Righto, that’s enough from me. Tanya Aldred’s report from Headingley should be along shortly. Thanks for your company today. The OBO will return. Goodbye!
Here is that (weird) winning moment:
Mitchell Starc grabs the final wicket and Australia WIN by 68 runs to go 2-0 up in the ODI series 🤝 pic.twitter.com/PPDrC5Qgpq
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
Alex Carey bags the Player of the Match award for his crucial 74 with the bat and two catches behind the sticks, the leg side snaffle to get rid of Livingstone was a cracker.
I love it here, I expected that welcome. Hazlewood hanging around at the end did a fantastic job and the big quicks were great. Hardie did a job with the bat and took a couple of wickets. Nice to have an opportunity in this side, it’s great fun.”
Post match reaction:
England Captain Harry Brook:
We bowled nicely in restricting them to 270, I thought we did a good job. Obviously we lost early wickets in the PowerPlay and that killed us. We took some positive options to put the pressure on but it didn’t come off.
We’re a young side, Rash is the highest run-scorer in ODI cricket for us… We’re an inexperienced team playing against one of the best sides in the world - it’s about patience, we’re only two games in.”
Australia Captain Mitchell Marsh:
We knew with Starc and Hazlewood, if we took early wickets we’re a chance. You always want more (runs) those little partnerships at the back end with the tailenders were vital.
Experience is vital when you’re defending a total like that. The ball was moving a bit and early wickets put them under pressure. Aaron Hardie did a great job as well. it’s a really pleasing win… Playing England in England is a tough assignment.
Updated
Australia win by 68 runs!
Olly Stone gets out in curious fashion too, evading a Starc short ball he ends up running the ball off the back of his bat periscope stylee to be caught behind the wicket. Australia secure the win, a lot for England to ponder as they go 2-0 down in the series with three matches left to play.
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WICKET! Adil Rashid lbw b Maxwell 27 (England 201-9)
Rashid attempts a curious sweep off Maxwell and misses, the ball hitting him bang in front and the umpire had no qualms in raising the digit of doom. Just one more needed for Australia as Olly Stone arrives as England’s last man.
Adil Rashid gets trapped in front and Australia are one wicket away from going 2-0 up in the series 👀 pic.twitter.com/6I4qqwXBZu
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
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39th over: England 199-8 (Rashid 26, Potts 6) Rashid and Potts repel Hardie but need more than the four runs taken off the over to make the Aussie’s sweat.
38th over: England 195-8 (Rashid 23, Potts 5) Zampa impores Umpire Wilson to give an lbw off Potts but the replays shows the ball was going comfortably over the bails. Australia can’t find the killer blows as England are trying desperately to stay in the contest.
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37th over: England 192-8 (Rashid 22, Potts 3) Hardie returns and goes for just three runs, he’s been very impressive so far this afternoon and should have had a third wicket – Josh Hazlewood misjudges a catch at mid-on and puts down Potts at full stretch!
36th over: England 189-8 (Rashid 21, Potts 1) Nicely played by Rashid who flicks Zampa off his pads fine for four runs and then follows up with a flat bat down the ground for SIX! Rashid wins the battle of the leggies… for now.
35th over: England 178-8 (Rashid 11, Potts 1) Starc into his penultimate over and looking to finish the job. Rashid tries to smear him over the off side but connects only with fresh Yorkshire air. Starc sends a spurious lbw appeal upstairs and Australia lose their second review.
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34th over: England 176-8 (Rashid 9, Potts 0) Matthew Potts joins Rashid in the middle and defends his first ball, a googly from Zampa.
WICKET! Carse c Hardie b Zampa 26 (England 176-8)
Another bowling change, Adam Zampa replaces Hardie and will bowl to his spinning counterpart Rashid. Rashid knocks a single to bring Carse on strike… who holes out down the ground!
Australia need two more to go 2-0 up in the series. England need 95 more runs and have no very little distance left to run.
33rd over: England 174-7 (Carse 25, Rashid 9) Starc slams a back of a length ball into Rashid’s gloves. The England set up will not like the look of that but their prize leg-spinner looks ok to continue. Four leg byes end the over and takes the target to less than a hundred. That last wicket partnership from Carey and Hazlewood looking all the more crucial as each over passes.
32nd over: England 166-7 (Carse 24, Rashid 5) I thought Mitchell Starc was coming on for a final dart but it is Glenn Maxwell, Rashid picks up a couple and Starc is summoned…
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31st over: England 164-7 (Carse 24, Rashid 5) Adil Rashid fences Hazlewood away for an unconvincing four, this could be over quickly from here.
