England produced a stunning response to their opening-match defeat, hammering Australia by 135 runs in the second ODI at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, 15 November, to level the three-match series 1-1. Tom Banton's magnificent 121 and Gus Atkinson's career-best 4 for 28 did the damage, two days after England had been bowled out for just 131 in Perth.

Put in to bat, England posted 355 for 6 — their highest ODI total on Australian soil — and then dismantled Australia's chase, reducing the hosts to 29 for 4 before bowling them out for 220 in 44.3 overs. The result sets up a winner-takes-all decider in Hobart on Wednesday, 18 November.

Banton's century

Banton's innings was the story of the day. The opener reached his second ODI century from 86 balls and finished with 121 off 99 deliveries, including 12 fours and four sixes, and was named Player of the Match. It was his sixth fifty-plus score in his last eight ODI innings — a man seizing his chance after seven years on the fringes of England recognition.

There was a moment early on when it could have gone very differently. In the sixth over, Banton was struck on the helmet by a sharp bouncer from Spencer Johnson that dislodged his neck guard and left a nasty bruise on his cheek. Australia were convinced they had found a weakness against the short ball. Instead, Banton took it on: he hit two fours and a six from his next three short balls, and in total ten of his 16 boundaries were dispatched through the arc from fine leg to cow corner, including all four of his sixes. He eventually holed out to a diving Cameron Green at deep midwicket, immediately after hitting back-to-back sixes off Xavier Bartlett, who finished with 3 for 72.

England's 355

Banton was not alone. Joe Root, playing his 201st ODI, made a serene 62 from 68 balls and shared a 137-run second-wicket stand with Banton — an England record for that wicket in Australia. Root brought up his 70th score of fifty or more from exactly 50 balls before falling to a rash shot off Cooper Connolly, caught by substitute Liam Scott at short cover.

Captain Harry Brook could not capitalise on his extra time in the middle, reversing his stance to ramp Riley Meredith into the top of his own middle stump for 5 — another single-figure score after his bearding by Beardman in Perth. But the middle order more than made up for it. Jordan Cox, with Jacob Bethell and Jos Buttler among England's absentees on this trip, smashed 67 from 49 balls — his second ODI half-century — and Will Jacks finished unbeaten on 54 from 40 balls. Atkinson smoked consecutive sixes in the final over to take England past 350, and Jacks capped the innings with one last boundary straight down the ground. Ben Duckett had earlier struggled to 9 from 20 balls before losing patience with an off-balance cut to point.

Atkinson's new-ball burst

If Banton set the game up, Atkinson finished it. Promoted to share the new ball with Sonny Baker ahead of veteran Jofra Archer, Atkinson reduced Australia's top order to rubble. Australia lost three wickets for no runs in six balls, each via an edge to slip — including a sensational leaping take from Root, high to his left, to remove captain Mitchell Marsh. At 13 for 3, and then 29 for 4 when Atkinson added Josh Inglis via an inside edge confirmed on review, Australia's lowest ODI total of 70 all out against New Zealand on this same ground in 1986 looked a real possibility.

Atkinson bowled his first seven overs straight through to the drinks break for 3 for 22, and returned at the death to have Adam Zampa caught at deep cover, finishing with career-best figures of 4 for 28. England's catching was not perfect — Root spilled a simple chance off Inglis, and Green (on 7) and Renshaw (on 27) were both dropped — but the pressure never let up.

Australia's chase

Green and Renshaw made England pay for those drops, up to a point. Their 98-run stand for the fifth wicket spanned 19 overs and kept alive the faint prospect of another extraordinary turnaround. But on 63, Renshaw missed a reverse-sweep off Liam Dawson to be pinned lbw, and Green battled through to 64 before he was inadvertently stumped by a deflection off Cox's shin. Sam Curran claimed two wickets in two balls to dislodge Jack Edwards and Bartlett, the former done in by a trademark moonball yorker, and Dawson finished with two wickets of his own.

At 193 for 9, with the stands already emptying, Banton was thrown the ball for the first time in his List A career, in a bid to cap his day with a maiden professional wicket. He came close on a couple of miscues, but in the end it was Archer who closed out the contest, clean bowling Spencer Johnson with a perfect yorker with 5.3 overs remaining. Australia were all out for 220. There was no Mahli Beardman this time — the six-wicket debutant from Perth was rested as a precaution after his exertions at Optus Stadium — and Adil Rashid remained out of the side.

The turnaround

The scale of the turnaround is what makes this win so striking. On Friday in Perth, England were bowled out for 131 and lost by seven wickets. Two days later they posted 355 for 6, easily passing their previous best ODI total in Australia of 333, in front of a crowd of 31,412 at Adelaide Oval. The batting that looked fragile in Perth suddenly looked deep: four of England's top seven passed fifty, and the innings never really stalled after Duckett's early departure.

What's next

Everything now rests on the third ODI in Hobart on Wednesday, 18 November. Australia will hope Beardman's rest pays off and that their top order — blown away twice in two games — finds a way to survive the new ball. England, meanwhile, have the momentum and a batting order that has now shown it can post a huge total away from home. The series that looked done after Perth is level, and the decider is winner-takes-all.

FAQs

How did England beat Australia in the second ODI?

England scored 355 for 6 and then bowled Australia out for 220 in 44.3 overs, winning by 135 runs at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, 15 November. Tom Banton made 121 and Gus Atkinson took 4 for 28.

Who was the Player of the Match?

Tom Banton, for his 121 off 99 balls — his second ODI century, reached from 86 balls.

What was England's highest ODI total in Australia before this match?

Their previous best was 333. The 355 for 6 at Adelaide Oval is their highest ODI total on Australian soil.

How did Australia's chase unfold?

Australia slumped to 29 for 4 after Atkinson's new-ball burst, then recovered through a 98-run stand between Cameron Green (64) and Matthew Renshaw (63) before being bowled out for 220.

When is the series decider?

The third ODI is in Hobart on Wednesday, 18 November, with the series level at 1-1.

Conclusion

Forty-eight hours after being rolled for 131 in Perth, England posted their highest ODI total in Australia and won by 135 runs. Banton's 121 was the innings of the series so far, Atkinson's 4 for 28 the spell of it, and the 1-1 scoreline is a fair reflection of a series that has swung wildly from one game to the next. Hobart on Wednesday decides it — and after Adelaide, neither side can be sure which version of the other will turn up.

Also on CricVic: Mahli Beardman's six-wicket haul on debut in Perth

Also on CricVic: Live Matches Today: Cricket Schedule, 15 November 2026

Sources: ESPNcricinfo — Banton century, Atkinson four-for, power England to 135-run win, Channel News Asia — Banton century and Atkinson's four wickets help England level series v Australia