly, which makes him tough on that kind of pitch. [The third game] is a huge opportunity for us to stake a claim and give energy to the group. It’s not every day you play against Australia at the MCG.
The win gives Australia back-to-back ODI series victories over England for the first time since 2013-14. England’s form is poor, though they can rationalise this defeat given all the changes they have made. And, a touch surprisingly, they’re still No1 in the ODI rankings.
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WICKET! England 208 all out (Dawson LBW b Zampa 20)
That’s it. Dawson misses a sweep at a loopy full toss and is trapped in front to give Zampa a fourth wicket. Australia win by 72 runs and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
England lost their last seven wickets for 53 – or, rather, Australia took them. It was a fine bowling performance from Starc, Hazlewood and especially Zampa, whose double-wicket maiden turned the game on its head.
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38th over: England 203-9 (target 281; Dawson 18, Rashid 3) Starc is hunting his ninth five-for in ODIs, which would put him joint third on the all-time list. Rashid plays and misses and then digs out a lovely yorker. A maiden.
37th over: England 203-9 (target 281; Dawson 18, Rashid 3) Dawson hacks Zampa for three to take England past 200. Dignity, dignity.
36th over: England 198-9 (target 281; Dawson 15, Rashid 1) “I forgive England entirely for this given the scheduling,” says Ian Copestake. “Is no one allowed to just enjoy themselves following a major success. I have been doing so since 2005!”
WICKET! England 197-9 (Willey b Starc 6)
Mitchell Starc started it all with two wickets in the first over, and now he’s finishing it in a hurry. Willey drags a cut stroke onto the stumps, and Australia are one wicket away from a series victory.
35th over: England 191-8 (target 281; Dawson 14, Willey 1) Agar returns to the attack and concedes just a couple of runs. In the last eight overs, Australia have taken five wickets for 36.
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34th over: England 189-8 (target 281; Dawson 13, Willey 0) Starc has lively figures of 6-0-40-3.
WICKET! England 189-8 (Woakes b Starc 7)
Starc replaces Hazlewood, who wants to finish this off quicksmart, and the change has the desired effect. After being hit for four and six by Dawson – who also survived when a defensive stroke hit the stumps without dislodging the bails – Starc cleans up Woakes with a cracking delivery from around the wicket. Too fast, too straight, too much for a (very good) lower-order batter,
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33rd over: England 178-7 (target 281; Woakes 7, Dawson 2) Zampa has two overs left after this one, and you’d imagine England will just try to see him off. He’s already done quite enough damage.
“Rob, my apologies,” says Phil Withall. “I seem to have unleashed chaos upon the England team. I feel so bad. I shall now join the rest of the family watching Cinderella story, Hilary Duff’s magnum opus. It feels like a fittingly painful penance to pay...”
If you really want to punish yourself, fact-check the entirety of Gianni Infantino’s speech.
32nd over: England 176-7 (target 281; Woakes 6, Dawson 1) Woakes drives Hazlewood through mid-off for four, a stylish way to get off the mark, but he’s beaten trying to repeat the stroke later in the over. England need 105 from 108 balls.
“Well, we’ll always have 155-3, Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “Oddly for a Saturday morning, I’ve seen all the England innings, and it’s been a sort of soothing mogadon of a start to the weekend. Lovely ground, some great shots, a few great spells of bowling all amongst a strange feeling of inconsequence. And it looks like we want an early bath now.”
Yes, the whole thing feels comfortingly unimportant, and I’m sure I’d say exactly the same thing if England were cruising to victory.
31st over: England 169-7 (target 281; Woakes 0, Dawson 0) A double-wicket maiden from Zampa; in fact he has taken 3 for 0 in his last 10 balls. In his own unobtrusive way, he is world-class.
WICKET! England 169-7 (Curran c Hazlewood b Zampa 0)
Adam Zampa is winning the game for Australia! Curran clouted a googly high in the air towards mid-off, where Hazlewood backpedalled to take a good catch. England, who were in control of the game, have lost four for 14 in 18 balls.
WICKET! England 169-6 (Billings b Zampa 71)
Gottim! Australia are on a roll now, and the dangerous Sam Billings have gone. He charged Zampa, was beaten by the drift and ended up yorking himself. That’s a huge breakthrough, one that makes Australia big favourites to win the match and series.
30th over: England 169-5 (target 281; Billings 71, Woakes 0) Hazlewood has troubled Billings all night, particularly with back-of-a-length nipbackers. Another such delivery hits Billings in the delicates, and then Hazlewood beats Woakes with a beauty that bounces over the stumps. Just one run from a fabulous over.
29th over: England 168-5 (target 281; Billings 70, Woakes 0) Moeen has a dreadful ODI record in Australia – 22 innings, no fifties, average 15. His dismissal means that Australia are into the lower order. With Adil Rashid at No11, you can’t really call it the tail.
“It’s been a long day, I finally get a chance to watch some cricket and Vince is dismissed,” says Phil Withall. “I would like to formally apologise to England supporters everywhere, I have a habit of bringing bad luck to sporting events.”