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WICKET! Smith c sub (J Fraser-McGurk) b Hazlewood 49 (England 159-7)
Gone! One run shy of fifty Jamie Smith picks out the sub fielder at mid-wicket. He’s gutted and angry that he either didn’t keep it on the carpet or go well over the top. Josh Hazlewood gets the breakthrough and Australia need three more as Rashid comes to the middle.
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30th over: England 159-6 (Smith 48, Carse 23) Hardie back into the attack and just a couple of singles off the over. The game bubbling away in Leeds…
Congratulations to Sunrisers who take the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in a weather affected final in Leicestershire:
29th over: England 157-6 (Smith 48, Carse 23) A change does indeed come in the shape of Josh Hazlewood. Jamie Smith gets an inside edge from a length ball and it goes for four down the leg side. England chipping away, they need Smith to stay there if they are to have a hope. 114 more needed for them, Australia need four wickets.
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28th over: England 152-6 (Smith 44, Carse 22) Matthew Short is called into the attack for more spin. Josh Hazlewood can be seen limbering up at deep point. Shot! Carse dances down and dispatches back over the bowler for SIX! Long levers and a flamingo flourish with the back leg for good measure.
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27th over: England 144-6 (Smith 44, Carse 15) Zampa hasn’t been at his best today with the ball, a few too many full tosses and lacking a little in consistency. Just three singles off it though, Australia won’t mind that.
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26th over: England 141-6 (Smith 43, Carse 13) Carse rocks back and slices Maxwell away to the fence for four backward of point. I wonder if Marsh might bring back his seamers here to try and finish the job in a hurry?
25th over: England 136-6 (Smith 43, Carse 8) Carse isn’t content to just play second fiddle to Smith, he launches a length ball from Zampa down the ground for four and then tries a sweep… he misses by a distance and the ball thunks into his pad. Australia go upstairs… mighty close! It stays Not Out on the umpires call but the ball was hitting the top of leg stump. Lucky lad, Brydon.
24th over: England 129-6 (Smith 42, Carse 2) Maxwell whistles through a quick over, just a Carse single off it.
23rd over: England 128-6 (Smith 42, Carse 1) Smith works a single off Zampa to leave Carse on strike with plenty of close in fielders breathing down his neck. Zampa throws in the googly and Carse did not look like he had much idea what was coming down. A single into the off side brings Smith on strike for the last ball… which is clubbed into the stands by Smith. He’s so quick on anything short and duly punishes a drag down from Zampa.
22nd over: England 120-6 (Smith 35, Carse 0) A wicket maiden for Maxwell as the game lurches Australia’s way once more. Brydon Carse joins Smith in the middle with 151 runs needed and just four wickets left.
WICKET! Bethell c Starc b Maxwell 25 (England 120-6)
Oh no! After doing all the hard work Bethell gives it away with a sorry hack into the off-side off Glenn Maxwell. It was a wide ball from Maxwell and should have been carted to the fence but Bethell got his weight all wrong and plinked up a relatively simple catch to Mitchell Starc behind point on the off-side.
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21st over: England 120-5 (Smith 35, Bethell 25) A change of end for Zampa and a full toss to start sees Smith work a boundary into the off side and bring up the fifty partnership between himself and Bethell. A further single each as England slowly rebuild.
20th over: England 114-5 (Smith 30, Bethell 24) Close! Jamie Smith gets away with a hack into the off side, the ball looping in the air but landing safe of three converging fielders. Singles still the order of the day as the match enters a holding pattern of sorts.
19th over: England 110-5 (Smith 28, Bethell 22) Starc into his seventh over as Smith and Bethell inch towards a fifty partnership. Just a single off the over. Adam Zampa is whipped out of the attack after just one over and Glenn Maxwell is thrown the ball.
18th over: England 109-5 (Smith 28, Bethell 21) Both batters look to use their feet to the spinner, working the gaps to pick up three singles off the over.
17th over: England 106-5 (Smith 27, Bethell 19) Bethell does well to jam down on a Starc yorker and scamper a single. SIX! ‘ave some of that! Jamie Smith is onto a short ball in a flash and swivels a pull with plenty of panache into the crowd. We are going to see some spin… here’s Adam Zampa! Don’t go anywhere…
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16th over: England 98-5 (Smith 20, Bethell 18) England inch towards a hundred but still have plenty to do, the small matter of 173 more runs still needed. Still no sign of spin as Mitch Marsh loads up his pace bowlers. Starc is coming back for his sixth over. This’ll be a test for the two young English batters.
