LEEDS: Australia were indebted to Alex Carey’s dashing 74 for taking them to 270 all out in the second one-day international against England at Headingley on Saturday.
The world champions were in danger of being dismissed for an even lower total when they slumped to 221-9 inside 37 overs after England captain Harry Brook won the toss on his Yorkshire home ground.
But wicketkeeper Carey’s superb 67-ball innings, featuring eight fours and three well-struck sixes kept Australia in the contest.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh (60), looking to lead the side to a 14th straight ODI victory over all opponents after a seven-wicket win at Trent Bridge on Thursday in the first of this five-game series, was the only member of the top order to make more than 29.
Head’s ‘good night at office’ after century seals win over England
Brydon Carse – who removed Aaron Hardie (23) and Mitchell Starc (0) with successive deliveries – took an expensive 3-75 in 10 overs, with fellow paceman Matthew Potts returning more economical figures of 2-30 in seven.
Spinners Adil Rashid (3-42) and Jacob Bethell (2-33) then kept things tight.
England might have feared the worst when Travis Head, fresh from his career-best 154 not out on Thursday, drove Potts and pulled Carse for two fine sixes.
But Head, fell for just 29 when the left-hander flicked Carse straight to deep backward square leg, with fellow opener Matthew Short out for the same score.
Marsh launched Carse out of the ground but Australia were 89-3 in the 14th over when Steve Smith was bowled for just four by a superb Potts late inswinger.
Marnus Labuschagne, who made 77 not out at Trent Bridge, only managed 19 before mistiming a pull off Bethell to mid-on.
And 145-4 became 151-5 when 20-year-old left-armer Bethell, in just his second ODI, had Marsh, missing a sweep, plumb lbw to end a 59-ball innings featuring six fours and three sixes.
Next ball new batsman Glenn Maxwell, one of three World Cup winners recalled by Australia – along with fast bowlers Starc and Josh Hazlewood – after recovering from illness, made just seven before slogging Yorkshire leg-spinner Rashid to deep midwicket.
Australia lost three wickets for five runs in 10 balls to be 221-9, with Brook cleverly ringing the changes in England’s attack.
But Carey completed a 46-ball fifty in style by driving off-spinner Will Jacks for six before he was last man out, caught in the deep off Olly Stone to end a 10th-wicket stand of 49 with Hazlewood.
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