England mount incredible fightback to level series

Eng v Aus, 2nd ODI, report

Australia lost four wickets for three runs as they collapsed to a 24-run defeat at Old Trafford to leave the series poised at 1-1 as England extended their lead at the top of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League.

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Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer removed Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell in a 21-ball spell to turn the game on its head after Labuschagne and Finch had added 107 runs for the third wicket.

The result means that England have extended their lead at the top of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League, as well as setting up a winner-takes-all encounter for the third ODI at the same venue on Wednesday, 16 September.

After choosing to bat first England were quickly in trouble, with their openers falling within the first seven overs. Jonny Bairstow nicked off to Mitchell Starc for a duck, while Jason Roy – after a free-flowing start – was run out by an excellent piece of fielding in the covers by Marcus Stoinis.

Joe Root and Eoin Morgan fought back, but just as things looked to be back on track for the hosts, Adam Zampa was brought on and with his third ball, had Root caught at slip.

Pat Cummins trapped Jos Buttler in front, before Zampa struck twice more to remove Morgan and Sam Billings, who could manage just 8 from his 28 balls after his maiden century in the previous game. Starc then nicked off Chris Woakes to leave England 149/8.

Tom Curran and Adil Rashid mounted a fightback though, and the pair added 76 runs before Curran was dismissed for 37 with two balls left in the innings, while Rashid ended with an unbeaten 35* from only 26 deliveries. England ended with 231/9 in their 50 overs.

Jofra Archer bowled with pace and hostility early on and managed to remove David Warner and Stoinis in his opening burst, but Aaron Finch and Marnus Labuschagne held firm and took advantage once Archer was taken off.

But with the visitors on track for a comfortable victory, needing 89 runs from the last 20 overs with eight wickets in hand, Woakes pinned Labuschagne on the pads to prompt the collapse. Archer got one to keep low to bowl Marsh before Woakes added two more wickets in his next two overs, beating the outside edges of both Finch and Maxwell to hit the stumps.

Pat Cummins and Alex Carey stopped the rot, but Sam Curran removed Cummins and Starc with consecutive deliveries to put England firmly in charge with Australia needing 66 runs from the last 10 overs with only two wickets in hand.

With the visitors' hopes pinned on Carey, the wicket-keeper chose to try and take the game deep, content to milk ones and twos even after Curran struck again to dismiss Zampa.

Crucial boundaries by Carey in the 47th and 48th overs kept Australia in the game with an outside chance, needing 27 from the last two overs, but Rashid proved too good, conceding just a single and a leg bye from the first three balls of his last over before Carey charged past the fourth ball and was swiftly stumped by Buttler. Australia were bowled out for 207 as England completed a 24-run win.