15th over: England 94-5 (Smith 18, Bethell 17) Hazelwood continues to join the dots for Australia before Jacob Bethell pounces on a lesser spotted short ball and pulls away for four to end the deluge of dots.
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14th over: England 88-5 (Smith 17, Bethell 12) No sign of spin yet for Australia as Hardie continues. He’s been very impressive though and stitches together a maiden to a frustrated Jamie Smith.
13th over: England 88-5 (Smith 17, Bethell 12) A bit ragged from Josh Hazlewood – which is not a line that gets typed regularly. He oversteps to give away a Free Hit but then sends down consecutive wides to loud jeers from the crowd. When he does bowl a legal delivery Jacob Bethell smears him over mid-off for four. Cue more jeers. Hazlewood then shows his class by beating the bat twice and getting out of the over for no more cost.
12th over: England 81-5 (Smith 17, Bethell 8) Hardie to Smith. One slip in place. Jamie Smith goes up and over and picks up four. Not wholly convincing that one. The two youngsters scamper a quick two off a leg-bye. Eoin Morgan approves paternally from the commentary box.
11th over: England 75-5 (Smith 13, Bethell 8) Jacob Bethell looks a real talent – he plays a princely cut behind point off Hazlewood to pick up four and then latches on to a short ball, lasering it through midwicket for four more. These two need to do more than flatter to deceive though, England need a mammoth partnership to give themselves a chance.
Phew. What a passage of play. Here’s the Hardie grab that got rid of danger man Duckett:
What a catch from Aaron Hardie 🤩
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
Ben Duckett becomes the fourth England wicket to fall within the first ten overs 😬 pic.twitter.com/XQ9Tqcal1r
10th over: England 65-5 (Smith 12, Bethell 0)Jacob Bethell blocks out the hat-trick ball but Hardie finishes the PowerPlay with a double-wicket maiden to leave England on the ropes.
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WICKET! Livingstone c Carey b Hardie 0 (England 65-5)
What a grab by Alex Carey! Livingstone is snaffled down the leg-side from his very first ball and has to go! Hardie on a hat-trick!
Aaron Hardie and Australia are on fire 🔥
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
Liam Livingstone falls first ball 🏴 pic.twitter.com/AIHtYk9NQQ
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WICKET! Duckett c & b Hardie 32 (England 65-4)
Catch me, Hardie! A brilliant reaction catch from Hardie in his follow through as Duckett gets a cue end on an attempted pull shot. Big wicket for Australia!
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9th over: England 65-3 (Duckett 32, Smith 12) Jamie Smith has started his innings like a bullet train! He drives Starc down the ground in some style and then follows up with a flick through midwicket for four more. Neither side taking a backward step at the minute.
8th over: England 55-3 (Duckett 31, Smith 4)Aaron Hardie replaces Hazlewood and is greeted by a Duckett clip off the hip for four first ball. A single brings Smith on strike. Not bad! Smith is high on his toes and smokes a back foot drive through cover for four. Punch and counterpunch at Headingley.
WICKET! Brook lbw b Starc 4 (England 46-3)
Harry Brook is set up and knocked down by Mitch Starc! Starc drags the batter across his crease before spearing in a full in-swinger that pins Brook lbw. Excellent fast bowling, England’s captain is on his way.
7th over: England 46-3 (Duckett 26, Smith 0) Jamie Smith is the new batter, he joins Duckett with England in bother.
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6th over: England 42-2 (Duckett 26, Brook 0) Audacious scoop for four over the keeper by Duckett! Hazlewood gets his teapot on, that ball was bang on middle stump. SHOT! Duckett plays a short arm jab for SIX into the Western Terrace. It isn’t dull this, a huge play and miss follows the next ball. Timed to purrrfection, Duckett clips off his pads for another four to finish the over.
5th over: England 28-2 (Duckett 11, Brook 0) In walks Harry Brook. Three slips waiting to a pumped up Mitch Starc. Brook defends stoutly, three dots to finish the over. Australia on top after the early exchanges.
WICKET! Jacks c Short b Starc 0 (England 26-2)
Starc gets Will Jacks for a duck! Good catch from Matthew Short diving away to his right at second slip. Starc angled it across and took a thick edge. Early wobble for England.
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4th over: England 26-1 (Duckett 11, Jacks 0) Will Jacks is the new batter. Starc will continue to Duckett.
WICKET! Salt c Carey b Hazlewood 12 (England 26-1)
Salt gets a meaty edge off a length ball from Hazlewood and the ball flies away for four. Salt is trying to engineer some space outside off stump but the bowler isn’t giving him an inch. GONE! After three play and misses Salt gets a feather on one and is somewhat predictably snaffled by Carey behind the stumps. Australia have their first.
