Alex Carey returned the boos with interest to condemn England to another heavy defeat – their 10th in 14 one-day internationals.
Carey was expecting a hostile reception at the Headingley home of Jonny Bairstow, the man he dismissed with a controversial thrashing during last year’s Ashes, and was not disappointed when he walked to the crease midway through Australia’s innings.
“I was aware of it but it was still the same. A lot of the noise goes away when you concentrate and that’s the state of mind I like to be in,” said Carey, after countering the boos with a match-winning 74.
The 33-year-old bête noire of Lord’s last summer would not have been playing were it not for a thigh injury to Josh Inglis and there was further irony in his first innings in six months, complemented by a brilliant diving catch during a period of powerplay in which England were reduced to 65 for five, in the home of their wicket-defending rivals.
Alternating between brains and brawn, the left-hander managed things from 145 for four after Australia were asked to bat first, combining for a 55-run stand with Aaron Hardie in eight overs and then farming the strike ably to add another 49 for the tenth wicket with Josh Hazlewood.
Alex Carey shone for Australia despite a lukewarm reception from the Headingley crowd
England were devastated after losing by 68 runs in their clash against Australia.
Australia’s players were delighted after securing victory at Headingley on Saturday.
“I was on the bench for the fourth quarter and an opportunity presented itself, I don’t know how long it will last, but I had a lot of fun,” Carey said.
“It was great to get back out there and play. Once you get back out there and get that competitive energy back, it feels like just another day.”
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh scored 60 on a wicket where he resurrected his own international career with that emphatic century in the Ashes 14 months ago, the 68-run victory his side’s 14th successive in the format, a sequence only bettered by Australia’s 21 in 2003.
By contrast, an England team led by Harry Brook is struggling to absorb the pressure but intends to stick with the Bazball methodology that has transformed the Test team’s fortunes under Brendon McCullum.
“We’re an inexperienced team playing against one of the best in the world. It’s a new era and it’s about being patient and also trying to have fun,” Brook said.
Ultimately, though, it was the failure to finish Australia’s innings and then withstand a barrage of new balls led by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, both returning from illness to strengthen the Australians, that proved decisive on a pitch of pace and bounce.
The loss of eight wickets for 102 runs when well placed prevented Brooks’ side from dismissing their opponents at Trent Bridge in the first game, and a similar implosion of six for 76 threatened to undermine Australia here.
When Glenn Maxwell became Adil Rashid’s 200th wicket in an ODI (among bowlers, only Saqlain Mushtaq and Shane Warne have reached that milestone in fewer innings than Rashid’s 131), the momentum was on England’s side.
Adil Rashid reached the milestone of his 200th ODI wicket to provide a rare positive comment
Jacob Bethell looked to help England improve, but Australia continued to dominate
But the Australians battled back to a defendable total of 270 and then caught brilliantly to dismiss half their opponents in the first 10 overs, virtually settling the result in the process.
Carey and Matt Short both dived to grab the edges while a nimble left-handed grab on his follow-through gave Aaron Hardie the first of two wickets in two balls.
Amid the din, Brook – the first Yorkshireman to captain England in a one-day match at Headingley – was pinned down by a classic left-arm Starc delivery.
Jamie Smith and Jacob Bethell, two of the young prospects England have turned to in an attempt to end the malaise that began at last year’s World Cup, attempted to revive the innings with a half-century partnership for the sixth wicket but the damage was done.
As long as Smith remained, so did hope, but his dismissal immediately after the stroke of a career-high 50 for England’s white-ball sides (fooled by a flick to the leg side by Hazlewood) hastened the demise.
Earlier in the day, Travis Head had taken his overall tally in four innings against England this month to 273 runs when he chose long leg in search of a seventh boundary.
Australian player Adam Zampa is congratulated after taking the wicket of Brydon Carse
England built on that when a switch to the Kirskstall Lane wing for Matthew Potts coincided with a double drive – crosses that went either side of the seam and set up Matthew Short and Steve Smith, another target for a raucous home crowd.
But they were silenced by Carey and Brook’s side now travel to Chester-le-Street on Tuesday trailing 2-0 with three games to play.