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WICKET! England 168-5 (Ali b Zampa 10)
Moeen Ali goes for an eventful four-ball 10. He thumped a free hit down the ground for four, slog-swept the next ball delightfully for six – but Zampa had the final say with a fine delivery that skidded on to hit the off bail when Moeen missed a defensive stroke.
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28th over: England 156-4 (target 281; Billings 68, Ali 0) That was a much-needed wicket for Australia, and the end of a really innings from Vince: 60 from 72 balls with three fours and two sixes.
WICKET! England 156-4 (Vince LBW b Hazlewood 60)
The captain Josh Hazlewood gets the job done. Vince missed an inelegant smear across the line and was hit plumb in front. He reviewed the decision, presumably in the hope it was bouncing over the top. It wasn’t.
27th over: England 155-3 (target 281; Vince 60, Billings 68) Australia need wickets plural, so Zampa is returning to the attack. Vince survives an LBW appeal after missing a sweep – outside the line – and then fails to cash in on a full toss.
Zampa ends a good over, three from it, by beating Vince’s attempted drive.
It’s just not cricket
But if you’re interested in football, this is quite something.
26th over: England 152-3 (target 281; Vince 59, Billings 66) Billings is flying now. He flicks Starc through midwicket for four, a superbly timed shot that beats the man running round from square leg. Australia, as Mark Waugh observes on commentary, suddenly look a bit flat. England need 129 from 144 balls.
“Hi,” says John Starbuck. “In overs 17 and 21 you were commenting on your own OBO writing, while actually writing the OBO. It’s a bit meta isn’t it? Could be like some players who talk to themselves about their batting, like Derek Randall used to do.”
You can’t bowl there to Carlisle Best.
25th over: England 143-3 (target 281; Vince 58, Billings 59) Vince tries to work Marsh to leg and gets a leading edge that teases the ring fielders before dropping short. The next ball keeps low and is defended awkwardly by Vince.
A single brings Billings on strike, and he flicks neatly behind square for four. After a difficult start, he’s playing nicely and has scored 36 from his last 23 deliveries.
24th over: England 137-3 (target 281; Vince 57, Billings 55) This is a good move from Josh Hazlewood, who has brought back Mitchell Starc with a view to breaking this increasingly irksome partnership.
Starc goes round the wicket immediately, the angle from which he bowled that astonishing delivery to Vince at the Waca in 2017. There’s no sign of any movement, off the pitch or in the air, and Billings flicks a couple to bring up the hundred partnership. Then he takes a tight single to mid-off, where Agar doesn’t pick the ball up cleanly. Had he done so he would have had a run-out chance.
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23rd over: England 131-3 (target 281; Vince 55, Billings 50) Billings works the new bowler Mitchell Marsh for a single to reach a determined half-century from 60 balls. He hasn’t timed too many but he’s still brawling for king and country.
Vince, by contrast, is timing plenty and he gets another boundary with a flick off the pads. England have scored 53 from the last six overs.
22nd over: England 124-3 (target 281; Vince 50, Billings 49) Vince drives Agar for a single to reach a classy half-century from 52 balls, and then Billings hits successive sixes. The first was dragged over wide long on, even though he was well beaten in the flight; the second was clouted sweetly over mid on.
21st over: England 109-3 (target 281; Vince 49, Billings 35) Vince steals a second off Zampa’s final delivery, which makes it five from the over. This is a decent recovery from England, although the last time I said that Phil Salt was bowled next ball.
20th over: England 104-3 (target 281; Vince 46, Billings 33) Agar returns to the attack, so we’ll have spin from both ends. England milk him for seven low-risk runs to continue a good little spell – they’ve scored 26 from the last three overs.
19th over: England 97-3 (target 281; Vince 43, Billings 30)
Billings is not out! Yep, it hit him outside the line, so Australia lose their first review.
Australia review for LBW! Billings gets his first boundary from his 46th delivery, reverse-sweeping Zampa to third man. He tries again next ball, misses and survives a tight LBW shout. Josh Hazlewood goes for the review. I’m fairly sure it’s hitting, but it might have hit him outside the line. It’s really close.
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18th over: England 89-3 (target 281; Vince 42, Billings 23) Vince waves Stoinis high over square leg for his second six. He’s such a seductive player, and I’d love to know how his Test career would have panned out had he made a hundred at Brisbane in 2017. I’m not saying England would now be world Test champions; we just don’t know.
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17th over: England 78-3 (target 281; Vince 33, Billings 22) Zampa’s the key man here. England are trying to milk him, but that’s easier said than done with Zampa’s crafty variations. Three from the over. Vince has 33 from 39 balls, Billings a stodgy 22 from 42.
“Oh dear,” writes Diana. I’m not sure whether she’s referring to England’s start, Gianni Infantino’s speech or my writing, but I most certainly agree.