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3rd over: England 22-0 (Salt 8, Duckett 11) Shot! Duckett clips Starc off his pads for a well timed four through mid-wicket. Starc then spears a wide down the leg-side. Eeeesht! Starc over-corrects and flings one outside the tramlines on the off side that Duckett nevertheless throws the kitchen sink, kettle and toaster at to no avail. Starc beats his man with the next, pitching it on off and moving it away late. Duckett connecting only with fresh air once more.
Starc sends down a third wide in the over, he’s very much bowling like a man who hasn’t played since June and has been in bed with flu the last few days to boot.
2nd over: England 13-0 (Salt 8, Duckett 5) Here comes Mr Metronome – Josh Hazlewood. His usual nagging length against Mr ‘I Don’t Leave It’ Duckett will be a fascinating match up. Duckett clubs down the ground for a couple to get off the mark. Hazlewood responds with a rippah that flies past a Duckett forward poke. An edge past Smith in the slips sees Salt come on strike.
Is that a tickle? There’s a wood-y sounding noise as the ball passes Salt’s bat and Australia choose to review… NOT OUT. The DRS shows the ball passed the bat and clipped Salt on the elbow. THAT WAS AN EDGE! Salt edges to the cordon and is dropped by a diving Matthew Short at second slip just as Ricky Ponting was wondering why Steve Smith - one of the all time great slip grabbers – isn’t in the cordon! Eventful over, Salt survives by the skin of his molars.
1st over: England 8-0 (Salt 8, Duckett 0) Starc goes full with his first ball, a booming in-swinger beats Salt and flies narrowly past the off stump!
Shot! Salt then uses the 90mph pace of Starc, leaning on a full ball that races through cover for four. Same again! Salt gets bat on a full and fast ball and angles it in the gap wide of point for four more. Australia can’t afford for England to get away to a flier.
Right then, here come the English openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett. The returning Mitchell Starc prowls at the top of his mark as late summer sun the beats down at Headingley. Let’s play!
I'll be back for England’s run chase. They’ll have Starc, Hazlewood and Zampa to contend with and 271 runs to make.
Far too much has been made of Harry Brook's throwaway comments while not enough had been made of his excellent rotation of bowlers and dynamic field positioning. He's got a long career ahead of him and I can see him lifting a lot of trophies as England captain.
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) September 21, 2024
Australia 270 all out!
England breathe a sigh of relief. Alex Carey hits two boundaries at the start of Olly Stone’s over and tries to strike a third only to find Phil Salt in the deep. A final wicket partnership of 45 gets Australia up to a target they can defend, especially with Starc and Hazlewood returning to the bowling stocks.
England bowled well though, sharing the wickets around on a batter friendly surface. Over to their much vaunted batting card to knock off this eminently reachable total.
Australia are bowled out for 270 🇦🇺
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
Alex Carey departs for 74 👏 pic.twitter.com/brmIVFNZfR
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44th over: Australia 262-9 (Carey 59, Hazlewood 4) Crrrunch! Carey hangs back and launches Matthew Potts over extra cover for SIX! A single off the fifth ball leaves Hazlewood needing to survive one ball… which he does. If Carey can do this for the next six overs then he’ll haul his side up to near 300 which will feel like a real gut punch for England.
43rd over: Australia 255-9 (Carey 59, Hazlewood 4) Alex Carey is playing a gem of a knock for Australia. He whacks Olly Stone for SIX down the ground and then scampers a single to keep strike for the next over. This last wicket partnership is up to 34 off 39 balls.
42nd over: Australia 248-9 (Carey 52, Hazlewood 4) Brydon Carse finishes his day’s work with the ball, a mixed bag sees him pick up three wickets but for the cost of 75 runs.
41st over: Australia 246-9 (Carey 51, Hazlewood 4) Shot! Carey goes to his fifty with an beautifully timed SIX down the ground off Will Jacks. This last wicket stand is annoying England but not yet dangerously so, Australia close on on 250 which looked out of reach a few overs back when wickets were tumbling apace.
40th over: Australia 238-9 (Carey 44, Hazlewood 4) Carey takes five balls from Carse before running a single off the fitth to leave Hazlewood with one ball to face in the over. What were you worried about? A delightful uppercut from a short ball sees Hazlewood pick up a boundary. Australia still ticking.
