England v Australia 2nd ODI review: Morgan's knock in vain as Aussies take 2-0 lead
England v Australia 2nd ODI review: Morgan’s knock in vain as Aussies take 2-0 lead: It was England’s chance to make it even and we can’t say they didn’t try hard. But the Aussies were just too strong for the hosts as they took a 2-0 lead in the ODI series with a convincing 64 run win at Lord’s on Saturday. If fifties from George Bailey and Steven Smith set the platform for a big score, then Mitchell Marsh’s sparkling shots in the slog overs lifted the visitors to their second successive 300-plus total. Among the English batsmen, only Morgan was able to handle the pacers with any degree of confidence. In the end overs, he and Liam Plunkett played some lofty shots but it was too little too late.
Earlier, after a short rain delay Eoin Morgan won the toss and elected to field as the game was reduced to 49-overs-per-side. It was the most inauspicious of starts for the visitors as David Warner retired hurt off the second ball of the match after being hit by a rising delivery from Steve Finn. Steven Smith and Joe Burns had stabilized the Australian innings but Finn struck in the 9th over to break the 42-run stand. George Bailey and Smith shared a half century stand as Bailey registered his 16th ODI fifty while Smith brought up his eighth. Bailey was particularly impressive as he played with ease and was faster among the two.
Moeen Ali celebrated the ‘World Beard day’ by breaking the crucial 99-run stand between them by dismissing the former on 54. Smith was looking good for a ton but played a loose shot to leg spin of Adil Rashid to be dismissed on 70. Glenn Maxwell, who had a pretty good start and was batting well, perished on 49 as Finn got his second wicket. In the slog overs, Shane Watson and Mitchell Marsh played some power-packed strokes to up the ante. Despite Watson’s departure, Mitchell Marsh continued with zest and soon brought up his 5th ODI fifty. He played some excellent shots and was very aggressive. Australia racked up a 300-plus total, again, the fourth highest in an ODI at Lord’s.
Chris Woakes was the only bowler on show who bowled with good control. But considering the overcast conditions, England’s pacers were not up to the mark as they didn’t hit the right lengths and their bowling at the death was particularly sloppy.
England had got off to a solid start in their pursuit of the total but a sensational catch from Steven Smith sent Alex Hales back to the pavilion in the sixth over. Jason Roy had formed a 31-run stand with James Taylor before Pat Cummins dismissed him for 31. Though England were not scoring at a brisk rate, with a long batting line up, the match was pretty much in the balance.
But that is when a controversy which threatened to overshadow the game spiced up the contest. Ben Stokes was given out obstructing the field. Starc had fired in the throw and the left-hander had put his right hand up to stop the ball. It was heading towards the stumps. Australia appealed for it and Stokes was given out after the call was sent to the third umpire.
Morgan was not too happy with the decision and even the Lord’s crowd expressed their displeasure as they booed the Australian skippers decision to go for the appeal. Immediately in the next over, Maxwell removed Buttler for a duck. Australia went for a review against him for an LBW and the umpire had to reverse his decision. Poor Eoin Morgan was fighting alone as the England batting line-up crumbled around him.
England then decided to take the attack to the Aussies as Liam Plunkett combined with Morgan to share an explosive partnership for the ninth wicket. The duo brought up the half-century stand in just 19 balls. However, unfortunately for England, Starc bowled Plunkett in the 42nd over and drowned their hopes of making a comeback into the match. Morgan was the last man dismissed as England lost by 64 runs. The Aussie bowlers were impressive as they didn’t allow England to play freely. Pat Cummins bowled with fire and aggression picking up 4 crucial scalps
Australia have taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series and England are not going to find it easy to overtake them. The hosts will now have to win all three remaining ODIs to win this series and that is a huge ask considering the batting collapses they have suffered in these two ODIs.
Brief Scores:
Australia 309/7 (49 ov) (Smith 70, Marsh 64; Stokes 3-60)
England 245/10 (42.3 ov) (Morgan 85, Taylor 43; Cummins 4-56)
Australia won by 64 runs
Man of the Match Mitchell Marsh
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