16th over: England 75-3 (target 281; Vince 32, Billings 20) Billings is beaten, and almost bowled, by a short ball from Stoinis that doesn’t get up at all. This isn’t the most trustworthy pitch, and the target of 281 feels a long way away for England. They need 206 from 204 balls, and it’s time for drinks.
15th over: England 71-3 (target 281; Vince 30, Billings 18) Adam Zampa comes into the attack. He’s had a terrific year in ODIs, with 22 wickets at an average of 21, and he almost gets his 23rd when Vince is beaten outside off stump. A really good start from Zampa, two from the over.
14th over: England 69-3 (target 281; Vince 29, Billings 17) Vince has been starved of the strike in this partnership but he’s playing pretty nicely. He slugs a short ball from Stoinis through square leg for four more, and three singles make it a decent over for England.
13th over: England 62-3 (target 281; Vince 24, Billings 15) Wake up! James Vince has just played the most gorgeous shot, skipping down the track to ease Agar over wide mid-off for a 96-metre six. That’s the first boundary since the fifth over, and it was a beauty.
12th over: England 53-3 (target 281; Vince 17, Billings 13) Billings pulls Stoinis for a couple to bring up the England fifty. We’re into the Boring Middle Overs, where boundaries are rare and the game potters along. I’ll wake you up when something happens.
11th over: England 48-3 (target 281; Vince 16, Billings 9) Billings takes a quick single and then cheerily berates himself for running on the pitch. “What am I doing on there?”
Three singles from another quiet over. Australia are well on top.
10th over: England 45-3 (target 281; Vince 15, Billings 7) Marcus Stoinis replaces Hazelwood (4-1-24-1) and concedes just a couple from a good over of wicket-to-wicket hustle. Australia have squeezed England since the wicket of Salt; the last five overs have cost just 11 runs.
9th over: England 43-3 (target 281; Vince 14, Billings 6) Billings, who is struggling to time it, flicks Agar fine for a couple. Those are the only runs from the over; Billings has 6 from 18 balls, Vince 14 from 15.
8th over: England 41-3 (target 281; Vince 14, Billings 4) Billings is again hit on the thigh by a nipbacker from Hazlewood; then he edges through the vacant slip cordon for a single. Three from the over.
7th over: England 38-3 (target 281; Vince 13, Billings 2) The ball has stopped swinging, so Ashton Agar replaces Starc (3-0-13-2). There should be plenty in this pitch for Agar and Adam Zampa, and his fourth ball turns extravagantly to beat a startled Vince.
6th over: England 34-3 (target 281; Vince 11, Billings 0) Billings is hit on the thigh by his second ball, a big nipbacker from Hazlewood. The next delivery straightens beautifully to beat Billings’ attempted drive. Outstanding stuff from Hazlewood, a wicket maiden.
WICKET! England 34-3 (Salt b Hazlewood 23)
Phil Salt dies by the sword. He made room to slap a length ball from Hazlewood through the off side, missed and was cleaned up. Salt goes for a frisky 16-ball 23, and England are once again in all sorts.
5th over: England 34-2 (target 281; Salt 23, Vince 11) Vince waves Starc through extra cover for four and then slaps a cut that is well stopped by Agar at backward point. England have recovered well from that desperate start.
4th over: England 28-2 (target 281; Salt 22, Vince 6) Salt swivel-pulls Hazlewood sweetly for six, the first of the innings, then spanks the next delivery to the cover boundary. He only plays one way, even when the score is 0 for 2, and he has raced to 22 from 14 balls.
3rd over: England 14-2 (target 281; Salt 9, Vince 5) Before this series, Vince was the answer to a great quiz question: which England player top scored in his last appearance in Tests, ODIs and T20s?
Vince times an inswinger from Starc through square leg for three, then Salt cracks Starc just short of cover. Five from the over.
2nd over: England 9-2 (target 281; Salt 7, Vince 2) The captain Josh Hazlewood shares the new ball, and his second delivery jags back to cut Phil Salt in half. Salt times the next ball pleasantly through point for a couple and then whips the first boundary of the innings over square leg. Good shot.
1st over: England 2-2 (Salt 0, Vince 2) Vince flicks his first ball off middle stump for a couple. The ball is swinging prodigiously for Starc.
WICKET! England 0-2 (Malan b Starc 0)
Glorious bowling from Mitchell Starc! He beat Dawid Malan with consecutive outswingers and then pegged the off stump back with a third. Malan tried to work to leg and was beaten all ends up. That’s a spectacular piece of bowling, nigh-on unplayable, and England are in all sorts.
That is a SEED from Starc!#AUSvENG | #PlayOfTheDay | #Dettol pic.twitter.com/XISUPw34Pm
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 19, 2022
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WICKET! England 0-1 (Roy c Carey b Starc 0)
Jason Roy lasts two balls. He pushed indecisively at a shortish delivery from Mitchell Starc and gloved it down the leg side to Alex Carey. When your luck’s out…
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The players are out, the lights are on; it’s time for England’s runchase.
This is an important innings for Jason Roy, whose apparent loss of form is turning into something more serious. In his last 20 matches, in all white-ball formats, he averages 18.11 with a highest score of 43. Not many positives to take there.