39th over: Australia 232-9 (Carey 43, Hazlewood 0) Well played Josh Carey, the keeper-batter picks up back-to-back boundaries off Adil Rashid. Depositing a full ball down the ground and sweeping one past Olly Stone on the leg-side fence. On we go.
38th over: Australia 223-9 (Carey 34, Hazlewood 0) Just a single off Carse’s latest improves his figures further still.
37th over: Australia 222-9 (Carey 32, Hazlewood 0) Josh Hazlewood defends three balls from Rashid. Carey is still there for Australia, I’d wager he’ll try and farm the strike and plunder some boundaries.
Plunketty https://t.co/6rGvgNgfd7
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) September 21, 2024
WICKET! Zampa c Stone b Rashid 3 (Australia 221-9)
Tame end for Zampa who plinks Rashid to Stone at cover. Australia on the brink of a bad bad score.
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36th over: Australia 219-8 (Carey 32, Zampa 2) A decent hat-trick ball from Carse is well negotiated by Zampa. Mitchell Starc fell rather tamely to Carse the ball before leaving Australia in strife once more and staring down the barrel of a sub 250 run score on a decent Headingley deck.
Carse looks dangerous all of a sudden – Zampa fends off a short ball from his throat wide of the slip. The crowd appreciate the over, Carse was having a torrid time before popping up to take a brace in his seventh over.
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Adam Zampa arrives at the crease with Headingley a-buzz…
WICKET! Starc c Potts b Carse 0 (Australia 216-8)
Brydon Carse is on a hat-trick!
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WICKET! Hardie c Potts b Carse 23 (Australia 216-7)
Brydon Carse returns and immediately breaks the partnership! England needed that. Hardie got himself into a real tangle to a short ball and spooned an easy catch to Matt Potts at square leg.
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35th over: Australia 216-6 (Carey 31, Hardie 23) Livingstone has been expensive so far, Hardie slaps him away past point for four and Carey rocks back and slams a short ball for another four through extra cover to bring up the fifty partnership for this pair and thirty runs off the last three overs.
34th over: Australia 205-6 (Carey 25, Hardie 18) Will Jacks replaces Rashid. England lose a bit of their intensity as the Surrey man spears five wides down the leg side and is then lofted for four over mid-wicket by Carey. The 200 comes up for Australia.
33rd over: Australia 194-6 (Carey 17, Hardie 20) Liam Livinsgtone, who passed a fitness test on a dodgy knee before the match began is called into the attack. Carey reverse-sweeps for four with aplomb and then plays a conventional sweep for a couple more. Aaron Hardie then gets in on the act, an under edge on another reverse-sweep sees the ball trickle past the fielder at point for a second boundary off the over. Expensive start for Livingstone who emits a loud groan as he takes his cap back from the umpire.
32nd over: Australia 182-6 (Carey 13, Hardie 12) Another wonderful over from Adil Rashid. Just a single off it. He has 1-30 from eight overs today. Sun out at Headingley and time for the players to have a slurp.
31st over: Australia 181-6 (Carey 13, Hardie 11) Bethell drops short and Carey hacks a four through Phil Salt on the leg side boundary.
Gary Naylor is coming to a regional theatre near you…
“I’m expecting Aaron Hardie to get Australia up to 222 and then be given out, once on the field and then on review. Yes, a case of “Kismet Hardie”
30th over: Australia 173-6 (Carey 7, Hardie 9) Rashid into his seventh over, Carey and Hardie are watchful as they try to rebuild the innings for Australia. They have to look to bat out their overs at the very least, there are twenty still to bowl!
29th over: Australia 168-6 (Carey 6, Hardie 5) Bethell is getting decent grip off the wicket and nearly picks up Carey off the leading edge. Aaron Hardie is the new batter and he plays a lovely late cut to a ball outside off stump to pick up four runs.
28th over: Australia 162-6 (Carey 4, Hardie 1) Congratulations to Adil Rashid who brings up his 200th ODI wicket with that Maxwell scalp. He’s been England’s quiet genius in white ball cricket for the past decade and his 200th was a suitably big wicket. With Maxwell back in the hutch England are well and truly on top in Headingley as the Aussies lose three wickets for just twenty runs.
Adil Rashid becomes the third fastest spinner to 200 ODI wickets 🤩 pic.twitter.com/a5W1332zJE
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
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WICKET! Maxwell c Bethell b Rashid 7 (Australia 161-6)
Maxwell lives and DIES by the sword! He tries to smear Rashid into the Western Terrace but doesn’t get enough of it, Jacob Bethell holding onto a comfortable catch in front of the Yorkshire faithful. England on the charge!
