England beat Australia by six wickets to win the second one-day international at The Oval here on Sunday and so take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. England, set 252 for victory, finished on 252 for four with 26 balls left. Ravi Bopara top-scored with 82 after opener Ian Bell had made 75.
Earlier Australia, who won the toss, were held to 251 for seven after struggling against disciplined bowling despite opener Shane Watson’s 66 and George Bailey’s career-best 65. Fast bowler Steven Finn led an attack missing James Anderson because of a groin injury, with one for 36 in nine overs. If England complete a 5-0 clean sweep they will replace Australia at the top of the one-day international world rankings. The series continues with a day/night match in Birmingham on Wednesday.
Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara were stars of England’s runs chase against Australia that earned the Poms their second one-day international win in the fie-match series. Both the batsmen scored half centuries to complete the chase. Bell maintained his fine ODI form as he led the England’s run chase in the second ODI against Australia at The Oval. England, set 252 to win, reached the halfway stage of their reply well poised on 131 for 2, with Bell undefeated on 54. Fast bowler Steven Finn led England’s attack in the absence of the injured James Anderson as Australia were held to 251 for seven in the second one-day international at The Oval here Sunday.
Middlesex paceman Finn took an economical one for 36 in nine overs after Anderson was ruled out with a groin problem. Australia, looking to level this five-match series at 1-1 after a 15-run defeat across London at Lord’s on Friday, saw opener Shane Watson top-score with 66 and middle-order batsman George Bailey make a career-best 65. The tourists’ innings was often becalmed, with a mere 24 runs coming in a 10-over spell from overs 21 to 30 inclusive. But some late-order hitting from Brett Lee, dropped twice by Eoin Morgan off Jade Dernbach on his way to 20 not out, bolstered the total. England had an early breakthrough when David Warner, who made a fifty on Friday, holed out after mistiming a pull off Finn.
