Australia vs England 2018, 2nd ODI: 5 things we learnt from the match

Joe Root and Chris Woakes stitched together an unbeaten 47-run stand to help England overhaul Australia's 270 after a jittery middle period which saw them lose three wickets to Mitchell Starc. Root remained unbeaten on 46 while Woakes reaffirmed his batting abilities with a 27 ball 39 as England cruised home.

Earlier, Aaron Finch slammed his second hundred of the series while Joe Root picked up Steven Smith and Travis Head. Some terrific death bowling from the English seamers restricted Australia to a below average 270 which at one stage - when Johnny Bairstow and Alex Hales got going - England threatened to easily chase down. Starc amd debutant Jhye Richardson struck at frequent intervals before Root and Woakes took them home to gain a 2-0 lead.

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#5 Joe Root can bowl

Root decided to contribute with the ball and found success

With Aaron Finch on fire, England needed a hero with the ball to silence the other man - Steven Smith. It proved to be their Test skipper and part-time off-spinner, Joe Root. The England batsman turned his arm over and pinned Steven Smith in front with one that turned in a touch. The Aussie skipper missed a flick and was given out even after a review.

Root wasn't done, though, and went on to remove Travis Head with one that was a bit short and turned away. Head tried to push it to mid-on but found a leading edge back to Root. He sent down seven economical overs for 31 runs and picked up two crucial wickets.

#4 Finch tees off to second ton

Aaron Finch slammed his second hundred of the series

Australia seem to have little worries in their top three as Aaron Finch stepped up the gas and compiled his second hundred of the series in as many games. Empowered with the license to attack, Finch made lightwork of England's pace attack on a slightly sluggish Brisbane wicket and raced away to a magnificent ton.

Finch appeared in exceptional touch as he led the charge after Warner and Smith didn't survive too long against England's spinners and found good company in Mitchell Marsh. The duo put on 85 in good time before both were dismissed in the space of two overs. Finch had, meanwhile, completed his century.

#3 England tie down Australia in the death

Mark Wood was brilliant for the visitors in the death

With a slew of cutters, skiddy bouncers and wide yorkers, Mark Wood made run-scoring pretty difficult for Cameron White and Alex Carey in the death overs. Australia were 213 in 40 overs and added just 57 runs in the final 10 overs as England choked the flow of runs, mainly through the wickets of set batsmen - Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh.

Alex Carey played some 360° shots, employing the reverse sweep, paddle sweep and scoop with immense success against Adil Rashid. He struggled to get going against the England seamers, though, as did Cameron White on his comeback to ODI colours.

#2 Bairstow-Hales and debut of Jhye Richardson

Jhye Richardson bowled with pace and venom on his debut

Jhye Richardson was the pick of Australia's seamers finding zip and seam of the surface with his extra pace. He bowled with an average pace in the mid-140kmph range and had England's batsmen rattled.

Johnny Bairstow, who had recently commented on how he needs a longer run in the limited-overs sides, and Alex Hales put on 117 for the second wicket after Jason Roy fell early to Mitchell Starc. The partnership was starting to threaten Australia into submission too early when the Perth Scorchers' seamer sent Hales back.

He removed Bairstow in the next over as England lost two in quick time chasing 271. Bairstow had, however, crossed his half-century by then.

#1 Starc scythes through middle-order as Root holds firm

Mitchell Starc stormed in for Australia after being wayward initially

Just when it looked like England would cruise to the target set, Mitchell Starc overcame his initial blues and bowled a searing spell that accounted for Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali. The left-arm quick separated the Joe Root-Eoin Morgan pair by sending back the skipper and then dismissed Buttler and Ali in the same over with his reverse swing to send England into panic-mode.

Starc found significantly more swing in his last two overs as it started to reverse. First 8 overs average swing: 0.56°Last 2 overs: 1.63°#AusvEng

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 19, 2018

Amidst the ruins, Joe Root held firm for the visitors and found an ally in Chris Woakes. Together, the Englishmen kept creeping to the below par target set by the hosts on a flat Brisbane wicket. Root, with his quick singles and doubles, did not bother to try for boundaries and settled on playing the sheet anchor role.