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27th over: Australia 161-5 (Carey 4, Maxwell 7) Glenn Maxwell is the new man and he wastes no time at all in announcing himself, clearing his front leg and hoicking a short delivery from Bethell into the crowd for SIX off his very first ball!
WICKET! Mitchell Marsh lbw b Bethell 60 (Australia 151-5)
Bethell gets the big one! Marsh is STONE DEAD lbw on the sweep, the ball thudding into his back leg off a pre-meditated sweep and England are cockahoop, the fielders converging on Bethell and rubbing his bleached mop in celebration. Marsh opted against the review, wisely so, it was poleaxing middle stump.
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26th over: Australia 150-4 (Marsh 51, Carey 1) Important passage of play here, England would dearly love another wicket. Four runs off Rashid. Carey works a googly to mid on to bring up the 150 for Australia.
25th over: Australia 146-4 (Marsh 51, Carey 1) Alex Carey is the new batter and he laps a sweep away fine for a single to get off the mark. England buoyed by the wicket, Rashid brought back in to replace the beleaguered Brydon Carse.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Livingstone b Bethell 19 (Australia 145-4)
Huge breakthrough! Marnus cloths a short of a length ball from Bethell to Livingstone at mid-on and is absolutely furious with himself for giving it away.
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24th over: Australia 143-3 (Marsh 58, Labuschagne 18) Shot! Mitch Marsh pulls a Carse short ball high and long into the Western Terrace to bring up his fifty. You simply can’t bowl there to ‘The Bison’. Poor Carse is having a bit of a shocker here, his second front foot no ball gives away another Free Hit and Marsh capitalises – smearing away into the leg side for SIX more. Big test of character here for Carse, he’s been carted for 63 runs off his six overs so far.
23rd over: Australia 128-3 (Marsh 45, Labuschagne 17) A key passage of play incoming as Jacob Bethell is tossed the ball. Australia will look to put some pressure on the youngster. Bethell, bleached mullet and high arm, darts the ball in but strays onto a leg stump line allowing Marsh to sweep powerfully for four. “I don’t mind that, Beth” chirps Jamie Smith from behind the stumps.
22nd over: Australia 123-3 (Marsh 40, Labuschagne 17) Carse replaces Stone, he’s been the most expensive of England’s bowlers today, going at nearly ten an over albeit he did pick up the wicket of Travis Head. Australia rotate strike with four singles before Marnus gets on the front foot and drives handsomely for four through the covers. “A soft half volley” admonishes Ricky Ponting on the TV commentary.
21st over: Australia 115-3 (Marsh 38, Labuschagne 11) Adil Rashid will be angry with himself as he serves up a full bunger to allow the first boundary to be struck in some time, Marsh catching the ball on the full and beating the man at square leg. Four singles follow as Marsh and Labuschagne work the ball into the gaps and take eight from the over.
20th over: Australia 107-3 (Marsh 32, Labuschagne 9) Olly Stone bustles in and keeps Marsh honest, four dots in a row to the hulking Aussie skipper. Something’s gotta give… make that five dots in a row as Marsh leaves a ball on a good length. A single off the last delivery denies Stone the maiden but England are applying the thumbscrews in Headingley.
19th over: Australia 106-3 (Marsh 31, Labuschagne 9) Rashid keeps the pressure on, he’s operating with both a slip and a leg slip in place and only gives up three runs off the over. England keeping the squeeze on for the time being, the boundaries have dried up.
18th over: Australia 103-3 (Marsh 30, Labuschagne 8) Stone replaces Potts and is right on the money, pummelling a channel outside off stump with a hint of inward movement. Hundred up for Australia.
17th over: Australia 99-3 (Marsh 29, Labuschagne 5) Rashid spins his web. Another ripper spits past the edge of Marnus’s bat. Flight and grip. Four runs off the over.
16th over: Australia 95-3 (Marsh 28, Labuschagne 2) Potts continues with his dander well and truly up after pocketing Steve Smith. A single each to Marsh and Labuschagne as they look to settle in for a long partnership.
15th over: Australia 93-3 (Marsh 27, Labuschagne 1) Adil Rashid comes into the attack and rips two big leg-breaks past the edge of Marnus’s groping blade. Pure class from the bearded wizard. Labuschagne wisely gets up the other end with a single off his pads. Rashid very nearly bowls Marsh around his legs next ball! A tickle off the under edge saves Australia’s captain and the ball races away past Jamie Smith for four. England on top at the moment.
WICKET! Steve Smith b Potts 4 (Australia 89-3)
Brook keeps his pace bowlers on and it pays off! Potts pongoes Steve Smith’s off stump with a nip-backer through the gate. Smith was going for a booming drive but that ball was a beauty, fast and moving late to defeat Smith’s gimlet eye.