Thanks Jon, evening/morning everyone. I agree that Australia’s total feels slightly over par, although I thought the same about India in the World T20 semi-final. Not that I’m expecting England to win this game by 10 wickets; there is about a 0.06 per cent chance of that.
If you’re just waking up in England, here’s what you need to know at the innings break:
Both sides have stand-in skippers, Hazlewood for Australia, Moeen for England, and both are taking charge for the first time in ODIs
The SCG pitch is extremely dry, of variable bounce, favours spin, and not full of runs.
280 feels just over par but Australia also left plenty of runs on the ground after a series of conservative partnerships failed to cash in at the death. A lot will rest on how aggressive England are in the powerplay and then how Australia’s spinners perform in the middle overs.
Steve Smith continued his excellent form with 94. Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh played neatly for half-centuries.
England bowled tidily but only Adil Rashid (3/57) looked a consistent wicket-taking threat. Moeen rotated his attack well and adapted to the pitch smartly throughout the innings.
Rob Smyth will take you through the run-chase so I will leave you in his capable hands.
Australia 280-8
England will have to chase 281 for victory under lights at the SCG.
50th over: Australia 280-8 (Agar 18, Zampa 0) Curran has been uncharacteristically costly today but he has to bowl the final over. It begins poorly when he bowls full onto Agar’s pads allowing a free swish of the bat to send the ball miles over the shorter boundary for six. Adam Zampa then runs aggressively to turn every shot into two from the non-striker’s end, boosting his partner’s score, and adding plenty of furrows to English brows.
49th over: Australia 264-8 (Agar 3, Zampa 0) Excellent death bowling from England. Willey ends with 2/44.
WICKET! Starc c Woakes b Willey 0 (Australia 264-8)
Two in two for England. Starc picks up his first ball nicely but lofts it straight to Woakes at deep square leg.
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WICKET! Marsh c Vince b Willey 50 (Australia 264-7)
Marsh drills a single to bring up a half-century from 58 balls but he perishes soon afterwards, failing to get enough on a straight drive and gifting a boundary catch to James Vince.
48th over: Australia 259-6 (Marsh 49, Agar 1) Woakes follows his wicket with a couple of dots at the left-handed Agar. A single brings Marsh on the strike, who knows he must do the damage in the final passage, but Woakes is too good, finding movement in the air away from the right-hander then deceiving him with one that tails in. Excellent death bowling.
WICKET! Stoinis b Woakes 13 (Australia 256-6)
Middle of middle. Straight and slow (and a touch low) floater from Woakes. Stoinis is through his shot way too early.
I remain unsure of what kind of a batter Stoinis is. He can smash a long ball in the slot, but is there anything else to his game at this level?
47th over: Australia 256-5 (Marsh 47, Stoinis 13) What was I saying about a power hitter lining himself up? In the slot from Willey and Stoinis larrups him back over his head for a hefty six. Willey has replaced Curran in the attack and he comes back superbly, dropping in a couple of very slow bouncers and well-directed yorkers to frustrate a pair of batters who are fixated on pummelling the ball into Randwick.
46th over: Australia 247-5 (Marsh 46, Stoinis 5) Woakes replaces Rashid and he does excellently, going for just four runs. He begins with a dot, then an in-ducker that raps the pads, followed by an away swinger that beats the outside edge. Stoinis has still yet to get his eye in and Woakes’s variations of length and curve are making him hard to line up for such a power hitter.
45th over: Australia 243-5 (Marsh 46, Stoinis 2) England continue with their T20 finisher Curran and he enjoys three dots and a single from his deliveries at the slow-starting Stoinis. Marsh has already started though and he clears his front leg and lofts a length delivery between the two sweepers and just over the midwicket rope for six!
44th over: Australia 235-5 (Marsh 39, Stoinis 1) Rashid finishes with 3/57. The surface suited him and Australia never looked settled against his ability to spin the ball both directions.
WICKET! Smith c Salt b Rashid 94 (Australia 234-5)
Australia’s anchor is finally unmoored. Rashid slowed his pace, Smith’s eyes lit up, but he didn’t get everything on his lofted drive and Salt held onto a straightforward catch on the rope. Rashid gets his third. Smith misses out on a ton, but his 94 from 114 deliveries has kept his side on track.
43rd over: Australia 231-4 (Smith 92, Marsh 38) Sam Curran has only bowled four overs so far today and England will hope he can hold down an end for the duration. Moeen Ali might have to rethink his plans on the run though with Smith beginning the over by stepping to off and flicking a six way over square leg. Curran recovers but Australia are gathering momentum for a final assault.
With his remodelled technique Smith doesn’t look as though his bat is two metres wide anymore but there is still that familiar timing whereby he looks in position to play his stroke before the bowler has entered his delivery stride.
