2nd ODI LIVE: England Eyes Revenge After Big Loss vs Australia In 1st ODI

How did England lose the first ODI? By following the phrase - 'You live by the sword and you die by the sword.' When Ben Duckett was batting, he was putting the Aussie bowlers to the sword but his dismissal allowed a small window to be opened and the Kangaroos hopped in. Knowing Brendon McCullum's nature, he would not be fazed by the loss one bit, as he will aim for the long-term approach. Bazball is what we have been witnessing in Tests but maybe, a small tweak could be provided. As in, when you get the platform, make use of the same but get yourself in before lashing the sword. The bowling was a worry in the opening game and the hosts would be keen on doing better on that front.

So what's the issue with Australia? A strange kind of virus has spread through their camp, leaving their players sick and unfit for play. They were forced to play without Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchelll Starc which hurt them big time and given that this game is coming at a quick turnaround, one doubts whether the visitors would be able to get any of their missing frontline players back. Add to it, they have got a massive summer loading, so the think tank would be figuring out the workload from a long-term perspective. One good thing for them is that because they have won the first game, they can afford extra rest for their players, given that the next game is on Tuesday.

A 'head'start is something that every team wishes for in a game and in a series. Australia got that through Travis Head in their series opener as they chased down 316 in a jiffy but if truth be told, it was a game which England lost, rather than Australia winning. From a dominating position at 213/2, the hosts lost their way, as they fell short by at least 30-40 runs of what would have been a challenging total. Australia will be happy, having managed to win without their first-choice XI but England will also understand that there are plenty of loopholes in this Australian unit that they can expose. So as it happened in the T20I series, will it be 1-1 after the second ODI? Or will Australia add to their streak of 13 successive ODI victories? We shall find out together.

... MATCH DAY ...

The bandwagon moves to Leeds for the second ODI of the five-match series between Australia and England at Headingley. After a commanding victory in the series opener, Australia head into this contest with the upper hand and will be determined to extend their lead to 2-0, aiming to push England onto the back foot early in the series. However, England, despite their loss in the first game, had several promising moments, and they will be eager to bounce back and level the series before heading to Chester-le-Street for the third ODI. In the first ODI, England elected to bat and looked set for a massive total, cruising at 213 for 2. However, Australia’s spinners mounted a remarkable comeback, with England collapsing to 315 all out, a score that felt below par given their strong start. Travis Head’s scintillating 154 then anchored Australia’s chase, guiding them to a comfortable victory, as they reached the target with six overs to spare. Heading into the second ODI, Australia will be hoping to maintain their momentum, but they will be keeping an eye on the fitness of key players like Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, who were sidelined for the first match due to illness. The absence of the pace duo slightly weakened Australia’s pace attack and the injury to Ben Dwarshuis, who suffered a pectoral strain, added to their concerns. A fully fit Starc and Hazlewood will provide a significant boost, giving Australia’s bowling attack more bite and variety. For England, the second ODI represents a crucial opportunity to regroup and address the issues that cost them in the opener. While Ben Duckett and Will Jacks made valuable contributions at the top of the order, others like Phil Salt, Harry Brook, and Liam Livingstone couldn’t capitalize on their starts. England’s middle order crumbled against spin, and they will need to find a way to counter that threat. It's all set up for yet another entertaining contest between the two old rivals. Who are you backing to come out on top?