Time for a drink. England’s electrolytes will taste a little sweeter after that. Australia are rattling along but if they lose Marsh or Marnus any time soon then England will have a sniff of skittling them for a below par total.
14th over: Australia 89-3 (Marsh 24, Labuschagne 0)
What a delivery from Matthew Potts 👏
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
Steve Smith is dismissed for four 😬 pic.twitter.com/24zPgyc6cV
SPLAT!
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13th over: Australia 84-2 (Marsh 19, Smith 4) Fetch that! Marsh rocks back and marmalises a short ball from Carse out of the ground and down the Otley Road. A Leeds University fresher may well have a souvenir to accompany their Saturday pub crawl.
Replacement ball chosen Carse tries again. Gah. A front foot no-ball gifts a free-hit that Marsh duly drives for four down the ground. And repeat! Marsh drives through long-on for four and drops a single into the covers to bring Smith on strike. Guess what- he drives down the ground for the fourth boundary of the over, 20 runs off it. England licking their wounds in Headingley.
WICKET! Matthew Short c Smith b Potts 29 (Australia 64-2)
Gone! Just as Matthew Short was looking comfortable he has to head back to the sheds after edging Potts through to the keeper. Potts pulls off a wicket-maiden and nearly trims Steve Smith’s bails off the final ball of the over too!
12th over: Australia 64-2 (Marsh 4, Smith 0)
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11th over: Australia 64-1 (Short 29, Marsh 4) Marsh drives a Carse half volley down the ground to open his account.
“Morning Jim, following the Headingley action from a grey Euston. Great to have some cricket to soothe my brain, and hopefully a better performance than Thursday. We still feel a batter short, and it’s a truly stacked Aussie team today too.
I’m nursing a sore head after a hell of a day in the capital yesterday at the annual Final Word XI game with the titans of this parish, Adam Collins and Geoff Lemon and a host of wonderful cricket nerds. We may have lost our unbeaten record to the Oval Dream Boys (what a name, what a team) but cricket was the winner, as was an indie disco until the small hours. I need a lie down.”
Lovely stuff. It’s only 11:51 am, but still – here’s one for you and your hangover Guy.
10th over: Australia 59-1 (Short 28, Marsh 0) Matthew Short picks up the baton and plunders three fours off the over including a straight drive and a back foot punch that Ricky Ponting calls shot of the day. Imagine making Punter purr. PowerPlay done, I’d say Australia just in front despite losing danger man Travis Head.
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9th over: Australia 46-1 (Short 15, Marsh 0) Mitch Marsh strides to the middle.
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WICKET! Travis Head c Stone b Carse 29 (Australia 46-1)
Gone! The Big Kahuna reeled in. Head flicks Carse off his hips looking for another six but doesn’t get enough on it, Olly Stone plucking the catch on the boundary and Headingley erupts with relief/cheers.
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Matthew Short is showing his class too, plopping Carse over his head for four BUT HANG ON A MINUTE…
Travis Head in full flow. Take a look at this:
First six of the day for Travis Head and Australia 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tomkmDApiB
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
8th over: Australia 41-0 (Short 10, Head 29) Stone continues with England searching for a breakthrough. Nowt doing, Head drives a full ball powerfully back past the bowler for four.
7th over: Australia 36-0 (Short 9, Head 25) Head it ticking now. Brydon Carse comes into the attack and serves up a half tracker with his first ball, Head does not miss out, shovelling the ball square for four. SIX! A full ball is then given the treatment over midwicket by Head. Dangerous times for England.
6th over: Australia 26-0 (Short 9, Head 15) Blimey. Matthew Short dispatches Olly Stone into the stands with serious disdain, a fast and full ball smeared into the leg side for SIX. Australia have had a look and are seemingly now opening the shoulders. HUGE APPEAL! Stone retorts by scudding one into the pads with Short opting to play no shot. Brook is reticent to go for the review with the umpire saying not out on the field. The captain thinks it is too high… “The height is great” comes the reply from the bowler. It isn’t. England lose a review as the DRS shows the ball bouncing over the bails. TRUST NO ONE.
5th over: Australia 20-0 (Short 3, Head 15) Here we go! Head breaks the shackles by monstering Potts back over the bowler’s bonce for SIX. A more agricultural heave at the end of the over sees a top edge fly away for four.
4th over: Australia 10-0 (Short 3, Head 4) Another probing over from Stone, just a leg bye and Head tickle for one off it.