42nd over: Australia 219-4 (Smith 84, Marsh 34) Rashid into his ninth over and Smith struggles to get him away, unleashing a primal scream after one mistimed edge. Finally he releases his frustration with an ugly slog sweep that spirals into the air off a top edge and luck of luck it lands safely, equidistant between the man on the 45, square leg and midwicket.
41st over: Australia 214-4 (Smith 79, Marsh 34) Single, single, single, single, TONK! Australia finally let Mitch Marsh off the leash, dumping Woakes over long-on to signal the run home.
40th over: Australia 204-4 (Smith 77, Marsh 26) Rashid is back for his third spell, one that should include plenty of action, and it begins with Smith piercing the offside with a gorgeous off drive for four. Marsh is far less comfortable at the crease, clearly not reading Rashid out of the hand, but his long levered sweep gets him off strike.
England’s leggie has two crucial wickets, but he’s also gone for six rpo, the costliest of the attack.
39th over: Australia 196-4 (Smith 71, Marsh 24) Australia remain watchful, waiting for the signal to sprint to the line, happy to allow Woakes an over worth just one run.
38th over: Australia 195-4 (Smith 70, Marsh 24) Just as I type that Smith decides out of nowhere to sweep Dawson off his length for four. But like everything this innings so far it was executed with little bombast. Marsh responds by attempting his first reverse sweep of his knock, misses his shot, and England send up a review for LBW but DRS confirms the on-field expectation that the ball was bouncing way over the bails.
Dawson ends a very tidy day with 0/48. He’s done exactly the job he was picked to do.
37th over: Australia 188-4 (Smith 64, Marsh 24) Time for Chris Woakes to have another spell, his first with the older ball, and Australia continue to respect everything sent in their direction. This is very subdued cricket. If this partnership doesn’t cash in on the tonk they will surely regret leaving plenty of runs out there.
36th over: Australia 185-4 (Smith 62, Marsh 24) Marsh looks like a man under orders to rein in his natural instincts but he can’t help himself from swiping a couple of muscular sweeps. The first is intercepted for two, the second is struck too fiercely and earns four. Around those horizontal bat shots there are four straight bat dots.
35th over: Australia 179-4 (Smith 62, Marsh 18) Willey continues to keep things tight. Australia seem content to keep their powder dry ahead of a late onslaught. There have been periodic bursts of intent in the middle, but in the main the hosts have been content to collect the runs on offer without forcing the issue.
34th over: Australia 176-4 (Smith 61, Marsh 16) Liam Dawson returns after drinks and he begins with four dots to Smith and a single to each batter. Dawson has 0/36 from his eight overs so far, conceding only one boundary.
33rd over: Australia 174-4 (Smith 60, Marsh 15) Willey continues his English red ball line and length on this sub-continental white ball deck, and it’s not doing him too badly with neither right-hander looking to force the issue and the odd one sliding across and inducing a false stroke.
The second and final drinks break is upon us.
32nd over: Australia 168-4 (Smith 57, Marsh 12) Marsh does not look born to combat Rashid but the allrounder sweeps his way off strike and allows Smith to face a free-hit after the spinner oversteps. Smith tries to switch-hit, Rashid sees him coming a mile off, lands the ball outside where off stump began, and Smith looks very ungainly in his failure to put willow on leather. Rashid then drops his pace to 74kph and there’s oodles of drift and side-spin as a result.
This is such a difficult pitch to determine a par score. So much is going to rest on how Australia’s bowlers adapt to this dry surface.
31st over: Australia 166-4 (Smith 57, Marsh 11) Willey hasn’t been too inventive in this spell but he has hit his stock line and length repeatedly, angling full deliveries across the right-handers. Marsh struggles to line them up and the over goes for just a couple of singles.
30th over: Australia 164-4 (Smith 56, Marsh 10) The lesson from the innings so far is to be wary of playing cross-batted shots, especially against turning deliveries, but Marsh goes for the sweep early against Rashid and gets four for his bravery. The bowler almost exacts his revenge immediately with Marsh unable to pick the wrong ‘un. Smith shows his junior partner the way to go, waiting deep in his crease for the drag down and picking his spot wide of long-on for a one-bounce four.
Australia’s most profitable over in some time.
29th over: Australia 152-4 (Smith 50, Marsh 4) Willey does not provide Rashid’s threat and Australia pick up six runs with little difficulty. One of those is a milestone run with Smith bringing up his 29th ODI half-century.
28th over: Australia 146-4 (Smith 46, Marsh 2) Marsh clips a tame hat-trick ball away for a couple, but that should not detract from a match-changing over from Adil Rashid.
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Now’s the time for Hazlewood to stride to the crease and take this game by the scruff of the neck. #AUSvENG
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) November 19, 2022
WICKET! Carey st Billings b Rashid 0 (Australia 144-4)
Carey tries to sweep first ball, Rashid slips a length delivery under the bat with a smidgen of legspin, Billings is quick to whip off the bails and appeals vociferously. The third umpire gets involved and takes a while to determine there was no under-edge for a catch behind. Then there’s far less deliberation to reveal Carey’s back foot was on, not behind the line! Carey goes first ball! Superb keeping from Billings.
