Australia claim series after crucial Starc, Zampa bursts

Australia have clinched the Dettol ODI series over England after Mitchell Starc sensationally struck twice in the opening innings of the chase.

James Vince and Sam Billings' 122-run stand threatened to turn the game back in England's favour but Australia, through Starc and Adam Zampa, held their nerve to seal a 72-run win in Sydney. 

Chasing 281 for victory, England's pursuit was in tatters before the first over was complete.

Starc removed opener Jason Roy and Game One centurion Dawid Malan for ducks to enhance his reputation as the greatest new-ball bowler in one-day cricket.

While he was fortunate with a leg-side ball the caught the glove of Roy, describing his delivery to Malan as 'unplayable' would not be an overstatement. 

Both sides featured debutant captains, with Josh Hazlewood and Moeen Ali replacing the rested regulars of Pat Cummins and Jos Buttler.

Despite Starc's roaring beginning, Hazlewood's first two overs at the opposite end cost him 21 runs.

But the latest Aussie leader kept himself on and bowled the attacking Phil Salt (23 off 16) with the first ball of his third over to leave the tourists reeling at 3-34.

From there, Vince (60 off 72 balls) and Billings (71 off 80 balls) built a partnership that put the visitors into the ascendancy with excellent shot placement and running between wickets.

At that stage England needed 126 off 138 with seven wickets in hand and the game was on their terms. 

The turning point of the match came when Australia's 28th men's ODI captain, Hazlewood, reintroduced himself in the 28th over and snared the wicket of Vince lbw five balls later.  

It sparked a collapse of 4-13 in three overs, with Adam Zampa ripping through the middle order with three wickets for no runs in the space of nine balls.

The leg-spinner responded to a massive six from Moeen (10 off four) by bowling him with a quicker delivery the following ball before cleaning up Billings with a flatter, fuller delivery.

Zampa (4-45) is enjoying a stellar run in the format, claiming a minimum of three wickets in five of his eight matches since the August series against Zimbabwe. 

England couldn't recover despite a late cameo from Liam Dawson (20) and were bowled out having lost their last seven wickets for just 52 runs.

Starc finished with figures of 4-47 from eight overs – his best return in an ODI in Australia since he took 6-43 against India in 2015 – as Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead heading into the third and final ODI at the MCG on Tuesday.

Australia's innings of 8-280 was set up by another Sydney special from Steve Smith, who finished on a stylish 94 from 114 balls. 

Smith narrowly missed what would have been a third-consecutive ODI century at the SCG following his back-to-back rapid tons against India almost exactly two years ago. 

It takes his ODI average this calendar year to an extraordinary 74.00 (the best year of his career in the format) and his one-day average at the ground to an equally sublime 62.86. 

While Smith effortlessly glided to yet another half-century without offering a genuine chance, the master batter explained to Foxtel that conditions weren't exactly batter-friendly.

"It felt quite difficult out there. It was reverse swinging after about 25 overs or thereabouts," Smith said at the innings break. 

"It was quite two-paced and spin was a bit holdy, a bit stoppy, and then one would skid (on)."

The prolific right hander, who hit five fours and a six in his innings, arrived at the crease in the sixth over after stand-in skipper Moeen surprised everyone with the wicket of David Warner (16) after bringing himself into the attack after just five overs. 

It marked the first of 20 straight overs of spin from the Paddington End of the ground as the shorter boundary towards the Members' and Ladies' Stands was protected at all costs.

Travis Head was unable to back up his 69 in Adelaide, miscuing a pull shot off Woakes for 19. 

That wicket brought Smith together with Marnus Labuschagne and the pair's partnership, much like their well-publicised friendship, blossomed from the outset with the latter coming out in an aggressive frame of mind.

Labuschagne has had a difficult 2022 in the 50-over format, averaging 22.08 in the year to date, but set the tone with a crisp six off Moeen with the second ball he faced after coming down the wicket.

Smith and Labuschagne compiled a century stand, their fourth in ODIs to go with their seven in the Test arena. 

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid was on a hat-trick after Labuschagne (58 off 55 balls) and Alex Carey (first-ball duck) both fell after attempting sweep shots - Labuschagne caught at mid-off and Carey stumped. 

Rashid (3-57) also ended Smith's innings just as the local boy was looking to up the ante. 

The crafty leggie, who hadn't found too much turn during his spell, pulled his pace back to 70.4kph to which the advancing Smith couldn't clear Phil Salt on the long off boundary. 

Mitch Marsh (returning to the XI in place of Cameron Green) hit some telling blows on his way to an even 50 and some lusty hitting from Ashton Agar (18 not out off 12) saw the Aussies climb up to 8-280 from their 50 overs. 

Men's Dettol ODI Series v England

1st ODI: Australia won by six wickets

2nd ODI: Australia won by 72 runs

Tuesday Nov 22: MCG, 2:20pm

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England ODI squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Olly Stone, James Vince, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Luke Wood

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