A terrifying new-ball spell from Mitchell Starc and another batting masterclass from Steve Smith helped Australia seal the series.
Australia has claimed an unassailable 2-0 lead in its ODI series against England, comprehensively defeating the arch rivals by 72 runs at the SCG on Saturday.
Steve Smith plundered a classy 94 (114) to help set a target of 281 before an explosive new-ball spell from Mitchell Starc demolished England's top order in front of 16,993 fans.
The reigning world champions suffered a late collapse in the run chase, rolled for 208 in less than 39 overs to set up a dead rubber in Melbourne next week.
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Josh Hazlewood greeted England skipper Moeen Ali at the coin toss, replacing the rested Pat Cummins as captain to become the 28th cricketer to lead Australia in men’s ODIs.
It sets up a unique blueprint for Australian captaincy ahead of next year's World Cup, developing a leadership group that can rotate the role if required.
"It was pretty exciting, and a little bit nerve-wracking," Hazlewood confessed after the win.
"I certainly enjoyed it."
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Australia lost both of its openers during the Powerplay, with David Warner and Travis Head departing cheaply to leave the hosts in a spot of bother at 2/43.
But Smith and Marnus Labuschagne combined for a 101-run partnership for the third wicket to revive the innings, their fourth century stand in 10 ODI knocks together.
Labuschagne (58 off 55 balls) fell victim to Adil Rashid’s spin in the 28th over, with Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey stumped for a golden duck the following delivery.
However, Smith continued on his merry way at the other end, bringing up a half-century in 70 deliveries - his fourth-consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs.
The 33-year-old and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh (50 off 58 balls) steadied the ship with a 90-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but the pair struggled to find the boundary rope during the middle overs.
The duo gradually picked up the tempo before Smith became Rashid’s third victim of the afternoon, slapping a slower delivery directly towards the long-off boundary rider.
Smith, who has averaged 67.87 in ODIs since January 2020, fell agonisingly short of bringing up an eighth international century at the SCG to equal the legendary Ricky Ponting.
England’s seamers bowled superbly at the death, conceding just two boundaries in the final five overs to help restrict Australia to 8/280.
England’s run chase got off to a horror start, with Starc hopping the white Kookaburra around corners and snaring two wickets in the first over.
Jason Roy gloved a delivery down the leg side before Adelaide centurion David Malan was knocked over by an absolute peach that smacked into the top of off stump.
“That could well be his finest first over in ODI cricket," former Australian spinner Kerry O'Keeffe said on Fox Cricket commentary.
According to the CricViz boffins, Starc was swinging the ball 2.2 degrees in the opening two overs, the most movement he’s ever found inside the first 12 deliveries of an ODI.
He also became the first bowler to take two wickets in the first over of an ODI innings on three occasions.
What a ball from Starc!!!!pic.twitter.com/9XBEa9VJOI
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 19, 2022
Wow. Outrageous over from Starc. Just ridiculous. #AUSvENG
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) November 19, 2022
"He's obviously a massive threat with that new ball when it's swinging like that," England batter James Vince told reporters in the post-match press conference.
"You have to try and keep that front pad out of the way and lay bat on it."
Hazlewood claimed his first wicket as Australian captain soon after, bowling Phil Salt to leave England reeling at 3/34 in the sixth over.
Big Bash League alumni Vince and Sam Billings then shifted momentum firmly back in England’s favour, combining for an entertaining 122-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
But Hazlewood returned to snare the crucial breakthrough for Australia, trapping Vince on the pads for 60 (72) - a desperate review couldn’t save the Englishman.
Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa then ran through England’s middle order, taking three wickets in quick succession to put the hosts in a commanding position.
Zampa’s double-wicket maiden in the 31st over, which featured the game-changing dismissal of Billings, all but sealed victory for the Australians.
Starc then cleaned up the tail, removing Chris Woakes and David Willey to finish with figures of 4/47, his best ODI bowling performance of the year.
Zampa (4/45 from 9.5 overs) finished the job in the 39th over, removing all-rounder Liam Dawson for 20 to seal the match and the series.
The third and final ODI between Australia and England gets underway at the MCG on Tuesday afternoon, with the first ball scheduled for 2.20pm AEDT.
Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa has outsmarted the England captain, bowling Moeen Ali through the gate for 10.
Ali had just smacked Zampa over the mid-wicket boundary for six, but the Aussie tweaker delivered a flatter, faster delivery that crashed into the pegs.
Chris Woakes joins Sam Billings in the middle.
That's a beauty! Zampa bounces back from being whacked for a 4 and 6 to get Moeen for 10 (off 4!) #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/r7SK5JzsrV
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 19, 2022
The Aussies certainly needed that.
Captain Josh Hazlewood breaks the 122-run partnership, removing James Vince for 60 in the 28th over.
