Bowlers, Carey earn Australia comfortable ODI victory

Veteran pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have shown their value as Australia survived a modest batting performance to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series in England.

Put in to bat after losing the toss under cloudy skies in Leeds only Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey passed fifty as Australia were dismissed for 270 with 32 balls unused.

Though needing less than a run-a-ball England began their chase in a hurry, and as in Thursday's first match, their recklessness played into Australia's hands, England slumping to 5-65 at the end of the ten-over powerplay with two golden ducks.

There was no way back from that, despite Jamie Smith's 49, and Australia cantered to a 68-run win, dismissing England for 202 with two balls shy of ten overs remaining.

It is Australia's 14th successive ODI win, a run has been exceeded by one team, also Australian: Ricky Ponting's World Cup winners of 2003 who achieved 21 on the spin.

It was Australia's first ODI win at Headingley since the famous 1999 World Cup victory over South Africa when Steve Waugh made a century after being dropped early on by Herschelle Gibbs.

There was another captain's knock in Saturday's match with Marsh making 60 off 59 balls but the real star was Carey. Booed to the crease by Yorkshire fans remembering his dismissal of local hero Jonny Bairstow at Lord's last year, he cracked 74 off 67 balls in a superb rearguard action.

Travis Head had been the matchwinner at Trent Bridge and 40 hours after walking off with an unbeaten 154 he was back at the crease, opening with Matt Short.

Both batsmen cracked early sixes but after Head (29) was caught at deep square leg off Brydon Carse 0-46 soon became 3-89.

Matthew Potts dismissed both Short, edging flat-footed to the keeper for 29 off 36, and Steve Smith (4), bowled through the gate.

Headingley has terrible memories for many Australians but not for Marsh, who revived his career with a brilliant counter-attacking Test century at the Yorkshire ground in the 2023 Ashes.

He looked comfortable, smiting three sixes, and with Marnus Labuschagne (28 off 19) rebuilt the innings adding 56 in 10.4 overs before part-time spinner Jacob Bethell dismissed both.

With Glenn Maxwell (7) then caught on the ropes off Adil Rashid Australia were 6-161 having lost 3-16 in 17 balls.

Carey, initially supported by Aaron Hardie (23 off 25), then an obdurate Hazlewood, rose to the challenge lifting Australia to a defendable total.

Phil Salt set the tone for England's innings. He hit his second and third balls for four, was dropped in the next over, then swished and missed at Hazlewood several times before edging him behind.

Starc backed his partner up, having Will Jacks superbly caught by Short at second slip first ball then trapping stand-in skipper Harry Brook with a trademark inswinging yorker.

Amid the carnage Ben Duckett had been batting serenely but a slower ball from Aaron Hardie foxed him and the superb return catch was matched by Carey's take a ball later as Liam Livingstone edged down the legside.

England needed Jamie Smith to copy fellow wicketkeeper Carey and for a while he did. With Bethell (25), then Carse (26) he kept England hoping.

Marsh, aware wickets were the issue, brought back Hazlewood and, aided by a sharp catch at mid-wicket by substitute fielder Jake Fraser-McGurk, that did the trick. Though Rashid (27) lifted England past 200 it was just a matter of time.

The third match in the series is on Tuesday (2130 AEST) at Durham.