‘Partnerships with the tailenders go a long way’ - Mitch Marsh after Australia beat England in 2nd ODI

Australia defeated England by 68 runs in the second ODI of the series at Headingley, Leeds. Batting first, the visitors made a good start as captain Mitchell Marsh led by example. He made 60 runs off 59 deliveries. After his dismissal, keeper-batter Alex Carey took care of the business, scoring 74 runs. His partnership of 49 runs with Josh Hazlewood for the 10th wicket proved extremely effective as England were asked to chase 271 runs in the second innings. 

The hosts lost wickets at crucial junctions, which made the chase difficult for them. Keeper-batter Jamie Smith made 49 runs while the lower order batters - Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse and Adil Rashid made 25, 26 and 27 runs respectively to help the Three Lions cross the 200-run barrier. However, Australian bowlers were on point, particularly Mitchell Starc, who picked up three wickets to get the job done for the team.

Meanwhile, after the win, Australia captain Marsh voiced the importance of having partnerships with the tailenders. Carey had an excellent outing with Aaron Hardie first, who made 23 runs and later the match-winning partnership with Hazlewood. After the game, Marsh stated that the target of 271 runs was not much in modern-day cricket but enjoyed how the experienced bowlers pulled it off.

Also Read - ENG vs AUS, 2nd ODI review: Australia continue to dominate England with another win

“These days 270 is always a bit short. But we knew that if we got early wickets, we were in the game. It really goes to show that partnerships with the tailenders go a long way. Just the experience, when you try to defend a total like that, the ball was moving around and we put them under pressure. Playing against England in England is tough. We lost a few guys to injuries, had a few experienced guys back today. Really pleased with where we are at,” Marsh said after the game.

Australia gain 2-0 lead over England in ODI Series

Meanwhile, speaking of how the visitors have fared in the series so far, Australia are currently leading England by a 2-0 margin in the five-match ODI series. The third game of the series will be played at Riverside Ground, in Chester-le-Street, on Tuesday,  September 24.