Rashid is on a hat-trick!
WICKET! Labuschagne c Roy b Rashid 58 (Australia 144-3)
Dawson gets a rest and Rashid returns for his second spell, and immediately Labuschagne goes for the slog sweep, landing just short of the square-leg sweeper. Smith rotates the strike, then RASHID GETS HIS MAN! The sweep comes out again, this time the delivery is slower, grips more off the pitch, and Labuschagne can only bunt a top edge to Roy at mid-off who will never be offered a simple catch. Superb bowling, pretty one-dimensional batting from a guy on 58.
27th over: Australia 142-2 (Smith 45, Labuschagne 57) Curran makes way for Willey and the latter of the left-armers begins his second spell with five dots. But Smith doesn’t allow those dots to join into the shape of an M with a casual swish of his bat sending a length delivery for a one-bounce four over mid-on.
As part of this job I am obliged to pay close attention to Twitter, but if the whole thing burns to the ground I shall not be sad to see it smoulder. As I type, looking for #AusvEng content the other trending topics are Nazis, Andrew Tate, and Pubes. What is wrong with us?
26th over: Australia 138-2 (Smith 41, Labuschagne 57) Both batters are using their feet more now and both are looking to manufacture runs rather than just milk those available. But this surface is so tricky to trust when each goes aerially there are hearts in mouths as mistimed strokes land wide of fielders. Dawson continues to bowl tidily.
25th over: Australia 132-2 (Smith 37, Labuschagne 55) Curran changes his line of attack to around the wicket and he has a sniff of a run-out, throwing down the stumps after gathering in his follow-through, but Smith was very in. Labuschagne brings up his half-century, one accumulated with little fuss or fanfare, then drills a four with a muscular short-arm pull.
Australia on top at quarter-time. This isn’t an easy pitch to score on but this partnership is well set.
24th over: Australia 124-2 (Smith 35, Labuschagne 49) Dawson keeps on keeping on, doing a job, conceding five runs, getting through his work quickly.
Smith and Marnus batting together in Tests - 15 partnerships, 1263 runs @ 57.41, 7 century stands.
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) November 19, 2022
In ODIs before today, 9 p'ships, 639 runs @ 71.00, 3 century stands.
23rd over: Australia 119-2 (Smith 31, Labuschagne 48) Curran rummages around in his box of tricks to keep Australia’s set batters guessing. Four singles, two dots the outcome.
22nd over: Australia 115-2 (Smith 29, Labuschagne 46) Labuschagne caresses Dawson straight down the ground for an effortless boundary to start the over. The bowler recovers well but England look short of ideas to break this formidable partnership.
21st over: Australia 108-2 (Smith 28, Labuschagne 40) The scoring continues with two runs off the bat and four byes following a shorter Curran delivery that bounced like a superball and cleared Sam Billings behind the stumps by a mile. It was a clear wide but somehow not given by the square-leg umpire.
20th over: Australia 102-2 (Smith 27, Labuschagne 39) Dawson to continue and Labuschagne pulls out his slog-sweep for the first time against England’s left-armer, getting enough on it to earn two but it didn’t come out of the middle. Australia look to score off every delivery, indicating the scoring rate is on its way upwards since the drinks break with two set batters. What can England do in response?
19th over: Australia 96-2 (Smith 25, Labuschagne 35) Sam Curran into the attack after the drinks break, England’s T20 world cup star interrupting the long run of spin from both ends. Can his variations unsettle this established partnership? Almost immediately! Slipping an off-cutter across the flat-footed Labuschagne and past the outside edge. Thereafter the partnership passes 50 with a couple of singles and neatly clipped three that evades short midwicket.
@JPHowcroft I slept through the last ODI, so this is the first time puppy Marnus is getting to watch his namesake. The real deal may be better at sixes, but I'm pretty sure I bellowed NO RUN!! at mine earlier as he was chasing the cat... pic.twitter.com/OdY7OKrWMe
— Dr Meghan Purvis (@meghanpurvis) November 19, 2022
What an excellent doggo. I am strongly in favour of this wholesome content. I must ask, is there a slightly older, more fidgety dog that Marnus is trying to emulate?
We’re entering the afternoon-nap-on-the-couch middle overs portion of the innings.
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) November 19, 2022
We entered this portion before the shine was off the new ball.
18th over: Australia 91-2 (Smith 24, Labuschagne 31) Australia are yet to go at Liam Dawson allowing the England left-armer to go through the motions and concede just five runs. Dawson has figures of 0/10 from his three so far.
Drinks.
17th over: Australia 86-2 (Smith 21, Labuschagne 29) A boundary! Labuschagne again elects to sweep Rashid, and this time he connects with a wristy swipe in front of the square leg sweeper.
16th over: Australia 78-2 (Smith 19, Labuschagne 23) Just two singles this time. Good for Dawson. Not great for my creativity.
15th over: Australia 76-2 (Smith 18, Labuschagne 22) Three more singles from another over of England spin. Workmanlike stuff form both teams out there.