Hazlewood trapped the right-hander on the front pad, and a review couldn't save the Englishman.
Skipper Moeen Ali is the new man in the middle.
Elite appealing#AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/hSWFhhnHeJ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 19, 2022
James Vince brings up his half-century in 52 deliveries, helping stem the flow of wickets at the SCG.
Soon after, England wicketkeeper Sam Billings passed the minor milestone as well, managing the feat in 60 balls.
Classy performance from the pair.
Josh Hazlewood has taken his first wicket as Australian captain.
England's Phil Salt backed away and looked to slap the paceman through the covers, but instead the ball crashed into the top of middle and leg.
Wicketkeeper Sam Billings walks to the crease with England in a spot of bother at 3/34.
Hazlewood gets his first wicket and is off to a terrific start! 👏 pic.twitter.com/Cf3ZbnK6JK
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) November 19, 2022
That’s embarrassing from Salt. #AUSvENG
— Mathew Thompson (@MathewJThompson) November 19, 2022
Imagine not giving Mitchell Starc the first over with the new ball…
The Australian quick has struck twice in the first over of the run chase, removing England opener Jason Roy and Adelaide centurion Dawid Malan for ducks.
Starc dismissed Roy for a second-ball duck with a short delivery on the hip, which the right-hander gloved through to the wicketkeeper down the leg side.
Then, after getting a couple of deliveries to beat the outside edge of Malan's bat, Starc knocked over the England No. 3 with a 146km/h peach that swung away from the left-hander crashed into off stump.
It was a contendor for Starc's best delivery in white-ball cricket.
The 32-year-old has now taken 22 wickets in the first over of an ODI innings since January 2012, the most in world cricket during that period.
“That could well be his finest first over in ODI cricket," former Australian spinner Kerry O'Keeffe said on Fox Cricket commentary.
What a ball from Starc!!!!pic.twitter.com/9XBEa9VJOI
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 19, 2022
Wow. Outrageous over from Starc. Just ridiculous. #AUSvENG
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) November 19, 2022
Mitchell Starc hooping the new ball again, with two wickets in his opening over. Good luck playing it.
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) November 19, 2022
His non-selection against Afghanistan when Australia needed to win big in the T20 World Cup seems even odder
Most wickets in the first over of a men's ODI innings
22 – Mitchell Starc (AUS)
19 – Lasith Malinga (SL)
10 – Mohammad Irfan (PAK)
9 – James Anderson (ENG)
7 – Bhuvneshwar Kumar (IND)
* Since January 2012
Oh dear…
Steve Smith has fallen agonisingly short of a 13th ODI century, dismissed by England spinner Adil Rashid for 94.
The Australian looked to smack the leggie over long-off to reach triple figures, only for Phil Salt to settle under the catch on the boundary rope.
Marcus Stoinis joins Mitchell Marsh in the middle.
England spinner Adil Rashid has struck twice in consecutive deliveries, sending Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey back to the sheds in quick succession.
Labuschagne looked to sweep a dull delivery through square leg, only managing to top edge the ball towards mid off, where Jason Roy claimed a regulation catch.
And the very next delivery, Alex Cary tried to paddle Rashid into the leg side, but England wicketkeeper Sam Billings whipped off the bails, with replays showing the Australian gloveman was just out of his ground.
Mitchell Marsh joins Steve Smith at the crease, with the 33-year-old reaching fifty soon after.
It's Smith's fourth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs.
"It has been effortless, he has been unhurried," SEN commentator Gerard Whateley said.
"Steve Smith is just warming to his work."
Carey stumped first ball and it's Mitch Marsh to face the hat-trick ball from Adil Rashid! #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/DgIkO2LzVj
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 19, 2022
These two just love batting together.
After losing a couple of wickets in the Powerplay, the Australians have been saved by a hundred partnership between Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.
It's the fourth century stand between the duo in 10 knocks in ODI cricket.
They currently boast the second-highest average partnership in men's ODI history.
Highest average partnership in men's ODIs
83.00 – KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (IND)
81.55 – Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne (AUS)
79.50 – Ryan ten Doeschate, Bas Zuiderent (NED)
78.00 – Mohammad Azharuddin, Sunil Gavaskar (IND)
75.17 – Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq (PAK)
Marnus Labuschagne brings up a much-needed half-century against England, reaching the minor milestone in 47 deliveries.
The Queenslander hasn't enjoyed the best year in the 50-over format, but he has looked superb at the SCG today.
Neat half-century from Marnus Labuschagne. He's looked in good order. #AUSvENG
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) November 19, 2022
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have set about reviving the innings, combining for a 50-run partnership for the third wicket.
This is the 10th time they have batted together in ODIs, passing fifty on seven occasions.
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