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The second One Day International (ODI) between Australia and England witnessed a thrilling contest, with Australia ultimately emerging victorious thanks to a crucial knock from wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey. England's spinners initially dominated the match, causing a significant collapse in Australia's batting lineup, but Carey's 74 runs proved to be the difference-maker in the end.
England's new-ball attack, particularly Olly Stone, made early inroads, putting pressure on the Australian batters. However, Travis Head, coming off a monumental 154 in the previous match, showed his class, hitting a few powerful boundaries before being dismissed. Matt Short, promoted to open the innings, also started well but was unfortunately dismissed by Matthew Potts.
The turning point came when England's spinners, Adil Rashid and Liam Bethell, exploited the Australian batting weakness against spin. Labuschagne and Marsh, who had initially built a good partnership, fell victim to Bethell's sharp deliveries, while Maxwell's aggressive play also ended prematurely against Rashid, who achieved a milestone by taking his 200th ODI wicket. Australia, from a comfortable position, found themselves struggling at 194 for 6.
Carey's arrival at the crease coincided with a period of pressure. However, he displayed remarkable composure and technique, calmly building his innings and guiding Australia to a respectable total. He received valuable support from Aaron Hardie, who contributed 31 runs before being dismissed by Carse. Though Carse's late wickets kept the pressure on, Carey held his nerve and ensured Australia reached a competitive score.
Despite losing a few quick wickets, Australia's bowlers, led by Josh Hazlewood, managed to keep England in check. The English batters failed to capitalize on a solid platform, and Australia eventually won the match by a comfortable margin. Carey's crucial innings and Hazlewood's disciplined bowling were instrumental in Australia's victory.
Source: Carey rescues Australia after England's spinners spark collapse