England Level ODI Series With 135-Run Rout of Australia in Adelaide
England delivered an emphatic response to their heavy defeat in Perth, combining a commanding batting display with a ruthless new-ball attack to beat Australia by 135 runs in the second ODI in Adelaide. The result levels the series and sets up a decisive final match, with momentum swinging sharply back towards the visitors.
After being dismissed for just 131 in the series opener, England recovered to post 355 for 6 from their 50 overs. Tom Banton led the revival with a superb 121 from 99 deliveries, while Joe Root anchored the innings with 62. Jordan Cox and Will Jacks then supplied a powerful late surge, ensuring England finished with a total that put Australia under pressure from the outset.
Australia’s chase unravelled almost immediately. Gus Atkinson took three of the hosts’ top four wickets inside the first seven overs, reducing them to 29 for 4 and leaving the required run rate climbing. Cameron Green and Matt Renshaw briefly offered resistance, but their fifth-wicket partnership could not undo the damage. Australia were eventually bowled out for 220 in 44.3 overs.
Banton’s Century Sets Up England’s Recovery
Australia chose to field after winning the toss, but England’s top order made far better use of the Adelaide surface than it had in Perth. Ben Duckett fell for 9, yet Banton quickly settled and found a reliable partner in Root. Together, they added 137 for the second wicket, rebuilding the innings while keeping the scoring rate healthy.
Root provided control at one end, rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries. Banton, meanwhile, played with increasing freedom. He attacked particularly well through the leg side, using his timing and placement to keep Australia’s bowlers from building sustained pressure. His second ODI century was a major turning point in the match, giving England the platform they had lacked in the series opener.
England briefly lost momentum when Root and Harry Brook departed in quick succession. Brook, who had endured a difficult first match, made only 5 before Riley Meredith bowled him. At 175 for 3, Australia had an opportunity to restrict the innings, but Banton continued to score at pace and kept the total moving forward.
His innings ended on 121 when he was caught by Green off Xavier Bartlett, with England 212 for 4. Rather than allowing the scoring to slow, Cox took charge. He struck 67 from 49 balls, mixing clean boundary hitting with quick running, and built a decisive 102-run partnership with Jacks for the fifth wicket.
Cox and Jacks Lift the Total Beyond 350
Cox’s aggressive approach gave England the late-innings acceleration they needed. Jacks complemented him with an unbeaten 54 from 40 deliveries, while Sam Curran and Atkinson added useful runs towards the end. England’s final score of 355 for 6 was a substantial improvement on their Perth effort and created a demanding chase for Australia.
Bartlett was Australia’s most successful bowler, finishing with 3 for 72, but England’s depth proved difficult to contain. The innings was built in stages: Root and Banton established the foundation, then Cox and Jacks transformed a strong total into a formidable one. That balance between stability and late aggression proved central to England’s victory.
Atkinson’s Early Wickets Put Australia on the Back Foot
Australia needed a confident start to chase 356, but Atkinson quickly made the target appear even more distant. He removed Travis Head and Cooper Connolly in the same over, striking a major blow before the hosts could settle. Josh Inglis fell soon afterwards, leaving Australia four down inside the opening seven overs.
Atkinson’s spell was supported by sharp fielding from England, including an excellent slip catch by Root. Although England missed some chances later in the innings, the early breakthroughs had already shifted the match decisively. Australia were forced to rebuild while the asking rate continued to rise.
Green and Renshaw responded with a 98-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Green scored 64, while Renshaw made 63, and their stand briefly gave Australia a measure of stability. However, the pair were trying to recover from a severe early collapse against a large target. Their partnership reduced the immediate danger of a rapid finish but did not bring Australia close enough to challenge seriously.
Dawson and Atkinson Complete the Job
Liam Dawson broke the stand by trapping Renshaw lbw for 63, then helped remove Green later in the innings. Jordan Cox completed the stumping to end Green’s resistance. With the key partnership gone, Australia’s lower order had little room to mount a comeback.
Atkinson returned to dismiss Adam Zampa and finish with excellent figures of 4 for 28. Dawson claimed two wickets, while England’s attack continued to apply pressure across the innings. Riley Meredith and Spencer Johnson added some late resistance with a 28-run stand for the final wicket, but Jofra Archer ended the contest by bowling Johnson with a sharp yorker.
The final margin of 135 runs reflected England’s control of the match, from Banton’s century to Atkinson’s early strikes. More importantly, the win restores belief after the Perth defeat and leaves both sides with everything to play for in the series decider.
What the Result Means for the Series
England’s performance offers several encouraging signs ahead of the final ODI. Their top order showed it can recover from an early wicket, the middle order added pace when required, and the bowling attack made full use of Australia’s vulnerable start. Atkinson’s ability to strike early was especially important, as it prevented the hosts from building an innings around their strongest batters.
Australia, by contrast, will need a more composed start in the decider. Green and Renshaw showed that partnerships were possible, but their effort came after the chase had already become an uphill task. The series finale is likely to place renewed focus on Australia’s top-order response and England’s ability to reproduce the discipline they showed in Adelaide.
For fans following cricket and considering match prediction ahead of the deciding ODI, this result makes the contest harder to call. England will take confidence from their all-round display, while Australia will be eager to respond at home. Conditions, team selection and the performance of the opening batters could all prove decisive.
Second ODI: Match Summary
England: 355/6 in 50 overs — Tom Banton 121, Jordan Cox 67, Joe Root 62; Xavier Bartlett 3/72.
Australia: 220 all out in 44.3 overs — Cameron Green 64, Matt Renshaw 63; Gus Atkinson 4/28.
Result: England won by 135 runs to level the ODI series.