14th over: Australia 73-2 (Smith 17, Labuschagne 20) Liam Dawson’s left-arm orthodox replaces Moeen Ali’s right-arm offies. He’ll enjoy this surface and two right-handers at the crease. Three singles, tidy start, and a big shout for a tickle down the legside but without the conviction to call for a review.
13th over: Australia 70-2 (Smith 16, Labuschagne 18) Testing over from Rashid, going for just three, and the leggie was unlucky not to earn a wicket. His line adjusted to outside off stump to Labuschagne and a series of sweeps failed to connect effectively, with the last of the lot spooning up off a leading edge but landing short of mid-on.
12th over: Australia 67-2 (Smith 15, Labuschagne 16) Australia have decided to counterattack and try to unsettle England before they slip into a spin-heavy groove. Labuschagne welcomes Moeen to the crease for his third over by belting him over extra-cover for a four that is so close to a six they should really split the difference and give it five. England’s field is now a bit wonky and there are easy singles to be had in most quadrants.
11th over: Australia 60-2 (Smith 14, Labuschagne 10) Spin from both ends for England in just the 11th over with Rashid called into the attack. Both right-handers are watchful, wary of the Englishman’s ability to spin the ball both ways, but Smith still adds a boundary to his score when Rashid drags down a wrong ‘un that is impossible not to help on its way to the fine-leg fence.
Steve Smith averages 60.78 in ODIs at the SCG, the highest of all players (min 10 inns) #AUSvENG
— Josh Schönafinger (@joshschon) November 19, 2022
10th over: Australia 53-2 (Smith 9, Labuschagne 8) The uneven bounce almost does for the new batter with Moeen getting one to turn in sharply from outside off and creep at shin height towards Labuschagne’s pads in front of all three. Bothered? Not Marnus. A couple of skips and a smash over long-on earns the Queenslander his first ODI six.
This surface is making for an interesting contest. No idea what par is batting first any more.
WICKET! Head c Moeen b Woakes 19 (Australia 43-2)
England are very much in this contest after a slow start. Woakes completes an excellent over with his country’s second wicket. It’s a tight set on a decent length and a fourth stump line, mostly cutters, utilising the slow surface to keep the batters off their timing, then slipping in a full pace shorter delivery that Head is slow on and bunts to short midwicket. Excellent tactics and execution.
9th over: Australia 43-2 (Smith 6)
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8th over: Australia 42-1 (Head 19, Smith 6) Smith begins Moeen’s second over with a beautiful lap sweep for three. Not a lot else happens.
“Morning Jonathan,” pleasure, as always, Brian Withington. “Can’t quite believe I’ve stayed up to watch this game, despite your valiant efforts to raise enthusiasm levels. Maybe Cricket Australia should consider offering some Qatar style Fan Leader Network inducements to spice things up a bit?”
I can see it now, The Sham-y Army, singing mildly offensive songs about colonialism while drinking zero-percent VB. It’s what this series needs.
7th over: Australia 37-1 (Head 18, Smith 2) Woakes finally gets his line right with his first delivery of an over and in so doing he beats Head’s outside edge. He does the same to complete his set of six. In between, singles keep the strike rotating but one of them almost leads to a run-out when Head calls Smith through despite the latter bellowing “WAIT!” to the non-striker.
6th over: Australia 35-1 (Head 17, Smith 1) Just two singles and the wicket form Moeen’s first over. England are into the contest after a torpid start.
WICKET! Warner c Dawson b Moeen 16 (Australia 33-1)
Bold and interesting from Moeen Ali, bringing himself on early. Nothing was happening with his seamers and the pitch is clearly going to favour the slow bowlers, but can he survive in the powerplay? Yes, yes he can! His first delivery has Warner fishing around off stump and his second is swept straight to Dawson at square-leg. Superb captaincy from England’s stand-in. That changes the complexion of this phase of the game, especially with England selecting three frontline spinners.
5th over: Australia 33-0 (Warner 16, Head 16) Five overs, five times the first ball has gone for runs. However, for the first time they come behind square on the off-side, four of them, with Warner clattering an uppish square cut off a Woakes. The first bowler-induced false stroke of the day with a Woakes offie gripping in the pitch and finding the thick outside edge of Head’s bat. No chance comes of it and the hosts continue to build an ominous opening partnership.
4th over: Australia 24-0 (Warner 10, Head 13) Guess what? Another over begins with a run behind square on the legside. This time it’s a leg-bye, but still, poor bowling. Moeen has adapted to the conditions, replacing catchers behind the wicket with ones in front, acknowledging the lack of pace in the pitch and menace in his fast-medium attack. But all the catchers are spectators when Willey drops short and Warner slaps him disdainfully over midwicket for a one-bounce four. England are going to need 20 good overs in the middle from Rashid and Dawson, and maybe ten more from Moeen.