“Jim, on TMS they’re saying there’s some sun about, but I live a few miles away and it’s entirely grey here. Still. we’re probably going to avoid the southern thunderstorms.”
I can confirm the sun is indeed peeping through at Headingley. The southern storms yesterday were crackers, I got caught in one with my 3yo daughter down in Sussex. “I’d like a peppermint” she said completely unperturbed as huge hailstorms richoched off the Skoda.
3rd over: Australia 8-0 (Short 3, Head 4) Potts gets some movement off the seam, nearly hooping one into Short’s off stump and then squaring the opener up and taking his edge but it flew straight down and into the gap wide of slip for the only single off the over. England have been on it so far this morning.
“Hi James”
Hello Tim Woolias.
“Driving up to Leeds for a university drop, OBO will be my primary source for today’s match. Harry Brook says if they get caught on the boundary or on the pitch who cares? I care, particularly when two of these are caught and bowled by Marnus and the batters didn’t get it off the square. Please can we have some better batting today despite the attack being considerably improved by the Aussie changes.”
Good luck with the University drop off Tim, emotional times.
2nd over: Australia 7-0 (Short 2, Head 4) Ollie Stone is bending his back and extracting some bounce from the pitch, causing problems for both batters. Short is nearly caught in the slips, an edge off the shoulder of his bat dies just before reaching Brook in the slips. Head then throws his arms at a few but the ball zips past his blade on each occasion. Just a single off the over.
1st over: Australia 6-0 (Short 1, Head 4) Matt Short hangs back and plays a short ball away for a single to open the scoring and bring Head on strike. England will desperately want to see the back of him early. And just like that… Head leans on a full ball gets off the mark with a four clipped through the leg side. Gulp.
Good Morning James, here is my mantra for England’s success. “Pray that Australia lose their Head and England do not lose theirs.”
Buddumchhhhh for Krishnamoorthy on email.
Righto, with sun peaking out over Headingley it is time to get going. Head and Matthew Short stroll out to the middle and Brook marshals his troops in light blue. Matthew Potts, complete with Baldrick esque hair cut, has the new ball in hand. Let’s play!
As ever – do get in touch and keep me company for the next few hours. The OBO mailbag is open for correspondence.
On Sky there is a brilliant chat with a bobble hatted and head cold-y sounding Travis Head conducted by Mike Atherton and Ricky Ponting.
Head has been in blistering form across all formats for the past few years and has delivered on the biggest occasions – last year’s World Cup Final in India and the World Test Championship final at the Oval spring immediately to mind. He’s also so darn likeable.
Interestingly, he says he finds it harder the shorter the format, citing the pressure of strike rates in T20 cricket as something that plays on his mind whereas in Test cricket “If I’m not feeling great I can dig in for a bit and If I am feeling great I can go as fast as I like”.
He makes it all sound so simple eh?
He’s a rippah:
"Long may his form continue" 🤩
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 21, 2024
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh discusses the impressive form of Travis Head 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/BE4JtuEJg7
England win the toss and will bowl first
It’s a bit cloudy at Headingley and the consensus is that it might move about a bit with the overhead conditions but then be pretty flat after that. Mitch Marsh admits he would have had a bowl first too.
Brook confirms that Jofra Archer has been replaced by Olly Stone. Australia have got some of their big guns back in the side – Maxwell, Hazlewood and Starc all return.
🔷 In the blue corner....
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 21, 2024
We've won the toss and will bowl first in Leeds 👊 pic.twitter.com/PzKaJyiKJw
Pre match reading: Here’s Barney Ronay’s take on the English summer of cricket just gone and Harry Brook as ODI captain:
Preamble
We are out there to score runs. If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field, then who cares?”
These were the words of stand in Captain Harry Brook in the moments after England were drubbed by Australia in the first ODI at Trent Bridge. Brook was perhaps trying to set a defiant tone in defeat, reaching for somewhere between bravado and positive thinking but his turn of phrase ended up sounding somewhat glib.
His side were outplayed by the Aussies in Nottingham, Travis Head putting together another – in a nifty phrase coined by my OBO colleague Rob Smyth - ‘dirty masterpiece’. Slugging his way to 154*, the walrus moustachioed Head took England’s bowlers to the dry cleaner and then out for a steak supper before never calling them again.
Headingley is the venue for the second match of five in the series. England will be cheered on by plenty in the ground who deeply care, not least in forking out for a ticket and journeying to the ground to watch some live cricket before the summer disappears for another year.
Play starts at 11am BST and I’ll be back shortly to bring you the news of the teams and the toss.
