Second ODI: Root and Duckett Shine with Fifties, Livingstone Adds 41 as England Sets 304
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Synopsis
In the second ODI against India, Joe Root and Ben Duckett scored fifties while Liam Livingstone contributed with 41 runs, leading England to a total of 304 in 49.5 overs. Ravindra Jadeja was the standout bowler for India, claiming 3 wickets for 35 runs.
Key Takeaways
- Joe Root scored 69 runs for England.
- Ben Duckett contributed with 65 runs.
- Liam Livingstone added crucial 41 runs.
- Ravindra Jadeja took 3 wickets for India.
- England set a competitive total of 304 runs.
Cuttack, Feb 9 (NationPress) Joe Root and Ben Duckett delivered impressive performances with scores of 69 and 65, respectively, while Liam Livingstone rounded off the innings with a valuable 41 as England amassed a formidable 304 runs in 49.5 overs during the second ODI against India at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday.
For the Indian side, Ravindra Jadeja was the standout bowler, securing figures of 3-35 in his ten overs, successfully maintaining an economy rate below four, despite other bowlers exceeding five. England would be satisfied with surpassing the 300-run mark, showcasing a capacity for prolonged batting, a feat they had struggled with in the 50-over format.
Opting to bat first, Duckett exhibited aggressive intent from the outset, propelling England to a swift start. His innings benefited from receiving short and wide deliveries and some going down leg, allowing him to effortlessly accumulate nine boundaries.
In contrast, Phil Salt faced difficulties in establishing momentum and despite a dropped catch by Axar Patel early on, he failed to capitalize, ultimately falling to a top-edge off Varun Chakaravarthy, marking the latter's first ODI wicket.
Duckett reached his fifty in just 36 balls, but in an effort to challenge Jadeja, he fell for a catch at long-on. Root emerged as the backbone of England's innings with a strategic performance, notably adept against spinners, securing boundaries through reverse-sweeps and pulls.
As Shubman Gill sprinted from mid-off to catch a high ball from Harry Brook, the pressure mounted on Root and Jos Buttler to sustain momentum. However, shortly after Root's fifty, Buttler attempted to loft a slower ball from Hardik Pandya but ended up giving a catch to mid-off.
A significant setback occurred in the 43rd over when Root misjudged an aerial shot against Jadeja, leading to his dismissal and marking the fifth time Jadeja has taken his wicket.
With the score at 248/5, Livingstone struck several boundaries off Rana and Mohammed Shami, with Adil Rashid hitting three fours off the latter. Although England only managed 74 runs in the final ten overs at the cost of six wickets, their earlier contributions from Root, Duckett, and Livingstone ensured they surpassed the 300-run barrier.
Brief Scores: England 304 in 49.5 overs (Joe Root 69, Ben Duckett 65; Ravindra Jadeja 3-35) against India
