England really should have been able to overtake Australia's modest 249 for eight at Lord's yesterday and level this seven-match series but their lack of nous and expertise in the middle order undid them, just as it did at The Brit Oval on Friday. The Lancaster bomber that flew over the ground, when England were well-placed, proved to be a harbinger of doom rather than a source of inspiration, Australia cantering to a 2-0 lead with 39 runs in hand and 23 balls unused. This elongated series means there is time yet for England to add the one-day international trophy to their Ashes success but they will have to considerably up their game if they are to claim it, starting at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. More specifically, their batsmen must improve substantially in a series that so far, despite all protestations to the contrary, has felt flat and unimportant compared to the summer's serious business. The staging of such a long one-day series after the Ashes - do not forget the two washed-out Twenty20 internationals, too - was always inviting anti-climax. And England, who have twice elected to chase, will face a miserable finale to this never-ending season if they do not quickly find a winning batting formula. So abject was England's collapse from 74 without loss to 210 all out that they did not even take their batting powerplay until they were nine wickets down and all hope of victory had gone, a waste of a 50-over innovation that has yet to be used properly. It is not as if England are facing a formidable Australian one-day side. Where once there was Adam Gilchrist at the top of the order, for example, now there is Tim Paine, who poked around for 26 off 44 balls once Andrew Strauss had won what should have been an important autumnal toss. The 10.15am start conjured up memories of those old September domestic cup finals too often decided by a coin. But any advantage handed to England was squandered firstly by their seamers' failure to take early wickets and then, more culpably, by batting still lacking fizz and authority without Kevin Pietersen. England were without Stuart Broad, who has a minor neck injury, and left out Adil Rashid as a consequence, reasoning that they needed to lengthen their batting. Abject: Tim Bresnan was just one of several England batsman to fail as the home side collapsed But their decision to omit their best player from the first game backfired because Eoin Morgan failed to make an impact and the Lord's pitch took more spin than expected....

England hit by Denly scare...

INDIA DEFEATED WEST INDIES...