3rd over: Australia 18-0 (Warner 5, Head 13) Three overs in a row now begin with Warner scoring behind square on the legside. This is not good from England. The pitch almost comes to Woakes’ rescue next ball with a shooter that scoots under Head’s swipe. The opener adjusts and times the next ball through the V for a sumptuous on-driven four. Warner reclaims the strike but almost gives his wicket away with that short-arm bunt he occasionally calls on, lobbing into the on-side just short of midwicket. Clearly this surface is going to be hard to trust.
2nd over: Australia 12-0 (Warner 5, Head 8) Like Woakes before him Willey begins on Warner’s hip and the Australian clips a couple. The England left-arm seamer is a long way short of express and Australia’s openers are hungry to climb into anything in their half of the pitch. Warner doesn’t time his swipes but he does rotate the strike to allow Head to brutalise an extra cover drive.
Pat Cummins, Jasprit Bumrah & Josh Hazlewood captaining their countries in the same year further emphasises how the cricket world is finally acknowledging that fast bowlers have always been born leaders #AusvEng
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) November 19, 2022
1st over: Australia 5-0 ( Warner 1, Head 4) Warner gets off the mark first ball with a tuck off his hip then Head flays his first delivery through extra cover for four. It was a garbage delivery, moderately paced short and wide. The world cup winner finds his groove thereafter.
“Sat in bay 15 of the Victor Trumper stand and the teams today give the game real muck up day vibes,” emails Andrew Jolly, clearly very much on my wavelength. “England again field basically a 2nd XI and Australia have just chosen the captain based on I guess who’s the tallest bloke? Nice day for it but.”
I’m pretty sure an early school team I played in was captained by the cleverest guy in the year – independent of cricketing ability. There must be plenty of other examples out there of questionable captaincy decisions – the guy whose mum brought the orange quarters etc…
Chris Woakes has the new ball, David Warner has strike, the SCG is the picture of responsible social distancing. Let’s cricket!
Out come the sides onto the SCG oval. England in their 50-over uniform of navy blue with sky blue accents. Australia clavicle to toe in canary yellow, a monochrome palate offset only by green helmets.
This may be the best ODI series ever. Captains can't be bothered playing. Nobody really cares who wins. Headlines everywhere about Steve Smith being back in peak form based on one cover drive. All great to see. #AUSvENG
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) November 19, 2022
Smith is currently being interviewed on the host broadcaster about that cover drive. It is excellent #content but the chumminess of it all is hard to connect with. I think I’m a little dead inside. Maybe more than a little.
England XI
Four changes for England with Moeen, Adil Rashid, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes all coming in. Buttler, Chris Jordan, Luke Wood and Olly Stone drop out.
England XI: Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Dawid Malan, James Vince, Sam Billings (wk), Moeen Ali (c), Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, David Willey, Adil Rashid
Australia XI
Two changes for the home side with Hazlewood replacing Cummins in the attack and as skipper, while Mitch Marsh gets an audition for the allrounder role in place of Cameron Green.
Australia XI: David Warner, Travis Head, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Mitch Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood (c)
Australia won the toss and will bat
Josh Hazlewood won the toss and reckons the pitch will deteriorate as the day goes on so is happy to have first use.
And Moeen Ali will skipper England! No Jos Buttler…
That news has been confirmed, and this is fun, Josh Hazlewood will captain Australia. Not Steve Smith, not David Warner, not Alex Carey, or literally any of the ten other possibilities. Maybe today is going to be full of #context after all.
Some early reports coming through that Pat Cummins, just one match into his ODI captaincy career, is going to be rested today.
Key event
It’s dry in Sydney, for a change, with temperatures hovering around 21C for the duration. A stiff north-easterly wind may dictate the choice of ends for some bowlers.
Decent day for it #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/FNLLeYDn0C
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) November 19, 2022
Preamble
Hello everyone and welcome to live over-by-over coverage of the second One Day International between Australia and England at the SCG. We’ll be underway in Sydney at 2:20pm AEDT/3:20am GMT.
Thursday’s series-opener went according to script: Australia, hungry for action following a disappointing T20 world cup and eager to establish a positive narrative under new skipper Pat Cummins ahead of next year’s 50-over world cup, cruised to victory over England’s second or third-ish XI a matter of hours after celebrating a major international trophy.
Adelaide Oval was about a quarter full. Few outside seemed to give two figs. With rugby league world cup finals, the men’s football world cup on the doorstep, and the recent men’s T20 world cup only concluding last weekend, there’s only so much attention and effort to go around. And a bilateral ODI series between familiar bedfellows sponsored by #contractualobligation ain’t going to get the pulse rating.
But here we are, approaching the second instalment, and quite probably 100-overs of cricket spanning roughly eight-hours. May as well make the best of it.
Here’s to another look at Travis Head opening, Australia selecting two frontline spinners, and the battle for allrounder supremacy. Here’s to more exposure for England’s newcomers, Jason Roy’s battle for form, and James Vince making a pretty 20 or 30-something before edging elegantly behind the wicket.
Are you more excited than me? Then email me. Or if you’re struggling even more with the lack of context, tweet me while you still can @JPHowcroft.
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